From Skagway to White Pass From White Pass to Lake Bennett

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The White Pass & Yukon line: from White Pass to Lake Bennett



The White Pass & Yukon line from Skagway to Lake Bennett

    Once the border crossed at the summit of White Pass, in British Columbia the scenery changes. Numerous lakes are stretched along the line, ground is rocky and development of the vegetation is limited by the frost and the very short summer season. The highest point of the line is actually reached in Canadian territory before Fraser (the Canadian custom station), then the line goes downhill to Bennett, with the exception of a 2.5 and 3% grade dent. At Lake Bennett, the station was restored by the Canadian Park Service (Park Canada) and includes a small museum on the Klondike Gold Rush and on the former town of Bennett. The Park also includes a camp ground and is the starting point for hickers on the Chilkoot trail, one of the two trails used during the Gold Rush, that allows to reach the coast of Alaska by walk.

• Photo gallery

Still under low clouds, the train runs in a desolated area on the Canadian side of the border near White Pass (near MP 25).	Arrival in Fraser on the shore of Lake Fraser, a train is waiting in the siding for the meet.
Fraser station (in the rain), with its embedded water tank to protect the water from freezing.	Lake Fraser, as seen from the train, with the mountains of northwestern British Columbia in the background.
Along Lake Fraser, the train is heading back toward Skagway (around MP 29).	Marshes, pine forests and mountains: the scenery near Log Cabin as seen from the train (MP 32).
Near Log Cabin, the line winds between mountains and swamps (around MP 32).	Arrival in Bennett (MP 40): the conductor is lining-up the switch to turn the train on the wye.
Bennett station on the shore of its namesake lake, the ghost town of Bennett is on the hill on the right.	Consolidation #40 departing from Bennett station with the train to Skagway.

From Skagway to White Pass From White Pass to Lake Bennett

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