Alaskan Cruise: Part 3 (Skagway, AK)

Our second 'port of call' was in beautiful Skagway, AK. Besides the funny name, I knew nothing about Skagway except there was a train everyone and their dog was going on. We took a quick poll with our group and we decided we also wanted to go on this hyped up train ride through the Alaskan terrain. That was one of the best decisions we made on the entire trip!

It. Was. Nuts.

As described through the railway's own website:

Relax in vintage passenger coaches as you retrace the original route to the White Pass Summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. Enjoy a breathtaking panorama of mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites. See the original Klondike Trail of ‘98 worn into the rocks, a permanent tribute to the thousands of souls who passed this way in search of fortune.

The ride starts off loading up in vintage wooden railway cars. It definitely had a wonderful vibe to the experience before we even kicked off towards the mountains. They provided complimentary water and snacks which turned out to be a nice treat considering round-trip was around 2.5-3 hours. Each railcar had its own bathroom as well so all-in-all, we were all quite comfortable on the trip. Before too long, the conductor said a few words and off we went towards the White Pass summit!

Britt and her sister, Jen.

One of the nicest surprises was the simple ability to be able to go outside on the platform and catch unobstructed views and some fresh mountain air! One of my favorite moments on the ride was going over some original bridges constructed over 100 years ago! They are maintained very well, but it is still an incredible feeling to realize the history and beauty in something that old and yet still functional. The sights and sounds on this trip were so beautiful and so intense my brain almost did not let it sink in. It took some convincing for my brain to take it all in and realize the magnitude of the scenery. It was truly unforgettable. 

Another big milestone for Britt and I was we officially crossed into Canada which was our first time doing so. We got to spend around 20 minutes in Canada before we made our way back accross the border. 

After the train ride was over, we had some time to walk around the city center. Skagway looked like the quintessential mining town from the gold rush days. While walking around we came across an Argosy in the wild! I wanted to go talk to the owner, but decided to stick with the group. 

Our group eventually loaded up back on the ship and after dinner ended up joining a karaoke contest. To no one's surprise, we did not win even though we laid down the best duet performance of Neon Moon ever heard by human ears. The horn blew and we pulled away from the port heading towards Glacier Bay National Park!