Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-07-30
PERILS OF THE TRIP.
A THOUSAND DESOlATE MILES
TO BE TRAYERSEp.

4
GUS Moantaln Climbs ana shoot
Treacherous Ra Ids ON their Jour.
noy from Juneau-Jordan am, In.
deed, u Hard Road to Trabbie.
| ST. Examiner
The daring miners who have re-
turned fortune-laden from the frozen
north have story and warning for
those who think of emulating their
example and seek gold in the British
Columbian ice fields. The road to
the mines is long one. Supplies are
costly and dangers threaten at every
step.
Those who penetrate into the ice
and snow must be rugged and hardy.
They must be able to endure the pains
of dangerous travel and the chances
that fortune brings. They must have
money and courage, and even then
they will take their lives in their
hands as they travel over mountains,
into canyons, across dreary wastes Of
snow and down treacherous streams to
the mines. As one travels his peril
GUS way he must carry his own outfit
and provisions. If fortune does not
favor the prospector, he will find him.
self in a desolute region where those
who have food to sell will sell only at
fabulous prices for cash.
There are two routes to the Klon-
dyke mines. One is by water, and the
other, after reaching Juneau, by land
and water. The latter is by 1000
miles the shorter, and, in a compara-
tive sense, the safer of the two. The
longer way is by steamer to st.
Michaels, at the mouth OF the Yukon
river, and thence by the Yukon. The
journey may begin at San Francisco or
from Tacoma or Seattle. 1t must be
made at time that will enable the
traveller to reach the Yukon when the
ice is breaking. But even under
the most favorable conditions the
journey is slow one.
The route taken by 95 per cent. of
the prospectors is by steamer to
Juneau and thence inland. When
the miner leaves Juneau, town of
1000 inhabitants, he leaves every
thing but his own resources and self
reliance behind. He may purchase
his outfit where he pleases, but if he
buys it at Juneau it will cost him
from $50 to $3.50. The fare from
juneau to Dyea, a distances of 100
miles, is from Sc to $40. The dis
tance is made by steamer, the traveller
passing Haines Mission, or Chilkat, on
the way.
At Dyea, which is at the head of
Chilkat inlet, the prospector leaves
the last vestige of civilization behind.
He shoulders his pack, hires his pack
train and starts for the snow-covered
mountains. Experience has proven
that the best time to start is in the
middle of March. 1t is then easier to
move ON sleighs or to so with the
pack train of natives. The country is
mountainous and hard to cross in the
best of seasons. The ground is covered
with brush and roads are unknown.
Those who know urge that pros
pectors go in parties of four or five, for
in these numbers they may tighten
their burdens and economize in ma
terials that all may use in common.
This is of the greatest Importance, for
it costs fourteen cents a pound to hire
natives to carry provisions from Dyea
to the head of Lake Lindeman. This
short journey is one of the worst
stages of the route. The way is over
a desolute, wild, mountainous coun-
try to the summit of Chilcat pass.
Part of the journey may be made by
canoe, but most OF it is on foot or on
sleighs. The distance between the
two points is only twenty-three miles,
but three days must pass before it is
traversed.
At Lake Lindeman the way becomes
comparatively easier, although at all
stages the strength OF the hardest is
taxed to the greatest degree.
At Lake Lindeman the journeying
prospectors must build a boat. The
craft must be substantial, for the ice
is breaking and death turks at every
point in the trip through the lake. 1t
is for this reason that the miners are
sure TO remind inquirers that at least
one member of the prospecting party
must know something about practical
bodybuilding. Lake Lindeman is four
miles long. When the end is reached
the boat must be dragged on the re-
sisting ground for oyer a mile to the
next waterway. Lake Bennett.
At this point the prospectors must
paddle their craft for many miles.
SURVEYORS have not accurately calcu-
lated distances in this region OF snow,
but as far as figures go, the miners
will travel on Lake Bennett for about
twenty-five miles. When the foot -, of
Lake Bennett has been reached the
prospectors who are risking their Sdt
lives for gold have travelled ouly l54
miles from Juneau. The boat Is
dragged from the water and lifted on
a sleigh as the Indian pack train