Greetings. I’ll be in Alaska this summer (early September) and am trying to decide whether to take the narrow-gauge White Pass Railway trip. Actual humans have told me they liked it; guidebooks are mixed. So I put it to you: What’s it like if the weather is bad? Is it an intersting way to spend 3 1/2 hours?
Thanks.
Since this will be a matter of opinion, I’ll move this thread to IMHO.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
Thanks, bibliophage. It was more of a GQ when I started, but it had evolved into an IMHO by the time I had written it!
Do you really like train rides? If so, go for it. I have seen a travelogue documentary of the ride and although it was not a stunning route, I still think that rail excursions permit one to see an entirely different (and less spoilt) view than road travel allows.
The definition of good weather for Alaskans is debatable. It’s an historic ride and one that has not always been available, so I would take it. If you are a strong hiker and have the time, I’d recommend hiking the Chilkoot Pass trail. September can be somewhat rainy, but not usually as bad as August. That part of the state gets a lot of wind and rapidly changing weather, so you just have to take your chances. If you’re worried about snow storms, don’t. Too early (crosses fingers, slinks away).
I had dinner last night with a couple who took the White Pass Railway two weeks ago. Since I had already seen this thread, I asked them for their recommendations.
They hiked the 33-mile Chilcoot Trail from Skagway to Bennett with an Elderhostel group, then took the train back from Bennett to Skagway. They said that the train trip back was truly beautiful, but they had perfect weather (early July).
They also said that if they were in Skagway and not planning on hiking the Chilcoot Trail, they’d find out (as best they could) what the weather was probably going to be like before making reservations on the White Pass Railway. They would still have enjoyed the train ride even in bad weather, but having hiked one-way they didn’t have much choice!
In summary: weather good --> excellent trip, weather bad --> probably better ways of spending US$130 and a day out of one’s vacation.
If you don’t get a ticket, or don’t have the time, for the Railway, there is a bus ride that I went on that follows the path. But I would say ABSOLUTEY do it, as long as it’s at least somewhat not too foggy. It’s the most gorgeous scenery that you will ever see.