Beyond the Golden Staircase

Beyond the Golden Staircase

In 1898, Gold Rush stampeders faced a major physical challenge on their way to the Klondike goldfields: the daunting Chilkoot Trail, with a climb of 1,067 metres (3,500 ft), some of it at a nearly 40-degree angle. The historic journey is immortalized in old photographs of weary packers climbing the Golden Staircase to the summit.

Today, hikers can retrace the rugged and beautiful 53-kilometre (33-mi.) trail from coastal Alaska to the shore of Lake Bennett. The route is lined with alpine lakes and century-old Gold Rush artifacts. Co-managed by Parks Canada and the U.S. National Parks Service, the Chilkoot Trail is Canada’s largest National Historic Site. Most people take three to five days to complete the journey. Hikers should reserve their trip well in advance, and anyone using the trail requires a backcountry permit.