is drive to Emerald Lake and the Whitepass train too much?

[South Side Mo]

We were thinking of doing both on our trip to Skagway, but not sure if we want to sit on the train after sitting in the car all day - is it seeing the same sights as we did in the car?

[yukoner]

The car idea is better. If the weather is bad on the summit you will see nothing but fog, but if you drive the highway and go to [url="http://www.explorenorth.com"]www.explorenorth.com[/url] look up the milepost for the Klondike highway and you have all the info you need. And when you come to Carcross stop in and say hello as I live across the train bridge. (the cabin with the red door. I would love to take time give you a tour of town and history lesson of the area.
You must stop and at least walk the beach and take a look at this dream place. It has the best views?

[jdl2]

Yukoner, I have a question for you. We will be in Skagway on June 30 on a Princess cruise. There are 6 of us and we want to take the train/bus combo to Carcross. The problem is, we would like to see Emerald Lake and the desert but if we do that, we will have to travel all the way to Whitehorse with no time to stop for lunch. If we stay in Carcross it is a 3 hour layover until the next bus. Is there any kind of transportation to Emerald Lake from Carcross. What do YOU suggest we do ?

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6/26 Island Princess

[sfjldj]

Just an option for you, we are in skagway june 29th and we hooked up with southeast tours who will take us by van at 8 am to emerald lake with photo stops on the way, we then do horseback riding at emerald lake and have southeast take us by van to fraser intead of all the way back to skagway and we pick up the white pass train at 2:30 pm in fraser back into skagway. this is one way to get out to emerald lake and also not miss the white pass railroad. have fun

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jdl2:
Yukoner, I have a question for you. We will be in Skagway on June 30 on a Princess cruise. There are 6 of us and we want to take the train/bus combo to Carcross. The problem is, we would like to see Emerald Lake and the desert but if we do that, we will have to travel all the way to Whitehorse with no time to stop for lunch. If we stay in Carcross it is a 3 hour layover until the next bus. Is there any kind of transportation to Emerald Lake from Carcross. What do YOU suggest we do ?

[url="http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=FF0000&cdt=2004;6;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800"]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=FF0000&cdt=2004;6;26;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/url]
6/26 Island Princess
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[jdl2]

Thanks sfjldj,
I have already talked to them (they are very nice) but we have two people in our party that can't ride a horse ( because of physical problems) and they don't have another tour that will work well. There are 6 of us and they would have to charge the full price of the regular tour plus the $67 each for the train. It would make it about $1000 total that way.

Does anyone else know if there is any kind of shuttle or transportation in Carcross?
Joe

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6/26 Island Princess

[bbeasley]

Hi - Who did you speak with at southeast tours? We would like to do both the train and the horseback riding. Southeast tours emailed be back and said that they did not have a way to combine the tours. Was this an option that you had to request?

Thanks!
Beth

[yukoner]

Hello
You can rent a car from the local rent a wreck. This will give plenty of time to see and do things along the way. The cost would work out the same or better than taking the van tour. I f you take a van tour, take the Yukoner from Street Car Co. All the ships sell it and I know they go to Emrald lake. Also go to [url="http://www.explorenorth.com"]www.explorenorth.com[/url] this site has all info you need for a self guided Yukon drive. There is a milepost with details that will surprize the heck out of you. Good luck!

[pooh1bear43113]

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT: Rent a car and enjoy the scenery!

(Yukoner: are you Murray??? - If so THANKS SOOOOO MUCH FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS - and the mile marker info - it was absolutely the BEST time we had in Alaska - whoops - I mean the Yukon!)

We spent about $65 on a mid-size rental car and drove from Skagway (Summit May Repo cruise) to Emerald Lake - DH drove up....I drove back. We saw wild life - and stopped along the road to video tape a black bear eating along the side of the road....just us (in the car!) and the black bear - for 15 minutes - no more than 20 yards between us!

We stopped at the Cinnamon Cache and talked about you, Murray. The owner told us to stop in Carcross on the way back to Skagway to say "Hey" - but we didn't have time. What an amazing, amazing day. The trip to Emerald Lake was about 75 miles - we started off from Skagway at 8:30 A.M. and turned the car back in by 4:00 P.M. - we made lots of stops along the way to view the scenery per your mile marker guide! The road was very good and the driving was easy (for us old timers!) - and there wasn't a lot of traffic to contend with.

Soooo glad we rented the car and didn't take the train from the pier!

Thanks again, Murray!

Pooh Bear
=^-.-^=

(AKA/Sharon and Will)

REMBRANDT - Med. 9/1998: and so it begins!
LEGEND OF THE SEA - Med. 5/1999
SPLENDOR OF THE SEA - Med. 5/2000
INFINITY - Hawaii 4/2001
MILLIE -Med. - 5/2002 (X No Go)
RHAPSODY OF THE SEA - Mardi Gras - 2/2002
INFINITY - Trans-Canal - 12/2002
SUMMIT - Alaska Repo Cruise - 5/2003
INFINITY - Trans-Canal - 12/2003
SUMMIT - Alaska Repo Cruise - 5/2004

And next:

MILLIE (finally!)- 5/15/2005 back to the beautiful MEDITERRANEAN!

**No clock - too much trouble - but I'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHEN MILLIE LEAVES FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN**
(5/15/05!!)

[2tsquared]

No, "Yukoner" is not Murray -- who goes by Yukon on the boards and has been offering a wealth of information on these boards for a very long time. Murray (Yukon)is the person who provided the fantastic Mile Post Guide to the drive from Skagway to Whitehorse -- which we just drove last week.

Thanks to Yukon!

[yukoner]

Hello!!
I'm Murray's next door neighbor!
We do alot of the same things and really enjoy the Yukon and what our front has to offer. Go to his explorenrth.com site and look at his web cam!!! It is great!
I also work in the tourism area offering hiking tours but enjoy helping all comers to Alaska/ Yukon with any info I can. Murray is the best in his Information but I like to be a little helpful also.
Best Travels to all, and if you come to Carcross please stop in and say hello. I am right across from the foot bridge, The cabin on the right with the fire engined door. Maggie is sitting in front and would love it if you came and threw her stick for about 10 to 12 hours!
Wayne

[jdl2]

Beth,
I think it depends on how many of you there are. They do NOT want to do as it requires them to make it to Fraser at an EXACT Time and that could be bad if there are many others, who want to do other things along the way. They "PREACHED" to me that the bus was more flexible and we could get better pictures...... But I have heard they HAVE done it before.

Thanks for all those suggesting the cars but we will need a van and since none of us have been to the Yukon before, we preferred to get more of a "narrated" tour. I live in Colorado, so I get to see a lot of great scenery and was looking for a little more detail of the area. We all would REALLY like to ride on the train. Everyone I have talked to recommended it, for not only the scenery but for the engineering feats. Also, I would have to be the driver, and I would prefer to be on vacation and actually LOOK at the views, if I can ? So back to my original question:

Yukoner..or ANYONE?? Is there any kind of shuttle, taxi, bus or anything that could take you from Carcross to Emerald Lake without going all the way to Whitehorse and back?

THANKS !!
Joe in Colorado

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6/26 Island Princess

[bbeasley]

Thank you for the feedback Joe. This is our first trip to Alaska and I have heard great feedback/remarks on the White Pass Railroad. I have heard several people say the drive into the Yukon and horseback riding at Emerald Lake is also very nice. I wish there was a way to combine both tours. Which would your recommend based on this being our first trip to Alaska? If you recommned the White Pass Railroad, we plan to ride it one way and take the bus back the other way.

Thanks for any advice!!
Beth

[mscloyd]

I don't know if this interests you, but as we are also first timers we decided to do both the train and drive. We are scheduled on the first train in the morning, and then when we get back we are renting a car and making the drive to Carcross. I've been told that they are quite different trips and both sounded good to us.

[yukoner]

Hello
Yes it is the same as riding on the train. If you are a train nut, then go because this is railway history and it's nice. Now the train I've taken and done the drive. Go to explorenorth.com look at the milepost and rent the car!
You'll not regret it at all.