Denver Glacier Trail - Skagway, AK

Sunday July 2, 2006

Hikers: Jodie, Pat, three guides, and 12 others from the ship
Weather: 60-70, Sunny
Miles: ~5
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Duration: ~2.5 hrs

Jodie and I signed up for the “Hike and Rail” shore excursion offered through the ship. It was $114 per person. The “Hike and Rail” sounded really good. We were expecting to take the train up to White Pass, do some hiking, and then take the train back to town. Unfortunately, it wasn’t what we expected. The excursion only took the train six miles to the Denver Glacier Trail. We had to catch the same train back to town, so we didn’t have a lot of time to hike.

Needless to say, Jodie and I were pretty bummed after getting off the ship and finding out the excursion wasn’t what we expected and several of the people going on the hike were very out of shape. Particularly after the fun we had with Corey in Juneau, it looked like this hike was going to be a big let down. Fortunately though, it did turn out pretty well. There were three guides for our group of 14 cruise ship people, and the first guide set a very quick pace. His job seemed to be to separate the faster hikers from the slow ones. That was nice because it allowed Jodie and I and four others to get ahead and see some more of the trail. We made it all the way to a waterfall lookout, which is about .75 miles farther than their typical turn around spot. The guide said the trail continued to climb for a little while after the waterfall and then leveled out near the Denver Glacier. It would have been cool to see the glacier but we had to be back to catch the train at 11:30.

The hike was nice; I would have liked to see more, but hiking with a guide has some advantages. The guides pointed out several plants and facts about the area. The trail was very alive. The dirt underfoot is soft, dark, and full of nutrients. There is moss on almost everything, new trees growing directly out of the fallen trees, and devil’s club with its huge leaves. Hiking through such an area makes you feel more alive.