Things to do / Travel Guide
Any way you look at it – getting to this remote region of the Yukon and Southeast Alaska is difficult and most likely, expensive. If you arrive by boat or road, getting there is half the fun!
Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon Airports (YXY)
There is very limited air service to Whitehorse, mainly from Vancouver by Air Canada. From there, you will need a car to continue north 330 miles to Dawson City. Note that there are no direct commercial flights from Alaska to Yukon. Flying from Anchorage or Fairbanks to Whitehorse requires flying via the lower 48. And YXY stamped on your boarding pass is the code for Whitehorse, not an indication of a chromosome aneuploidy.
There are daily flights from Cordova and Valdez to Anchorage, mainly by regional carriers.
Whitehorse (YXY) from Vancouver, Edmonton.
Cruise to the Yukon
A quick glance at the map shows that there is no way a cruise ship can get to the Yukon, but it turns out that getting to the Yukon by boat may just be the most economical and certainly very rewarding – at least in the summer months. Here is what you need to do – first get to either Bellingham, WA or Prince Rupert, BC and hop on the ferry known as the Alaska Marine Highway System. We suggest departing from Washington State, as the most convenient option. There are weekly ferries to Haines and Skagway, arriving after three days at sea. Three pretty scenic and amazing days.
Get off at Skagway for the scenic 110 mile drive on the Klondike Highway to Whitehorse, Yukon or at Haines if you are headed straight to Alaska (via the Yukon, of course). Bringing a car on the ferry is pretty expensive (about $800 from Bellingham), so renting a car might make sense. There is also a daily bus from Skagway to Whitehorse.
And now for the best option and well kept secret outside of these parts – the White Pass & Yukon Route has a daily “Yukon Adventure” train from Skagway, Alaska to Carcross, Yukon. It is not cheap and doesn't get you all the way to Whitehorse, but you are following on the route of the prospectors and get to spend a few hours touring the historic gold rush town of Bennett. With the price of gold hitting new highs, don't be surprised if another wave of prospectors are on the train with you.
Driving to the Yukon
The Alaska Highway, also known as the ALCAN, passes through Whitehorse, at which point you can head south to Skagway in the Alaska Panhandle, north on the Klondike Highway to Dawson City or west to Haines Junction and points beyond in Alaska.
For those of you that used to driving on the Long island Expressway or the Santa Monica Freeway, driving the ALCAN, the Klondike or the Haines Highway are a bit different. First of all, they may be better maintained – so there is no need to picture your trip in a Hummer with 4 spare tires and a team of mechanics. The spare tires might come in more handy navigating potholes on the BQE. The views are great and so are the distances, so keep that in mind. And, of course, you will have access to remote wilderness and if you make it all the way to Wasilla (500 miles) – you might just get to see a “Mama Grizzly”.
Airports Serving Glaciers in Southeast Alaska, Whitehorse and the Klondike of Southwest Yukon
Getting-There
Fairbanks International Airport (FAI)
Juneau Intl Airport (JNU)
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