Today we explored the Dyea area and the Chilcoot trail. Dyea is almost non existent now, there being only a few ruins left and one false front from an old building that has miraculously survived.
We found the start of the Chilcoot trail and walked the first 250 metres. It is very rugged from the word go and I can only imagine what the Stampeders were thinking when they started out on their first trip up knowing that they would have to do the trip many times to get their ton of gear to the top. They must have been made from pretty good stuff. It was during a major depression, so I guess there was some desperation involved too.
One day we hope to walk this trail which takes about 6-7 days, but the best time would be later in the year than now. Now there is still snow and ice higher up, something that did not worry the Stampeders, but it worries me!
