Dyea and the Blue Canoe

While waiting for the ferry south we had a morning to kill so visited the old site of Dyea, the 1890's jumpoff place for miners before they climbed Chilkoot Pass in the gold rush days. In 1898 there was an avalanche on the pass which swept many miners and even a few wives to their deaths. This cemetery was the interment place for those who perished in that avalanche. There are approximately thirty graves, almost all marked the same day in 1898.


While hiking back from the old Dyea townsite we came across this bear track in the path. It may have been there when we hiked in. The track measures about 7" across. We were the only tourists out there so I asked Paulette if she thought we should purchase some Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray. She didn't hesitate.


Our ferry, aka the Blue Canoe. All the Marine Highway ferrys have white superstructure and blue hull. Hence the nickname. As you can tell from the background the scenery was majestic, especially evening with the setting sun illuminating white snow capped mountains.


Today I took a little personal excursion while Paulette was checking the backs of her eyelids for holes and this is what I came upon....

Yup, it's a porcupine eating willow buds.