Enjoyed a great stay in Skagway.  Saw it turn from a ghost town to a boom town when the cruise ship passengers streamed into town.  They boarded trains, buses, tour vans, and even Hummers to go up to White Pass.  We took our car to watch them unboard, shiver, and stair into the white.  Then they took pictures of the wild, pictures of each other, and pictures of themselves.  They had entered upon what seemed to them all the Arctic and it touched them.  We drove on and stopped to make short walks along the road.  Off road was a few feet of slushy over a vici

This is the town where landed many of the prospectors (stampeders) hopeful for that find of color in the Yukon Territory of Canada.  The Canadian government made as a requirement of entry the possession of a year’s worth of provisions.  These had to be relayed over the 3,700 foot high Chilkoot Pass and down to a lake.  There they could raft to the Yukon River and float the rapids to Dawson City.  Ambitious souls.  We will drive over the top.  That will be challenge enough. 

We’re tired after our first day of touring and birding the Juneau area.  The generator and furnace are on.  Anne is frying fresh salmon.  All is well.  We were surprised to wake up to sunshine this morning.  The forecast was for storm.  Some of that came through the night.  The seasonal employee we met this morning told us that here forecasts are only suggestions for the weather.  It seldom follows them.  I told him we changed our plans because of it.  He said that was wise.

We’re situate in a lovely NFS campground ten miles from Juneau Alaska.  Arrived by ferry at 4:45 a.m. this morning.  Our literature said the campground opened today, but we found the gate locked.  We called the office to remind them of the opening.  A ranger knocked on our door at Noon to tell us it was open.  He remarked on our A.T. sticker and said he had through-hiked the trail in 1984.