The Chilkoot Trail

The Golden Stairs continued

A picture of me taking a breather in a hollow along the Golden Staircase. We had been advised to set off early to avoid avalanches which were more likely in the afternoon after the snow had had time to melt and to give us enough time to reach the next camp which was between eight to twelve hours away

 

Eventually after a false summit we reached the actual summit.

 



There was a rangers cabin and a warming up shelter in which we stopped for twenty minutes.

I had not been wearing gaiters and the bottom of my trousers were soaked through from both the wet foliage further back down the valley and from the snow. The water had seeped through to my soaks and so my feet were squelching inside my boots and cold. My hands were cold from scrambling across cold, icy or snowy boulders. I didn't want to take my boots off as putting on cold wet socks is unpleasant, best to just endure and dry them out at the next camp. Unfortunately we were not even half way but at least the most strenuous part was over and the view would be worth it ifonly the fog and damp cleared.

 

There was still mining debris everywhere and plenty of snow still to cross.

 After a couple of hours, there was still snow on the hills and cold rivers to cross but it was a steadt if slow descent and the sky was finally clearing a little.

In less than an hour later we were in Happy Camp and the sun was shining. I had a swim in the icy cold river for a wash both me and my shirt...less of a swim and more of a get in and out as fast as possible. The sun dried out my boots and socks and after a cup of tea, everything seemed so much better.

 

 

The view down the valley from the camp. It was called Happy as people were only too delighted to have crossed the worst of the summit and be near enough to the tree line to get wood for fuel.

 Not all the travellers had two feet...but even the dog carried a back pack.

 

 By seven o'clock,must people who had stayed at Sheep Camp had reached Happy Camp but there was a couple from Whitehorse with their grand daughter and four out of a family of six from Anchorage who had not been seen and so several of us walked back up the trail with first aid kits, warm clothes and thermos flasks to ensure that they were all right. In the event they were all okay, they had just left rather later than planned and it was a long way for ten and thirteen year olds but they were happy to have completed the most gruesome section.