NEW Trip for Summer 2024Magdalen Islands Haven WalkView Trip Details
Duration
7 days
Activities
  • 5 day trek
Accommodation
  • 2 nights hotel
  • 4 nights wilderness camping
Meals
  • 4 Dinners
  • 5 Lunches
  • 4 Breakfasts

Price

$1690USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

Trip Code: CHK

Overview

Trip highlights


  • Conquer the legendary Chilkoot Pass to the Klondike Gold Rush
  • Immerse yourself within old-growth coastal rainforest and high alpine landscape
  • Discover abandoned Gold Rush camps, towns and artifacts
  • Hike the alpine border between Alaska and British Columbia
  • Provided meals and gear ensure lighter loads

It’s rare to find a staggeringly beautiful, remote alpine hike steeped in modern history. Rarer still to follow the footsteps of thousands of hardy prospectors, racing in search of fabled riches during the Klondike Gold Rush, at whatever the cost. The pay-off for hikers is altogether different: five nights of pristine Yukon wilderness surrounded by the legacy of these stampeders. Covering 53 kilometres/33 miles of rugged trail, you’ll cross bridges, creeks, dense forest, and all manner of relics and ruins along the way. There will be an experienced wilderness guide. After conquering the infamous Golden Stairs, soak in the sweeping views and living history before returning to Whitehorse via floatplane with your treasured memories. More than a century after the gold rush, the Chilkoot Trail remains a truly priceless wilderness experience.

Activities:
Grading:
4

Introductory to Moderate

More info about grading system


Rating: 


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Arrival and transfer in the storied capital of the Yukon Territory. In the evening your guide will meet you at your hotel for a group briefing, during which we will go over your pack and the gear you need to carry.

Meals:  Nil

Our gradual entry day nonetheless steeps us in the region’s history and natural beauty. We’ll drive to Carcross (considered the world’s smallest desert) head onward over the Coastal Mountains to Skagway and its gold rush charm. After exploring the town, we transfer to the Chilkoot trailhead in the abandoned gold rush town of Dyea. An undulating trail takes us along bluffs and through forests of massive cottonwood and spruce. Next up are is the boardwalk across Beaver pond. If it is flooded, we encourage you to wear your camp shoes to keep your boots dry. Our small, forest campsite is located under an impressive canopy, an ideal location to soak in the vast outdoors, and connect around a hearty campfire.

Meals:  L,D

Following breakfast, we continue through sublime coastal rainforest, visiting all that remains of the abandoned Canyon City townsite before continuing onwards to Sheep Camp. The rugged trail runs high above the river and involves a few creek crossings and impressive bridges. Before arriving in what remains of Canyon City, we take a side trail on a suspension bridge across the milky Taiya River. Further up the valley, the trail becomes steeper, slicing across bare granite that bears evidence of glacial scouring. Sheep Camp was historically the last site before leaving the tree line and is located within the humid rainforest with views of a large waterfall in the distance. Cast your mind back to the gold rush era, when today’s humble and overgrown Sheep Camp was a bustling mile-long city, complete with saloons, aerial tramway, hotels and restaurants.

Meals:  B,L,D

Departing Sheep Camp, we leave the dense forest behind and enter a dramatic valley and mountain pass. This is where the demanding reality of the Chilkoot Trail took hold, forcing many stampeders to abandon their dreams, along with the goods they carried. You might notice rusted stoves, cables and tram wheels along the trail as we approach The Scales, the settlement where stampeders were weighed and assessed before their push for the summit. With the Chilkoot Pass looming in the distance, The Scales once supported six restaurants, two hotels, a saloon and many freighting offices and warehouses. As you meet the challenge of scrambling up the steep, rocky Golden Stairs, spare a thought for desperate stampeders crushed under the weight of their loads (and the occasional winter avalanche). Your triumph comes with another accolade: you’ve just successfully hiked the alpine border between the United States and Canada. We descend over snowfields passing lakes, creeks and rocky outcrops, arriving late afternoon in our camp.

Meals:  B,L,D

With the most strenuous day behind you, you may well regard today as the best of the trail. Amidst stunning views and gentle grades (save for a spot of ridge work above Long Lake), you’ve earned your place within the Chilkoot’s rugged wilderness and enduring history. You can still spot the remnants of stampeders, especially the tent terraces built into sidehills, to accommodate thousands of people as they gathered to sail directly to the Klondike. There will be plenty of time to explore the area around Lindeman City, including the eleven wooden crosses that remain in the gold rush cemetery.

Meals:  B,L,D

Don’t be deceived by the negative gradient; the Chilkoot has one last surprise in store: the ascent up the ridge overlooking Lindeman Lake. Fortunately, there are plenty of rest stops on wooden boards set up on the rocks. Now that we’ve entered the rain shadow of the coastal mountains, the trail’s landscape changes dramatically. At one point during the gold rush, Lake Bennett was home to 20,000 people living in one of the world’s largest cities. They skedaddled out on thousands of hand-built boats within hours of the ice breaking up in 1898. Our exit will be far more glorious. We’ll board a floatplane for a spectacular scenic flight to Whitehorse, where hot showers and comfortable hotel beds await.

Meals:  B,L

Trip concludes with a transfer to the airport. Breakfast not included.

Meals:  Nil

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Arrival and transfer in the storied capital of the Yukon Territory. In the evening your guide will meet you at your hotel for a group briefing, during which we will go over your pack and the gear you need to carry.

Meals:  Nil

We are meeting our float plane on Schwatka Lake at 9 AM this morning. The pilot will take us to the end of Bennett Lake. Get ready for some incredible views all along the way as we will fly over parts of the Yukon River and magnificent mountain ranges. Once arrived at Bennet we will get started on the trail and hike to our first camp Upper Lindeman.

Meals:  L,D

Today is a perfect day for pictures and getting adjusted to our gear. We will walk through beautiful sections of the Boreal Forest and make our way towards the alpine. We will cross beautiful rivers and the vegetation will slowly change once we will get close to Happy Camp. We will get to camp early and get a good rest because the next day will be our biggest challenge..

Meals:  B,L,D

We will wake up early and make our way towards the Chilkoot Pass. This section of the trail is absolutely mesmerizing. The alpine is a pristine and precious area, and the trail takes us through all kinds of beautiful sceneries. We will cross many glaciers-fed rivers and walk on the snowfields all the way to the Pass. Keep your eyes open for wildflowers and alpine lakes. From there, the view is incredible, you can imagine the stampeders loaded with their gear making their way into Canada. Then, we will make our way back with equally stunning views, and pass our previous camp before going all the way to Deep Lake.

Meals:  B,L,D

With the most strenuous day behind you, you may well regard today as the best of the trail. Amidst stunning views and gentle grades (save for a spot of ridge work above Long Lake), you’ve earned your place within the Chilkoot’s rugged wilderness and enduring history. You can still spot the remnants of stampeders, especially the tent terraces built into sidehills, to accommodate thousands of people as they gathered to sail directly to the Klondike. There will be plenty of time to explore the area around Lindeman City, including the eleven wooden crosses that remain in the gold rush cemetery.

Meals:  B,L,D

Already the last day of our adventure! We will wake up and make our way back to Bennett Lake after a good breakfast. Time to take it all in as we will walk over the sandy reminiscences of what Bennett Lake used to be. It is time to imagine the stampeders on the shores, building their raft to go down the Lake and then to the Yukon River. So much history in this area and you will have time to visit what is left of the town before our float plane brings us back to Whitehorse around 4PM.

Meals:  B,L

Trip concludes with a transfer to the airport. Breakfast not included.

Meals:  Nil


Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.


Inclusions

  • 4 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
  • 2 nights double occupancy accommodation in Whitehorse
  • 4 nights wilderness camping
  • Licensed wilderness guide
  • All camping and kitchen equipment except for sleeping bag and mat
  • Emergency equipment (first aid kit, bear spray, satellite phone)
  • Airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 7
  • Private transportation during the trip
  • Park fees and permits

  • Travel Insurance
  • International Flight
  • Items of personal nature
  • Sleeping bag and mat
  • Meals in Whitehorse
  • Applicable taxes

Suitability

Introductory to Moderate

4

The terrain on this trip is graded 'Introductory Trekking' - These trips involve trekking or walking for up to five or six hours a day at a slow but steady pace and should never be misinterpreted to mean they are easy trips. Hikes are mainly on well-defined trails with undulating terrain. The 'Moderate' aspect of the terrain is the crossing of the Chilkoot Pass which is the only real challenging section of the trail, but it is significant. The pack weight on this trip also increases the difficulty level, as you will be expected to carry all of your own gear including sleeping bag/mat a share of a 2-person tent, group camping equipment and food. You will need a good level of fitness and be in good health. Suggested preparation: We recommend 45 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week from a minimum of 3 months leading up to your trip. This can include swimming, jogging, hard walking or cycling. Hill or stair walking with a full pack in variable weather conditions is highly recommended.


Departure dates


Notes

1
A portion of the US trail is closed, have a look at our Canadian Chilkoot option

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Priceper person from

$1690USD

* All prices subject to applicable taxes

Options & Supplements*
  • Single SupplementUSD$300
* Prices listed are per person. All prices subject to applicable taxes.

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Videos

Retrace the Stampeder's route on the Chilkoot Trail