We head out to Dredge Town to watch real Iditarod huskies in action, snuggle four-week-old puppies, and ride the historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad down 3,000 feet of breathtaking mountain ledges!
Welcome back to the vlog! Eric, Beth, and Devin are continuing our epic northbound Alaska cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas.
Today, we docked in the historic boomtown of Skagway, Alaska for a 5.5-hour combo excursion: the Yukon Gold Sled Dogs & White Pass Scenic Railway. From learning about notorious gold rush con artists to crossing the Canadian border by bus and train, here is everything you need to know before booking this excursion!
1. Early Morning Port Logistics & Downtown Skagway
Our day started bright and early—and by early, we mean meeting in the Royal Theater at 6:50 AM! Because so many shore excursions departed at the exact same time with only one gangway open, getting about 1,000 passengers off the ship was a bit of a bottleneck.
Once we made it onto our tour bus, our driver gave us a fantastic narrated tour through historic downtown Skagway:
Colorful Buildings: Many early settlers were illiterate, so storefronts were painted in bright, distinct colors with contrasting trim so locals could easily give directions!
The Red Onion Saloon: A famous historic brothel from the Gold Rush era that now operates as a bar, restaurant, and upstairs museum.
Remote Grocery Prices: Because everything is brought in by barge once a week, locals pay roughly $9 for a gallon of milk, $5 for a dozen eggs, and $7 for a loaf of bread—if they are even in stock!
2. Dredge Town: Iditarod Sled Dogs & Fluffy Puppies!
Our first stop was Dredge Town, where we dove straight into Alaska's state sport: dog mushing!
We learned all about the legendary 1,100-mile Iditarod trail from Anchorage to Nome and how the modern Alaskan Husky was bred for the ultimate combination of speed, strength, and endurance. Then, it was time to see the athletes in action!
The Track Run: Instead of us riding in a cart, the trainers hitched the team up and let them fly around a training track right in front of us. It was wild how the barking immediately went silent the second the gate opened—those dogs were 100% locked in! We got to meet three-time and four-time Iditarod veterans like Moose (the gentle giant), tiny-but-mighty Wendy, Samson, and three-year-old rookie Bobo.
Puppy Cuddles: The absolute highlight for Beth was holding the puppies! They had litters ranging from rambunctious 12-week-old pups down to super fluffy, sleepy 3-to-4-week-old babies. (Note: You do have to share the puppies with the rest of your tour group, so make sure you politely hold your spot in line if a giant family group tries to hog them!)
Before leaving, we warmed up with some hot chocolate and world-famous cookies from the camp gift shop.
3. Climbing the White Pass & The Legend of "Soapy" Smith
Next, we loaded back onto the bus to climb over 3,200 feet up the mountain pass toward Fraser, British Columbia.
Along the way, we spotted the roaring waters of Bridal Veil Falls and a massive geological fault line. Our driver also entertained us with stories of Skagway's lawless past—including notorious con man Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith, who famously scammed gullible miners out of $5 a pop by pretending to wrap $100 bills inside bars of "miracle" soap!
💡 PRO TIP: Don't Forget Your Passport! Because this excursion drives up into Fraser, British Columbia to board the train, you must bring your physical passport with you! Canadian border patrol boards the bus to verify documents, and you will cross back into the United States on the train.
4. Riding the Historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad
In Fraser, we traded our bus for Train Car 388 on the world-famous White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. Constructed over 120 years ago during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow-gauge railway features tracks just three feet apart so the train can hug the tight cliffside turns.
As we descended nearly 3,000 feet over 27 miles back toward Skagway, the views and history were incredible:
Gold Rush Scams: Our train guide shared wild history about the 100,000 stampeders who trekked toward Dawson City—including a hilarious scam where a con artist sold heavy boxes of "miracle mosquito repellent" that turned out to be two rocks with a note reading: "Place mosquito here and squish!"
Engineering Marvels: We crossed back over the U.S. border at the snow-covered summit, passed remnants of the original 1898 footpath, plunged through a pitch-black 700-foot mountain tunnel, and looked out at the historic 215-foot-tall steel cantilever bridge.
Steep Grades & Brave Platforms: Descending at a massive 3.9% grade, the front of our train engine was actually 32 feet lower in elevation than the back car! Eric and Devin braved the freezing wind on the outdoor viewing platform to look straight down into Glacier Gorge and the Skagway River.
The Final Verdict
By the time we returned to port, four or five ships had unloaded into downtown Skagway, making the restaurants and shops super packed. After grabbing a few quick souvenirs and navigating the mandatory port security shuttle tram back down the pier, we headed onboard for a late buffet lunch.
Despite the early 6:50 AM wake-up call and chilly weather, we highly recommend this excursion! Snuggling future Iditarod puppies and taking in views of the White Pass that you simply cannot see any other way made for an unforgettable day in Alaska.
Have you ever ridden the White Pass train or held an Alaskan husky puppy? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to watch the sled dogs race, see the fluffy puppies, and look over the edge of the mountain train platform? Watch our full vlog on YouTube right here:
👉 The Ultimate Skagway Excursion: Sled Dog Camp & White Pass Railway🚂🐕
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