To Juneau in June

This next article in the National Geographic Magazine, July,1930, has immediate appeal for me because the History Channel's show, "Ice Road Truckers," is one of my favorites. Mr. Amos Burg write about a trip to Canada and Alaska in "To-day on "The Yukon Trail of 1898."

Mr. Burg explains the reason for his journey of 2,500 miles, "inspiration armed me with a movie camera. . .and sent me north to see for myself that famous old "Trail of 1898" (p. 84).  He took along a friend and a contract to film the annual caribou migration across the Yukon.

The two friends launched their journey in June in Juneau, Alaska.  They went by train to White Pass mountain to the headwaters of the Yukon Lakes, "beginning scarcely 15 miles from the Pacific. . . 2,300 miles to reach the Bering Sea" (p. 84).  Then the real adventure began.  They set out their canoe on Lake Bennett.  "Our clothes and provisions were packed in waterproof bags.  One of those was marked "Miscellaneous - if you can't find it, look in here" (p. 85).

They paddled to Skagway, the town once crawling with gold-hungry prospectors. The novice adventurers, or "Tenderfeet," were on foot in town.  "Our new boots raised blisters as we descended Chilkoot Pass . . . and the mosquitoes buzzed, "They shall not pass" (p. 84).

The sights they saw from their canoe vantage point were mostly breathtakingly beautiful, pristine scenery, many small Indian villages, one phantom mine (spent gold mine), much wildlife but also dangerous rapids along the Yukon.  They assessed that they would be killed in the rapids at White Horse so sought 'portage.'  I always have a dictionary on hand and generally have to consult it for each and every new article.  'Portage' is the carrying of boats and goods overland between navigable bodies of water.

When I was a young mother years ago, I read an article in National Geographic extolling the wonders of a family living in the North American wilderness.  They built a log cabin, raised all their own food, and home-schooled their children before it was popular.  This appealed to me very much.  Then I read the part about having to ski at least 20 miles in a snowstorm with a child on the dad's back because the child had suspected appendicitis and there was no other way out to get medical help in town.  That changed my mind so I didn't even consult my husband who would have probably had a good laugh over my wild idea.

Mr. Burg and companion had multiple opportunities to view the activities of herds of caribou, "one of the most important animals of the Arctic.  Scarcely anything manufactured equals caribou skin as warm clothing.  In many places in Alaska and Arctic Canada the natives live for long periods exclusively upon caribou meat" (photo caption, p. 98).

Usually the two camped on a river bank but at times would be offered a warm cabin.  "One is welcome among these people at any time or place, and the farther the traveler has come the more welcome he is"  (p. 123).

There are always new facts of history about which to marvel.  The Russian czars possessed the Yukon River area for nearly 100 years!  When close to the end of their trip, "After being swept off the beach by a raging storm at Russian Mission," their canoe was "battered beyond repair" (photo caption, p. 121).  The two tried "unsuccessfully to charter another boat . . .then shipped on as deckhands aboard the Northern Commercial Company boat Ensee for St. Michael" (p. 126).  This was less than 150 miles from the end of the Yukon River and the end of their journey.

"Rounding the passage between Stuart and St. Michael's islands at dawn, we saw, strewing the desolate beach, the last remnants of a faded regime that had spanned almost a century.  A Russian blockhouse facing seaward, with its rusted iron cannon, was the beginning; a broken, weary fleet of magnificent river packets that once stemmed the currents to the far reaches of the Yukon was the end.  The "Trail of '98" is gone, and Time turns his pages to write a new chapter" (p. 126).  FYI: the trip cost Mr. Burg $130.71, not including film.

My dear parents, Adeline and Reuben, were fortunate to take many boat cruises in their later years, all over the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.  One time, I asked mom, "What was your very favorite cruise?"   She immediately answered, "Alaska.  The mountains and ice were unbelievable.  But on the deck were teenagers that completely ignored it and played ping-pong."  Think I'll have to find out myself someday!