So you really want an adventure this year to help us celebrate the peak of the Klondike Gold Rush, do you? Well, a few days on the Chilkoot Trail is guaranteed to be an experience that you'll not soon forget.

The Chilkoot Trail winding through the forest in the Taiya River valley.

    To some degree, you can choose the type of experience you want on the trail. A summer hike with the family will be a far cry from a solitary hike off-season, which was my choice last week (May 18-22). Hiking the trail requires a free permit from the National Park Service, and expensive reservations and permits from Parks Canada - only 50 people a day can start, to keep damage to the trail to a minimum, and to maintain as much as possible a "wilderness" feel to it. The historical purists will note here that it certainly wasn't a wilderness experience 100 years ago, with up to 20,000 people on the 33 miles of trail - now only about 1% of that number is allowed.

    To varying degrees, Skagway will be your base of operations for the trip. Bus service is available to the trailhead, last-minute trail condition reports can be accessed at the Visitor Center, and you can grab a last burger before switching to various forms of glop for the duration of your trip, generally 3-5 days.

    At any time between May and October, the variety of terrain and ecosystems that hikers experience is remarkable. From the northern limit of the coastal rain forest to barren granite with scattered arctic plants, the route will keep your brain working as you try to absorb it all. But to most people who "do the Chilkoot," the overwhelming feeling both during and after the trip is amazement that the Klondike Stampede could occur under such conditions. To immerse yourself in the trail's history before you go, I highly recommend reading Chilkoot Trail by David Neufeld and Frank Norris.

    The American side of the trail is in extremely good condition, particularly considering the very difficult terrain involved. Trail crews have already been out and all the deadfalls have been removed, and some minor maintenance (on stairs particularly) has been done. There are some very impressive bridges on the lower section, including a suspension bridge that takes a side-trail across the Taiya River to the ruins of Canyon City.

At the head of Deep Lake.

    There is a "false summit" just past The Scales that many people find discouraging when they realize that the real climb, the Golden Stairs, is still ahead, so be ready for it. Regardless of how many photographs of the Golden Stairs that you've seen, the first view of it is truly shocking - if there is still snow on it, it looks impossible to climb. A raging blizzard was blowing when I went over last week (dumped 6 inches of snow in 3 hours, with winds of about 40mph), and my first view could better be described as terrifying! Once you're over the Summit, it feels like it takes forever to get to the next campsite, at Happy Camp - the rangers advise that you should figure on 10 hours to hike the 7.5 miles from Sheep Camp to Happy Camp, and it's very good advice. From Happy Camp to Bennett is in some ways the best part of the trail, with expansive views, gentle grades (except for a bit of ridge-work above Long Lake), and a great feeling of accomplishment tucked away safely in your vest pocket.

    Some of the warnings that you'll read about trail preparations may seem silly, or overly-cautious, but conditions can vary radically and rapidly from hour to hour, and it will be in your best interests to pack everything you possibly can in the way of clothing, equipment and food for the expected duration of your trip, plus a couple of extra days.

    For those of you who decide that hiking the trail isn't for you, you can still get a good idea of what it's like from the air. From Skagway, tours and charters are available through Skagway Air Service, Wings of Alaska and Temsco Helicopters.

    Whether you experience the Chilkoot Trail from ground level or from a couple of thousand feet, it will be a part of your Northern adventure to savour. If you have any specific questions that aren't answered elsewhere, just drop me a line. For a greatly-expanded version of the trip, see the 4-part feature.