Carmacks

tHE KLonDiKE HiGHWAY

Emerald Lake at Km 117

The Klondike Highway links Skagway, Alaska to Dawson City, Yukon. The Highway roughly parallels the route taken by the prospectors in the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. It was a grueling journey from Skagway over the Chilkoot Pass or the White Pass to Carcross. From there, prospectors continued by boat or raft along the Yukon River, through Whitehorse to Dawson City.

The last section of the Highway, from Skagway to Carcross was completed in 1978 and became part of the Klondike Highway terminating in Dawson City. In 1986 it became important as a commercial trucking route, with the abandonment of the White Pass Railroad from Carcross to Whitehorse.

As the highway winds out of Skagway towards Whitehorse you will encounter beautiful lakes and rivers. The only community between Skagway and Whitehorse is Carcross, however, there are several small communities between Whitehorse and Dawson including, Stewart Crossing and Pelly Crossing.

A brief description of the towns on the Klondike Highway follows: Skagway was the boomtown gateway to the Trail of ’98 and the Klondike gold fields. The population has dwindled from 20,000 feverish gold seekers to about 1,000 yearround citizens. (see page 125) Carcross has a fascinating history that includes an interesting connection to the former President of the USA, Donald Trump. (see page 89) 88 Connecting Routes Braeburn Lodge at km 280. Don’t miss this favorite stop on the way to Dawson City. It is home to world famous cinnamon buns, monster sandwiches, great fishing and souvenirs. 89 km from the Alaska Highway junction. Gas & Diesel available. 867-456-2867 Carmacks is at the junction of the Klondike Hwy and the Robert Campbell Highway, which leads to Faro and Watson Lake. In 1893 George Carmack, who would later discover gold in Dawson, found coal near Five Finger Rapids and went about developing a coal mine. Carmack built a cabin, which became a trading post and the community of Carmacks was born. It wasn't long before it became an important riverboat stop between Whitehorse and Dawson. The settlement continued to grow when the Overland Trail was routed through Carmacks in 1901. In 1955 a branch road was completed from Carmacks to Dawson. This ended Sternwheeler traffic and resulted in the demise of many small river communities, however, Carmacks was one of the few to survive. Dawson City, is the heart of the worldfamous Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. As many as 60,000 annual visitors come to Dawson, some looking for gold, others to explore it's rich history. (see page 92)