Chilkoot Trail

Retracing the Gold Rush

The great and historic Chilkoot Trail. 53 km from Dyea Alaska to Bennett Lake BC Canada is both beautiful and challenging. Join Tracy and Bruce as they retrace the route of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush on this epic 4-day hike during the summer of 2013. 

The Trail

Follow the fabled Chilkoot Trail along the centuries-old path first crossed by Chilkoot Tlingit traders and later stormed by the Klondike Gold Rush stampeders. Hike through narrow windswept valleys and scale the precipitous Chilkoot Pass. Visit a Victorian-era church still standing in a vanished boom town.

The Adventure

Tracy and Bruce retraced the route of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush on this epic 4 day hike in the summer of 2013. 

The Journey

Start with a briefing by US Parks Service in Skagway Alaska then hike north to the summit of the Chilkoot Pass and travel through alpine tundra into the boreal forest and historic Bennett City B.C. – Passport required!

The Gear

The trail was wet, challenging and rouged. The gear needed to be tough yet remain light. 

Sierra Designs provided the gear, Leki the trekking poles and Keen the footwear. Everything performed perfectly.

The Rewards

Snare lifelong bragging rights on a challenging multi-day hike from the ocean shore in Alaska through a glacier-sculpted mountain corridor to Bennett Lake, B.C. – once a bustling gold rush boom town.

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Video

Dudley Documented the Adventure on Video

The completed adventure was captured on video and not yet released – SORRY – Stay tuned and be patient, Dudley is busy exploring and playing with his grandkids.

This is a short teaser video giving a sneak peek of the “Historic Chilkoot Trail”

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From 1897-98, the Klondike Gold Rush transformed a traditional trade route into a “highway”. Thousands of men, women, and children completed the journey from Dyea, Alaska to Lake Bennett, British Columbia.

Today, the Chilkoot Trail is a 53-kilometre recreational trail. Each year, over 10,000 people day hike, backpack, or trail run this corridor. As they do, they pass hundreds of artifacts left behind by gold seekers. In 2022 the trail was officially designated the Chilkoot National Historic Trail.

In 2013 Bruce and Tracy hiked the trail and recorded the complete adventure with video.

Dudley’s Gear

Dudley spends countless hours researching and testing gear to get the “perfect” kit tailored for each adventure. His gear is constantly evolving as new equipment is designed, innovative fabrics are invented and camping styles change.

Learn more about the  Chilkoot Trail

The trail is managed jointly by Parks Canada and the US Parks. Learn more and perhaps help or even hike this historic and beautiful trail. 

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