Looking Coldest

We had packed rain gear (supposedly it rains all the time) and some colder weather clothes and coats (because we were advised to do so) for the cruise. For most of the stops we could get away with sweatshirts over a couple layers. It was colder on the boat out on the deck with the wind whipping as the boat steamed full speed ahead. Then a winter coat was appreciated.

We visited Skagway as our most northern port. The bus driver (on our way to the sled dog training camp and to the Yukon) was a transplant to Alaska. He was a glass blower by trade and took a job in Skagway at a glass art studio. Sadly the studio didn’t survive the pandemic so he was doing what he could to stay in Skagway. He told us not only about the area we were seeing out the windows and at the stops but also about life in Skagway.

It gets really really cold. And it snows a bunch. So that means that once winter sets in everyone just hunkers down and doesn’t move. They can’t go anywhere because the roads all close. During tourist season there are about 1700 people living in Skagway but when winter arrives the number drops to about 750 people… They have a name for the first snow, “terminal” snow, because that’s when all the businesses terminate their summer workers. He said that the only stores that stay open are the general store and the grocery. They don’t have a doctor or dentist and even have a law that makes it is illegal to give birth in Skagway. If you are pregnant you have to relocate to a bigger city for the last 2 months of your pregnancy! They do have a school but grades k-12 have a grand total of about 100 students. Most of the residential homes were very tiny compared to what I think of a family home. And made of cement block. They are insulated to the max and designed to minimize cost of heating (so few windows and the windows are small). Internet is not very reliable and mostly they depend on DVDs for entertainment! When we were stopped at an overlook that had a souvenir shop, he bought some potato chips – because they don’t have them in Skagway! I think it takes a special kind of individual to want to live in Skagway or in any of the really small, remote towns in rural Alaska!

The shops along the main street cater to tourists – a bazillion jewelry stores all selling the same stuff (most of it sourced from China) and some “art” shops selling paintings of the kind we have here – of a wolf howling at the moon etc. But I spotted one place that wasn’t taking itself too seriously. They were selling Alaskan Swimwear:

Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Hope the Furkini made it worthwhile!

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