Travel Notes | The Northernmost North—Alaska (10)—The World’s Most Beautiful Scenic Railway

We rode this legendary railway line in Skagway, which is known as the most beautiful scenic railway in the world.

The Yukon Mountains (Yukon) are Canada's most northwestern frontier. The endless wilderness and rolling mountains have left the footprints of pioneers. There is a railway here that leads to Alaska through the snowy mountains, called the White Pass & Yukon Route. It passes through canyons, cliffs, and tunnels all the way. Like the Norwegian Fjords Bergen Line we once rode, it is called the most beautiful and scenic railway line in the world.

Every section of the most beautiful railway has a colorful history, and the White Yukon Railway is golden. In 1896 gold was discovered in this area, and people from all directions flocked to Skyway to start their gold mining journey. In 1898, the British government invested 1 ten million dollars, and the United States and Canada joined forces to start building a railway from Skagway to Yukon, Canada.

Gold panning demonstration

The construction of the White Yukon Railway was a miracle in the history of railroad construction. The environment in the Arctic region is dangerous, with rocky cliffs and several bridges hanging from the cliffs. One of the cliff suspension bridges has a 16 degree turn. The weather was bad, and the construction was carried out in severe cold temperatures of -60 degrees. In just twenty miles, sea level rose as much as three thousand feet. At that time, building such a huge project was a miracle of construction engineering. In 1994, it won the title of "International Civil Engineering Milestone", on par with the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Panama Canal.

Nowadays, the gold mines have been exhausted and are no longer mined. With the development of tourism in Alaska, starting from 1988, this railway will open in 5 every year. It will be opened as a sightseeing route in 9.

Take an ancient scenic train to the top of the mountain for a panoramic view of the canyons and waterfalls.

Accompanied by Alaska's rolling snow-capped mountains, rivers and lakes, shuttled between vast forests and lofty mountains. The layers of forests slowly unfolded before your eyes, and the cliffs of tens of feet passed slowly by your feet. The visual experience was more vivid than the photos. strong.

whale watching tour

As one of the few large mammals with migratory habits, humpback whales tirelessly carry out regular north-south migrations every year. When summer comes, nearly two-thirds of the humpback whales in the entire North Pacific will set off from northern Hawaii, spending a lot of time In nearly two months, they traveled more than 5000 kilometers to the Alaskan fjords to start looking for food, and then every time winter comes, they return to the Hawaiian waters to breed and raise their offspring.

Whenever summer comes, the narrow bays, the warm and humid North Pacific monsoon, countless trout that also migrate, and the thousands of humpback whales that come from afar make the Alaskan fjords the best in the world. One of the best places to watch whales.

It's a pity that I have participated in whale watching in California, Hawaii, Alaska, and Kamchatka, and I have never seen a whale rising out of the water. I hope I can have such good luck in the future.

mendenhall glacier

The Mendenhall Glacier is only 20 kilometers away from the urban area of Juneau, the capital of Alaska. It is known as the easiest glacier to see and is connected by a road. The glacier is 19 kilometers long, 2.4 kilometers wide, and the thickest part is more than 30 meters high. It is the largest glacier in the Juneau Icefield. One part is a typical retreating glacier, retreating about 27 meters every year. 1892 Named after Mendenhall, head of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Juneau, the capital of Alaska

bear proof trash can

View of Mendenhall Glacier

The lake formed on the front edge of the Mendenhall Glacier after it retreated is called "Cotton Field". Across one side of the glacier outside the mountain, the glacier melt water turns into a waterfall. And down, thus creating a spectacle: seemingly motionless glaciers, overflowing lakes and raging waterfalls coexist in a small area.