The White Pass Scenic Railroad is an excursion I’ve heard you have to do in Skagway. There are several different variations of this tour. You go back the same way you came so I’ve definitely heard some people recommend doing a different tour where you take the train one way and a bus the other way. That allows you to see different things on the bus. Those are the two basic variations.

Then there are others the combine the train ride with other excursions. I decided to to do the round trip train ride that way if I miss something on the way there, I can catch it on the way back. 

We weren’t shown this until the end but those seats are reversible. If you wanted to face someone in a different seat you can flip that seat back so you are facing backwards.

I think the lady behind me has a bad cough. She’s had three series of coughs and we haven’t even left yet. There is room to move to the other side but I’ve heard all of the scenery is on this side so I’m kind of stuck.

These maps are on all of the seats when you board the train.

This is our guide Parker.

They have complimentary water in the front of the car.

We are heading out.

Who would thought out of all of the places I’ve been Skagway, Alaska would be the place I’d see the most vehicle charging stations together? I would’ve guessed New York or Los Angeles.

That’s downtown Skagway.

This is their only steam engine.

So far this is kind of like St. Kitts with locals stopping to waive at the train.

You are allowed to go outside to take pictures. I would love to stand out here the whole time but I’m going to mix it up since there are a lot of people who want to come out.

This is a customs house. The call it IHOP (International House of Passports).

If you see the black cross down there. Two workers were killed and are still buried in that spot when a blast sent a 500 pound boulder down on them.

This is Bridal Veil Falls.

From here we can see another train coming down the mountain before we go up it.

Here we are passing that train.

Carmack glacier

Sawtooth peaks  

The old steel bridge before we go over the new one.

 

Down there is the original White Pass Trail also known as dead horse trail.

We have reached the White Pass Summit and the Canadian border. We’re aboot to turn around.

This looks like it could be another glacier but they didn’t say anything about it.

At this point they were came around taking orders for a picture book and DVD of the trip for $15.

We have great weather today and are seeing things they don’t always see like the glacier  I pointed out earlier but also the chugach mountain range with the snow. It’s rarely visible on this ride

Sawtooth peaks

 

I think I heard there’s a train that stops to pick people up here.

There is the black cross again.

IHOP again.

In the middle here we can see Skagway and the port.

You can kind of make out the ships there.

The narrator Quincy came around to all of the cars towards the end.

They are firing up the steam engine.

We’re pulling back into the station and a lady just asked that lady behind me to please cover her mouth. She’s probably been straight up coughing on me. I did move to the other side for the ride back.  

The train stopped downtown and at the ship. I got off downtown. They say there’s a smart bus you can catch for $3/ride or $5/day, but the ship is so close I’ll just walk when I’m done.

That’s how close we are to the ship.

I enjoyed this tour. I am glad I did the round trip train ride. It made the trip easy just staying on the train the entire time. I highly recommend doing this when you are in Skagway.