Accommodations:

I checked out the Skagway.com web site for places to stay.  I only looked at accommodations with real beds.  I am not sure about your feelings on where to stay before and after the trip but i would prefer a nice bed since i will be sleeping on the ground for four days.  I was also thinking we would stay together so i researched places that would take on a small group.  In some cases, prices would be per person (i.e. bunks) and others we would share beds and split the costs of the room or rooms.  The prices (pre-tax of course) ranged from $15 to $50 per night.  Not all locations had a clear cancellation policy and some only took cash.  I tried to annotate these the best i could.

My pick is the Alaskan Sojourn for its price, bunks, and atmosphere.  My second choice Cindy's Columbine cabin.  Again, not too expensive, private with its own bath, and it can accommodate all of our party.  We can even do a combination of places.  Please check them out and let me know your top three choices.  I will research them further.  If you would rather camp, find a better location, or would rather have a private room, let me know that, too.

Once a decision is made, i will follow Bobbi's lead and pay for the rooms or deposit.  If you would like your own room, again, please let me know and i will leave it up to you to make the reservation.  

Bobbi:  I think i will be flying down and either meeting you in Juneau or Skagway depending on your route.  Please let me know your itinerary so i can schedule the rooms for the appropriate date.

Skagway Home Hostel and Gardens (Currently Closed/No online Reservations)

• Community Kitchen
• Hot Showers
• Dorm Style Rooms
• Help with Cleaning Duties
• $20 or $15 for Coed

Alaska Sojourn

• Two gender specific dorm rooms (bunk beds)
• One co-ed dorm (bunk beds)
• Bunks ~ $25.00 /night
• One Private Room
• $75.00 per night for private room. (2 people max)
• Free linens (we don’t allow use of personal linens or sleeping bags)
• Conveniently located, just a few blocks walk from downtown.
• Free Coffee and Tea freshly brewed every morning!
• Cash Only

Cindy's Place - Cabins

The Columbine Cabin

• No credit cards.  $50 Deposit
• Private Bathroom
• Queen Bed and two Twin Mattresses.
• Microwave, toaster, coffee maker
• Continental breakfast foods plus fresh baked goods
• Rates are $125/double with food or $105/double with just hot beverages, $5 more for a double with separate beds, $15 each additional person with food, or $10 each additional person without food.

Historic Skagway Inn

• Deposit on one room only.  Reservations cancelled 30 and more before arrival, refunded.  After 30 days only if able to rebook room. 
• Complementary Transportation to/from the Ferry, Train, Bus, or Airport
• Full Hot Breakfast (Eggs, Bacon or Sausage, Potatoes, Muffins, Cereal, Yogurt, Toast, Fruit, Milk, Juice, Herbal Teas, and Ravens Brew Coffee)
• WiFi
• Alice and Flo Rooms: Queen and two twins $200
• Dottie: Twin Beds and 3/4 Bath $159
• Ida: Two Twin Beds and shared bath $119
• There are other options.  If you considered this option, please check out website.

Morning Wood Hotel

• Eight private with Double Beds and two shared bathrooms $75

Sgt. Preston's Lodge

• Color Televisions with cable tv - DVD players available upon request
• Private baths, some shower-bath combinations
• Micro-waves and Refrigerators available upon request ( depending on room)
• Complimentary Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate available in lobby
• Small Room - Queen and Shower $90
• Standard Room - Two Doubles and bath $100 plus $10 per extra person
• Deluxe Room - Two Queen Beds and bath $115 plus $10 per extra person
• 72 hour cancellatioin

Planes, Trains, & Ferries: Prices and Schedules

For those who will not be driving, the trip (minus the hike itself which will be using feet only!) can be broken down into 6 major segments. Likely, these will be 1) flight, 2) flight, 3) shuttle, then hike, 4) train, 5) flight, 6) flight. Large planes cannot fly into Skagway, the town nearest the trailhead so a person must first fly to Juneau on Alaska Airlines and then from Juneau to Skagway on one of two smaller airlines. There is also the option of taking a ferry either one or both ways from Juneau to Skagway. In addition to traveling to and from Skagway, there is the short shuttle ride from Skagway to the trailhead (which I am not including below) and the train ride from the Canadian end of the trail in Bennet back to Skagway.

I am quoting prices for people traveling in groups of two for the purpose of including companion fare discounts and 2 berth rooms on the ferry. Using the information below, one can easily estimate cost and then book reservations. Train reservations should be made at least 2 weeks in advance and flight reservations as soon as permits are secured, in early 2012.

Fairbanks to Juneau and Juneau to Fairbanks PLANE: $282 or 15K mi

Alaska Airlines

*Round trip flights the entire month of July are the same rate $465 pp w/o companion tickets or $282 pp including $99 companion fare. Flights the entire month of July cost the same miles: 15,000

*Flights from Fairbanks to Juneau can be made directly, but will probably have to stop in Anchorage on the way from Juneau to Fairbanks

*Flight time is about 3 hours

Juneau to Skagway and Skagway to Juneau PLANE: $250 pp

Air Excursions

Wings of Alaska

*Flights are not yet available but are predicted to be around $125 each way or $250 round trip

*There are about 5 flights every day and if a flight is missed, there is not fee for changing to to the next one or for cancelation, if necessary.

*Maximum baggage weight is 70lbs pp (which won't be any problem at all)

*Flight time is about 45 minutes

*They say it's a pretty flight

*There are not any discounts available

Skagway to Juneau FERRY: $32.50 pp

Alaska Marine Highway

*Ferries from Juneau to Skagway and vice versa always stop in Haines and the total ride is about 7 hours

*Friday and Saturday, July 13th and 14th, ferry times are about 4:15pm (Skagway) to 11pm (Juneau). There is not a ferry on Sunday, July 15th.

*One-way ferry rates are $50pp, $55 inside berth, or $65 outside berth ($32.50 pp for the latter)

*There are not any discounts available

*There are cafeterias on the ferries :)

Bennet (Canada) to Skagway TRAIN: $95-$119 pp

White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad

*Tuesdays and Fridays (Friday is the most likely day this group would board the brian), trains run directly from Bennet back down to Skagway, about 1:00 to 4:45 ride for $95

*Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (if perhaps the group has to ride Saturday), the train runs in the opposite direction, north, from Bennet (BC) to Carcross (YT) and then a motor coach is taken from Carcross to Skagway, about 11:45 to 4:30 ride total for $119. Note that most of this trip would be on road, not train track.

All dates, times, and prices were obtained from calling each individual company and speaking to customer service representatives so of course are subject to change as time passes.

A Few Tips for Hiking the Chilkoot

When I signed Arthur up for the library's reading program last summer, one of the librarians casually mentioned that she would be hiking the Chilkoot Trail. I made a mental note to ask her about it and I finally did, just last week. She had some excellent advice, which I am now passing on to everyone else.

1) Take as much time as you can to experience as much as you can. Her family did the hike in 5 days and they were really glad they did. They thought that taking more time enabled them to check out some of the other smaller trails and enjoy the picturesque scenery. We will also be taking 5 days - mark your calendar for July 9-14th!

2) Make your reservations early. Reservations also need to be made for campgrounds. There is also an orientation that everyone must attend before hiking. If one person in your group is missing or if you are late to the orientation, you must wait until the next one.

3) As for equipment: wear good, waterproof hiking boots. Bring gloves to protect hands from rocky areas. Hiking poles were a good idea. Do not wear jeans.

4) Our group must travel together when we reach Canada. The boarder guards will not let us pass unless all of our group is present. If we have super hikers, they will have to wait at the boarder for all of the stragglers.

5) She also said that the meal at the end of the trip was totally worth it: stew, bread, apple pie...I'm getting hungry right now just thinking about it.

6) In the campgrounds along the trail, one side was stocked with toilet paper and the other side wasn't. She couldn't remember if it was the Alaska side or the Canadian side, however. Bring some T.P. and hand sanitizer just to be on the safe side.

7) The best piece of advice, however, was that the Trail was not as difficult as she thought it would be. That's very promising, isn't it?