ALASKA AND ITS MINERAL RESOURCES 147 



transport their goods, it is seldom used by miners who wish to 

 enter in the spring, since at that season it takes several weeks 

 longer to make the trip by this route than it does to make it by 

 some of the trails mentioned below. It is, however, highly ad- 

 vantageous for persons unfitted to rough it on the trails. 



The Skagway or White Pass route. — From Seattle to Skagway, a 

 distance of 1,115 miles, the route is by ocean steamer northward 

 along the coast, and finally up Lynn canal. It is practically a 

 still- water route, being protected from the swells of the ocean by 

 an almost continuous barrier of densely wooded islands. The 

 trip requires about three and one-half clays. Skagway is located 

 on the east side of Dyea inlet, a branch of Lynn canal. Its popu- 

 lation, which is much increased by people who have been unable 

 to get across the trail, is said to be about 8,000. Dyea is situated 

 four miles north of Skagway, west of the mouth of Dyea river 

 and at the head of Dyea inlet. The rise and fall of the tide in 

 this inlet is about 24 feet. At Skagway steamers find good an- 

 chorage within half a mile of the beach, to which freight is taken 

 in lighters at high tide, which are unloaded when the tide recedes. 

 Several newly built wharves are said to be now in practical use, 

 and the facilities for landing cargoes are greatly superior to those 

 at Dyea. From Skagway the trail leads northeastward up the 

 valley of the Skagway river, crossing the mountains at White 

 pass and running thence northward to the head of Lake Ben- 

 nett, whose waters flow into the Yukon. The summit of White 

 pass is 2,400 feet above sea-level, and its distance from Skagway 

 is 18 miles. For the first four or five miles there is a good wagon 

 road, which crosses the river several times by ford. At high 

 stages of water, however, freight must be packed across on foot 

 bridges. Beyond this are long stretches of very miry and rocky 

 ground, where a loaded man will sink knee-deep in the mud. 

 There are also several steep and rough ascents, of which Porcu- 

 pine hill is the sharpest. The last two miles before reaching the 

 summit is a steady, hard climb, but presents no cliffs or preci- 

 pices. Many horses have been killed or have died on this trail. 

 Seventy-five to 100 pounds make a good load for the ordinary 

 packer. From the summit to Lake Bennett, 17 miles, the trail 

 improves, although still bad. It is for the most part gradually 

 downhill, over an undulating, rocky surface. The timber-line is 

 reached again at The Meadows, about five miles beyond the pass, 

 which is the ordinary camping-place. The trail passes the two 

 small lakes known as Summit and Middle lakes, on which fer- 



