Routes
Klondike could only be reached by the Yukon River either upstream from its delta, downstream from its river source or from somewhere in between its tributaries. Travel in general was difficult due to the geography and climate. The region was mountainous, the rivers winding and sometimes impassable; the short summers could be hot, while the long winters had temperatures drop below −50 °C. Support for the travellers to carry their supplies varied; some had brought dogs, horses, mules or oxen, but the others had to rely on carrying their equipment on their backs or on sleds pulled by hand. Soon after the stampede began in 1897, the Canadian authorities had introduced rules; anyone entering Yukon Territory had to bring with them a year's supply of food which weighed around 1,150 pounds (520 kg). With all the tools, camping equipment and other essentials, a typical traveller was transporting as much as a ton in weight.
ROUTES BY WATER
Routes by water were made possible due to the demand for ships which encouraged a range of vessels to be pressed into service which included old paddle wheelers, fishing boats, barges and coal ships. From Seattle and San Francisco, a prospector could travel by sea up towards the ports of Alaska. During the start of the rush, tickets from Seattle to the port of Dyea costed $40 for a cabin and $100 for premium. However theses prices were easily paid off, and the steamboat companies started to worry they weren't charging enough. From the Yukon River delta at St. Michael, a river boat could take the travelers rest of the way up the river to Dawson. They were often guided by one of the Native Koyukon people who lived near St. Michael. This all-water route was also called the “rich man’s route” because it was expensive and long, 4.700 miles (7,600 km) long. At the start of the stampede a ticket could be bought for $150 (4,050) while during the winter (1897-1898), it skyrocketed to $1,000 (27,000$).
ROUTES BY LAND
Most of the prospectors started their journey at the South-east Alaskan towns of Dyea and Skagway. From there, they traveled 30 miles (48 km) over the mountain ranges into Yukon, and down towards Klondike from the river network. They had to make their way over the White Pass, a mountain pass through the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains. After getting through the pass they have to cut across to Bennett Lake. The trail began gently but it progressed over many mountains with small paths as narrow as 2 feet, and wider parts were covered with boulders and sharp rocks. The moist weather also made the trail difficult and almost impossible to get through, so, by late 1897, it was officially closed, leaving 5,000 travers stranded in Skagway. An alternate road was eventually constructed which combined with cold weather that froze the slippery muddy ground allowing the White Pass to reopen, and the prospectors began making their way to Canada.
The Chilkoot Pass was located higher than the White Pass, and, along with The cold, steepness and all the equipment a prospector had to carry, made the climb very dangerous. It could take a whole day just to get to the top of the 1,000 feet (300m) slope. Avalanches were really common up in the mountains, and on April 3, 1898, one took the lives of more than 60 peoples that were travelling over Chilkoot Pass. Entrepreneurs started to provide solutions. Steps were cut into the ice of Chilkoot Pass making slipping unlikely. This 1,500 step staircase could be used for a daily fee and were known as the “Golden Steps”. In December 1897, a tramway powered by a horse at the bottom, which would walk around in circles pulling a wheel-mounted rope, had been built by Archie Burns to transport goods and packages to the final sections of the Chilkoot Pass. It was followed by 5 more and one was powered by a steam engine, which costed between 8 and 30 cents per pound. An aerial tramway was built in April 1898. It was able to carry and move 9 tonnes an hour all the way to the summit.
During the summer, Norman Macaulay built a horse-powered rail-tramway which was capable of carrying boats and goods through the canyon for $25 ($680). This way, prospectors didn’t have to navigate the relentless rapids. There were a few trails that led to the Yukon River from South-east Alaska. One was the Dalton trail and it started from Pyramid Harbour located near Dyea, and went across the Chilkat Pass few miles west of Chilkoot and turned north to the Yukon River, a distance of around 350 miles (560 km).
ROUTES BY WATER
Routes by water were made possible due to the demand for ships which encouraged a range of vessels to be pressed into service which included old paddle wheelers, fishing boats, barges and coal ships. From Seattle and San Francisco, a prospector could travel by sea up towards the ports of Alaska. During the start of the rush, tickets from Seattle to the port of Dyea costed $40 for a cabin and $100 for premium. However theses prices were easily paid off, and the steamboat companies started to worry they weren't charging enough. From the Yukon River delta at St. Michael, a river boat could take the travelers rest of the way up the river to Dawson. They were often guided by one of the Native Koyukon people who lived near St. Michael. This all-water route was also called the “rich man’s route” because it was expensive and long, 4.700 miles (7,600 km) long. At the start of the stampede a ticket could be bought for $150 (4,050) while during the winter (1897-1898), it skyrocketed to $1,000 (27,000$).
ROUTES BY LAND
Most of the prospectors started their journey at the South-east Alaskan towns of Dyea and Skagway. From there, they traveled 30 miles (48 km) over the mountain ranges into Yukon, and down towards Klondike from the river network. They had to make their way over the White Pass, a mountain pass through the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains. After getting through the pass they have to cut across to Bennett Lake. The trail began gently but it progressed over many mountains with small paths as narrow as 2 feet, and wider parts were covered with boulders and sharp rocks. The moist weather also made the trail difficult and almost impossible to get through, so, by late 1897, it was officially closed, leaving 5,000 travers stranded in Skagway. An alternate road was eventually constructed which combined with cold weather that froze the slippery muddy ground allowing the White Pass to reopen, and the prospectors began making their way to Canada.
The Chilkoot Pass was located higher than the White Pass, and, along with The cold, steepness and all the equipment a prospector had to carry, made the climb very dangerous. It could take a whole day just to get to the top of the 1,000 feet (300m) slope. Avalanches were really common up in the mountains, and on April 3, 1898, one took the lives of more than 60 peoples that were travelling over Chilkoot Pass. Entrepreneurs started to provide solutions. Steps were cut into the ice of Chilkoot Pass making slipping unlikely. This 1,500 step staircase could be used for a daily fee and were known as the “Golden Steps”. In December 1897, a tramway powered by a horse at the bottom, which would walk around in circles pulling a wheel-mounted rope, had been built by Archie Burns to transport goods and packages to the final sections of the Chilkoot Pass. It was followed by 5 more and one was powered by a steam engine, which costed between 8 and 30 cents per pound. An aerial tramway was built in April 1898. It was able to carry and move 9 tonnes an hour all the way to the summit.
During the summer, Norman Macaulay built a horse-powered rail-tramway which was capable of carrying boats and goods through the canyon for $25 ($680). This way, prospectors didn’t have to navigate the relentless rapids. There were a few trails that led to the Yukon River from South-east Alaska. One was the Dalton trail and it started from Pyramid Harbour located near Dyea, and went across the Chilkat Pass few miles west of Chilkoot and turned north to the Yukon River, a distance of around 350 miles (560 km).