Day Seventythree - Aug 6, 2009
Chilkoot Trail-Lindeman City to Skagway, AK
Daily Didactic
The morning started moderately late in Lindeman City, the day's goal being about seven and a half miles down the trail to lake Bennett for our last night. We hit the road about 8:00 and managed to make it to Lake Bennett a little before noon. In the past the train has left earlier in the day, so we have spent our fifth night in the Lake Bennett campground. This year, however, the train doesn't leave until 2:30. Todd did some quick negotiating and managed to get us on this afternoon's train. We cashed in our "lunch on the day out" tickets for the most anticipated meal we have had all summer. The "back room" hiker's lunch of bottomless stew, endless bread, and apple pie was absolutely everything we had imagined.
We climbed on board the train a little before two and settled in for the White Pass/Yukon Railroad run down to Skagway. The roughly forty mile trip is a a big draw for tourists, train buffs, and us. The train is a narrow gauge railroad that winds down a steep valley, with significant chunks of the ride hanging on the side of the cliffs. The scenery and experience is spectacular.
We got back to Skagway a day early, Todd secured us an extra night at Pullen's, we cleaned up, and then beat a path for pizza and nachos at Red Onion. After another glorious meal we wandered the dock and marveled at the size of cruise ships for a bit, before calling it a long and very satisfying day.
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