Upper Dewey Trail vs Car to Emerald Lake

[mdod]

We'll be in Skagway May 21st form 7 am to 9 PM. I think I've narrowed my Skagway choices down to hiking the Upper Dewey Trail or renting a car and driving out to Emerald Lake. Obviously, the energy level is much different for the two but can anyone give me an idea of the difference in scenery between the two. There's apparently been a lot of snow this year. Will that be an advantage/disadvantage for either one at the end of May?

 

Also, if we did the hike, would it be possible to fit in the White Pass railroad in the morning and hiking the Upper Dewey Trail in the afternoon?

[mdod]

Darn, I may have found my own answer. A post by Dyeadave said Emerald Lake can still be frozen in May and Upper Dewey blocked by snow :-(.

[Yukon]

It's true, you wouldn't get very far up the trail in late May or even June. Only in August have I found the trail snow-free right to the lake.

[mdod]

Hm...AB Mountain is even higher so I assume that's out too. So what about the drive to Emerald Lake? Can I expect decent scenery on May 21? Would the horseback riding near Emerakld Lake still be worthwhile that early in the season? What about the shorter hikes in Skagway?

[Yukon]

Sorry, the scenery on the drive to Emerald Lake won't be "decent" then - it'll be spectacular :D http://*****

 

The horseback riding at Emerald Lake will be good, and short Skagway hikes such as Reid Falls and Yakutania Point are great. The AB Mountain Trail is a pleasant trail that clears much earlier than Upper Dewey Lake as it's on a slope that faces the sun more, and you'd be able to get up into some good views.

[mdod]

LOL...Thanks for the ressurance. I got the impression from the Dyeadave post that complaints re: Emerald Lake were coming from people that were going in May when there wasn't much to see.

 

We were on the Icefields Parkway this time of year 2 years ago and ran into a similar situation where trails facing south were open. From the description, the AB Mountain trail is a lot longer and greater elevation change than Upper Dewey. I'm interested but I'm not into gratuitous hiking. For something that length, I'd need to be awed along the way and not just at the destination. Does the AB Mountain trail fit the bill or do you have to make it all the way to the top before reaping the rewards of the hike?

 

Decisions, decisions...

[Yukon]

The AB Mountain trail fits into the category of "gratuitous hiking" IMO - once was enough, and although there are some views lower, the top is the reward.

[travelbuds]

short Skagway hikes such as Reid Falls and Yakutania Point are great.

 

Hi Yukon,

How long does it take to hike from the Skagway pier to Reid Falls? We would like to fit it in between the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari and a train trip to White Pass - have 2 hours to play with. We also want to check out the Red Onion Saloon.

Thank you.

Bruce

[judynorth]

We've been into the Yukon twice - once to Caribou Crossing and the second time as far as Emerald Lake. The scenery is wonderful, spectacular in May. There is still lots of snow and some of the many lakes are still frozen. Snow is banked high along the road at the summit. There is NO snow on the roads. Except for our flightseeing in Juneau, the trip to the Yukon had the most beautiful scenery. Hey, you can hike anywhere but you seldom see scenery like you will see on the drive. I've got some pictures at the link below.

[Yukon]

How long does it take to hike from the Skagway pier to Reid Falls?

 

For an average walker, figure on a bit over an hour for the the walk.

[mdod]

Thanks Judy and Murray. That makes it easy. Gratuitous hiking vs. a drive with spectacular views? I've got the rental car booked and Murray's guide bookmarked!

 

Now do I want to spring for horseback riding too? I've only been on one horseback trip that I really thought was worth it and that was in Costa Rica, where, unlike the rides I've been on in the US, we actually got to ride and not just bounce up and down and slog along. Is this trip mainly to see sights while on a horse or do you get to ride? Are the sights that you do see significantly better than what we'll see if we drive and hike around?

 

I read these posts and I'm amazed at how many families go on multiple excursions a day costing several hundred dollars per person. I will spend the money for a truly unique experience but I don't want to have to take out a mortgage to pay for my vacation :-)

[Yukon]

Now do I want to spring for horseback riding too? I've only been on one horseback trip that I really thought was worth it and that was in Costa Rica, where, unlike the rides I've been on in the US, we actually got to ride and not just bounce up and down and slog along. Is this trip mainly to see sights while on a horse or do you get to ride? Are the sights that you do see significantly better than what we'll see if we drive and hike around?

 

Both the rides in the Emerald Lake area (Emerald Lake Ranch, and Spirit lake Lodge's "Paddle & Saddle") are typical American-style trail rides aimed primarily at non-riders. The scenery is great, but not all that different than what you see from the highway, as you're never more than a half-mile from it. I've got some photos of the Emerald Lake ride posted at http://www.yukonalaska.com/photos/082806-trailride.html

 

Murray

[mdod]

Thanks so much for all your help. Sounds like I can save my time and money and put it towards something else. I just booked the 8:15 White Pass train. They said we can cancel any excursion up to a certain time so I figured I'd book it while the 8:15 is available. I believe someone said Avis didn't open until 9 AM anyway so that would let us get up and out first thing instead of waiting to pick up the car. The ship doesn't leave until 9 PM so we should still have plenty of time to drive out to Emerald Lake. I assume taking the train would win out over the other option of driving first thing and spending the rest of our time taking the short hikes around town? Actually, if the drive only takes around 5 hours, we may be able to fit them in too! ;-)

[travelbuds]

For an average walker, figure on a bit over an hour for the the walk.

Thank you for the reply. Time not a problem then, but guess we'll have to pick up the pace a little just to be on the safe side.