ALASKA INSIDE PASSAGE
&
CANADIAN ROCKIES 2012

An alternative means of travel to CRUISE SHIPPING it up or down the INSIDE PASSAGE, combined with travel in the CANADIAN ROCKIES

Using Vancouver as a starting point, we used the GREYHOUND bus to take us to the Alaska Ferry Terminal at BELLINGHAM in Washington. Here we began our 'ALASKA FERRY ADVENTURES'
Glacier Bay Super Saver

This finished at JUNEAU. We then caught the Alaska ferry MATANUSKA back to Canada at PRINCE RUPERT BC. This is the only Canadian port of call in the Alaska ferry system.

From Prince Rupert we caught the inexpensive
VIA Canada Rail to JASPER AB
then did a circuit, Jasper - Banff - Adams Lake - Clearwater - Jasper, by HIRE CAR.
Then VIA Canada Rail back to Vancouver

Home

Vancouver

Whistler

MV Columbia to Skagway

Skagway

Haines

Glacier Bay

Juneau

MV Matanuska - Juneau to Prince Rupert BC

Prince Rupert

VIA Rail - Prince Rupert to Jasper

Jasper

Icefields Parkway

Banff

Wells Gray

Back to Vancouver

Skagway is one of the cruise ship capitals of Alaska

These things hold thousands of passengers and a LOT of crew

The town is almost deserted after they all reboard their ship. There are not a lot of eating options as the passengers all eat heartily onboard ship

The main attraction and reason for Skagway's growth was the White Pass Railway, built to provide transport for the Klondike Gold Rush. Started in 1898, the line was in full operation by 1900

The carriages are either restored originals or close replicas

I was lucky enough to be chosen to drive the locomotive on our trip to the White Pass summit

Spectacular views are the norm on the way up

- - - and the way down