Old West Gold country charm, the vast wilderness and waterfalls — and beer — highlighted our day in Skagway, Alaska
The second port day of our Alaska cruise was in Skagway, Alaska, at the very northern tip of the long ocean arm that makes up the Inside Passage.
We were happy that Skagway offered the longest time period to tour – at least until our stay in Juneau was extended due to unforeseen weather conditions and flooding which mandated the schedule switch. We’d previously heard Skagway was renowned as a mining town and much of its history revolved around the discovery of gold in the late nineteenth century and having fortune seekers rush to and populate the region.
It could be said that the town’s link to mining dominated its past and also presented the most attractive excursions for cruise-goers. Immediately upon exiting the ship and heading into town you’re greeted with the locals’ main attraction, The White Pass railroad, which offers tours lasting three or four hours and roaming along a route that miners used to travel on their way to gold country. The fortune seekers had to tote the equipment themselves, which was no easy task back then.
One of the town’s attractions was an old cemetery where notable former residents are buried. Lots of dreams lie beneath the soil there, for sure.
Rather than take the train, however, similar in strategy to Sitka, we opted to poke around the town, partake in a coffee shop (Glacial Coffee) we’d heard about and do a little shopping before embarking on the learning part of our day in the afternoon. We quickly realized that the jewelry vendors in Skagway were particularly aggressive. The little town has acquired a reputation for jewelry, which some 
tourists like, apparently. Perhaps the yearning for gold still persists in Skagway.
Glacial Coffee was like what you’d expect in a touristy town, with an assortment of coffees and pastries, seemingly not intended to serve as a full meal, but a good sample of local color to supplement a visit to the picturesque and quaint town of Skagway. Skagway was similar in size and feel to Sitka, though the former town didn’t have connections to a Russian or Indian past.
There were enticing local shops to peruse and Skagway is especially recognized for its old brothel, the Red Onion saloon, but we didn’t have time for a full tour of the situationally colorful establishment. The waitresses were dressed in suggestive outfits even today… nothing at all inappropriate but clearly intended to induce people to take a tour. But what’s to see in a place of ill repute? All in good fun.
Looking to do something different from what we’d done before, we signed up for a boat tour after the noon hour that promised views of waterfalls up 
close along with wildlife in abundance. The tour operators, Luke and Owen, said we’d see eagles, seals, maybe a whale or two and perhaps some bears living in nature.
We didn’t see any whales, but then again, we weren’t expecting to encounter them, either. What we did find were waterfalls in abundance, with Luke piloting the aluminum bottomed boat so close to them that we could feel the mist and hear the thunderous roar of the water rushing down from thousands of feet above.
Luke and Owen proved to be excellent guides and we learned a lot in the two-hour-plus tour around the fjord. Though it couldn’t necessarily be gathered just from seeing it, the oceanwater between the tall mountains was quite deep, which allowed the pilots to drive up close to the rocks themselves. Frankly, it was a little frightening to be so close to the rocks, but passengers were assured it was safe.
20-year-old Owen was working for the summer on Luke’s boat, which had both indoor and outdoor viewing space and an onboard comfort station. The day was somewhat rainy and foggy, so we liked having a chance to hide from the elements when the necessity struck. The boat operators relayed the stories of the various waterfalls, where the water looked like it came from high up the mountains from unseen sources.
We didn’t see any bears, but plenty of eagles, fifteen, I think, the birds being visible from far away because of their white feathered heads and large size, which could be spotted as a white speck against the forest. It was somewhat surprising that there were so many. Alaska’s wilderness is vast.
During the ride, Luke and Owen would allude to seals lounging on the rocks. Luke said we’d know if Orcas were present in the region because there wouldn’t be any seals around – the large swimming mammals clear out the seal population when they’re in the neighborhood. Just one of the realities of the food chain. Spotting orcas proved difficult for us. There just weren’t any to be found.
It was the same with humpback whales. We didn’t see them, either.
Despite the absence of wildlife, the local stories Luke relayed kept us entertained and informed, particularly about bears. Rather than play up the legend that bears engender among visitors, Luke said there was no reason to fear the nomadic furry creatures… most of the time. “Just talk to ‘em in a calm voice, avoid eye contact, and just go about your business and chances are they’ll leave you alone,” the captain explained.
“I remember this one bear. I just kept my voice low and even and stood up tall, not acting afraid. ‘I don’t want to have to shoot you,’ Luke demonstrated the means to survive was speaking to the animals as though they weren’t dangerous. Bears were so numerous in those parts that the police are often summoned to help deal with problem individuals, which have to be unceremoniously shot if the necessity dictates.
The tour traveled a number of miles and didn’t seem to drag despite the absence of wildlife encounters. The waterfalls were definitely the stars of the show.
By the time we returned to town after “soaking in” the amazing scenery, it was late in the afternoon. We had several hours left before
needing to be back aboard the cruise ship. We’d heard good things about Skagway Brewing Company being a fine place to grab a local brew and perhaps eat something, so its central location in town was a fitting option.
The website said, “Discover all we have to offer – from brews to eats, fresh greens grown on-site, and unique merch!”
The somewhat noisy joint was packed with tourists and we even had to wait a few minutes to be seated in the two-story establishment. Glancing at a menu, Skagway Brewing offered a selection of its home brewed beer, particularly promoting its “Spruce Tip Blonde” as its signature sudsy drink.
The brewery openly promoted its “sustainable” orientation, the word raising red flags warning of wishy-washy political philosophies to this observer, but the atmosphere was open and friendly and the local staff receptive. Our waitress talked about having to work very hard during the tourist months, and the town slows down to a crawl when it’s dark the whole time during the winter.
“People clear out and go on vacation for weeks in the wintertime, otherwise it’s depressing having it dark except for an hour or two a day.” I believe it. There’s a sense of urgency among the locals in the summer months; they need to make money, and they need to do it fast while working hard, kind 
of like the ants in the fairytale with the lazy grasshopper.
I chose the “Blue Top Porter” and admired its dark color and high alcohol content. What a great way to warm up on a cool, rainy day! Shari selected a flight of beers so she could try several of them, favoring the “Spruce Tip Blonde” but not caring for the pale ale selection. To pair with the beer, we had – what else? – a couple pretzels and dipping sauces, which complemented the suds nicely.
Not really needing or wanting more, we then took the stairs to the first floor to the gift shop seeking a t-shirt that mentioned Skagway and the brewery. As previously noted, there are more than enough shirt shops to fill up an entire state at each cruise stop. It’s rare to happen upon something different from the obvious tourist traps, which we discovered at the brewery.
Finishing up at Skagway Brewing, we headed back towards the ship, always a nice place to enjoy the evening. Skagway was unique and memorable in its own way. The highlight of the day was definitely the waterfall and wildlife tour, not only for the scenery but also the “intangibles” offered by the tour hosts, the local personalities that make every vacation memorable.
You’ll never think of waterfalls the same way.
