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[pct-l] All time
I read a book, about the Chilkoot and I think it provides a useful caution for anyone traveling without too many brains or gear in snowy conditions. On Palm Sunday 1898? or 1899?, a big avalanche came down the pass after a late, very wet spring storm. This avalanche killed about 70 people. However, there is always a bright side to any tragedy. Two prospectors had bought an ox and were using it to haul supplies partially up the pass. When the avalanche hit the poor beast "named Marc Hanna!" was buried. Everyone presumed he had perished however "when he was found two days after the slide, Marc had tramped himself a small cave in the snow and stood calmly chewing his cud until rescuers freed him. He went back to work, hauling bodies down to Dyea." (quote taken from Chilkoot Pass by A. Satterfield). I guess the primary lesson from this story is always take an ox in avalanche prone conditions, it could save your life.
>From: "dude"
>To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] All time
>Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2002 17:43:51 -0400 (EDT)
>
>The Chilkoot Trail still exists today. It has been called
>an "outdoor artifact display" because the first section of the trail
>goes up a grade that is so steep and long that most people just
>started tossing out their gear to save weight. I have read that pack
>weights were much more than 65lbs due to all of the mining and
>prospecting equiptment needed. Here is a pic that illustrates how
>steep it is:
>http://www.yukonweb.com/business/lost_moose/big_gifs/chilkoot/75_climb
>ers.gif
>
>here is a pic that illustrates how many people there were going for
>the gold:
>http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/carcross/graphics%
>20folder/chilkoot/gldnstrs2.jpg
>
>There are all kinds of crazy stories about that trail: supposedly a
>guy shot himself because the trail was so difficult. also, there was
>a saying that went something like this: "there are two ways into the
>klondike...wichever one you take, you'd wish you had picked the other
>one."
>
>I read about that trail several years ago and thought that I might
>try it some day.
>
>peace,
>dude
>
>
>
>
> > 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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