[pct-l] All time " Largest" Thru hiker Gathering

[Montedodge@aol.com (Montedodge@aol.com)]

 The largest thru-hiker gathering in the world was held in Dawson in the late 
1890's!! The 23,000 hardy souls who survived packing 65lbs. loads over the 
Chilkoot Pass Trail actually did 2,500 miles in 4 months to get their one 
year of supplies a mere 30 + miles in relays down to Lake Bennett. The 
Gathering was hampered by the death of 700 folks due to Typhoid caused by a " 
Backed up Sewer".  Food supplies were low. These folks would probably enjoy 
corn pasta. ( Nobody else does!)  All the Klondike and Bonanza creek Gold 
claims were taken by the time they arrived. Most slumped home with the tail 
between legs, while others did work the gold fields for others.  Saloons 
changed owners daily in some cases with the luck of cards. One guy made 
50,000 only to lose it to " Dance Hall Gals" . How does this tie in with the 
PCT you say??? The excitement those folks had at just making it to Dawson 
formed a strong bond of those who survived to reach there goal. ( Much like 
hikers on the PCT reaching Manning)  I am reading a great book about 6 women 
from Texas who did the Yukon to the Bering Sea 2,000 miles in 1982 caled " 
Wild Yukon" . Written by Beth Johnson. The World have never seen anything 
like the Alaska Gold Rush. (  In 1898, the average American made 23 cents an 
hour) If you came back with 10,000 , you were rich. 


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