White Pass
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| White Pass | |
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| Elevation | 873 m. |
| Location | British Columbia,  Canada / Alaska,  United States |
| Range | Coast Mountains |
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- This article refers to the pass between Alaska and British Columbia. For White Pass in the U.S. state of Washington, see White Pass (Washington).
White Pass (el. 873 m.) is a mountain pass through the Coast Mountains in the U.S. state of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada that leads from Skagway, Alaska to the chain of lakes that are the headwaters of the Yukon River, Crater Lake, Lake Lindeman and Lake Bennett.
The White Pass was closely controlled by the Chilkoot Indians and was unknown to non-natives until 1887. William Ogilvie had heard reports of low pass from the head of Chilkoot Inlet to the headwaters of the Lewes River (Yukon River), while in Juneau. In June of 1887 Ogilvie was at the head of Taiya Inlet doing a survey from Pyramid Island up through the Chilkoot Pass. William Moore, who was accompanying him, had experience building roads in mountainous areas and wanted to try this route since the Chilkoot Pass was reported to be too steep for a wagon road. Ogilvie made inquiries and learned there was such a pass; but could not induce any Chilkoots to guide Moore. Skookum Jim Mason had been through this low altitude pass before, and with much talk and encouragement he was induced to reveal it. Ogilvie sent Moore and Skookum Jim Mason over this low altitude pass while he continued with his surveying work on the Chilkoot Pass. [1] Moore did a rough survey of the new pass and returned with the satisfaction that he had found the route for his wagon road. The White Pass was named for the Canadian Minister of the Interior Thomas White by William Ogilvie.[2]
William Moore and his son returned to stake a homesteader's claim in Skagua; as it was then known. They built a cabin and a wharf and surveyed a town site they called Mooresville. In 1894 the North West Mounted Police arrive at Dyea and Mooresville on their way to the Canada's Yukon territory. The first group of prospectors hiked up Moore's crude trail over the White Pass. Once the gold rush began the Moores were over-run. Mooresville was resurveyed by Frank Reid as Skaguay. The crude trail was made into a toll road by George Brackett and the North West Mounted Police guarded the passes and briefly maintained a post in Skaguay, which Canada claimed. [3]
The White Pass Trail, was one of the two main passes used by prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush. The White Pass was an easier route to Lake Bennett than the Chilkoot Trail a few kilometers to the west, but it harbored a criminal element that preyed on the cheechakos (newcomers to the Klondike). These con artists were believed to be members of the infamous Soapy Smith gang from Skagway, Alaska. By 1898 Smith was dead and his gang were run out of Skagway. So many horses died during the Gold rush that the trail became known as the "Dead Horse Trail". The trail ended at Lake Bennett, where they built or purchased rafts or boats to float down the Yukon River to the Klondike gold fields near Dawson City.
The White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad was built through White Pass. The southern end of the Klondike Highway also uses the White Pass and parallels the railway.
[edit] References
- ^ Early Days on the Yukon, William Ogilvie pg 40-41
- ^ Information Respecting the Yukon District, William Ogilvie
- ^ Skagway History
[edit] External links
- University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – Eric A. Hegg Photographs 736 photographs from 1897-1901 documenting the Klondike and Alaska gold rushes, including depictions of frontier life in Skagway and Nome, Alaska and Dawson, Yukon Territory. Includes images of White Pass and White Pass Trail.
- Soapy Smith Preservation Trust
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