Our daughter is in Skagway for the summer. The easiest way to get there (normally) is by flying to Whitehorse in the Yukon territory, then driving 200 km back into the States. Unfortunately, there was a mudslide yesterday that blocked the Knondike Highway, making the road impassable for at least a few days (1)
The long way around is twice as long (400 kms) to Haines, Alaska, then by ferry across to Skagway. West through the Yukon, there was smoke from forest fires. Then, turnng south toward Haines (at Haines Junction), the road goes about 45 miles through British Columbia (B.C.), during which we saw one dwelling (2). The road's summit was obscured by fog.
Clearing US immigrations, we were told it was 40 miles to town. Driving down the Tilkat River, we found the ferry dock. The next car ferry was tomorrow, but there was a passenger ferry to Skagway on the oyher side of town. Arriving just in time for the 5:00 boat, we hopped on a boat filled with people on a shore excursion from a cruise ship docked in Skagway.
Crew members on the boat pointed out bald eagles on the Lynn Canal/Fjord as we headed north. About 45 minutes (and 14 miles) later, we arrived in Skagway, our daughter waiting for us at the dock.
(1) Thankfully, no one was injured in the slide, caused by recent heavy rains in the area. Some shore excursions were trapped north of the slide, forcing the buses, etc. to go the long way around, and the cruise ships to make unscheduled stops off Haines to collect the stranded passengers
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