Skagway, Alaska at the turn of the century.

 

Westours (Westours Motor Coaches, Inc.) coaches in the depot Skagway, Alaska.

The Municipality of Skagway Borough, located in the Upper Lynn Canal at the head of Taiya Inlet, is home to the northernmost ice-free, deep-water port in North America and known today as a port of call for many of the cruise ships plying these waters.

Skagway is historically considered the gateway to the Gold Rush of 1898, and today has a permanent population of 1,240. For the road traveller there are two ways of approaching the town - either by car aboard the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry that plies its trade from Bellingham, Washington State to Homer Alaska, or driving from Yukon, Canada via the White Pass.

This might seem unlikely territory for a major coach operation, but a short walk from downtown on the Klondike Highway soon dispels that notion. There, on the right-hand side of the road is what today is known as the HAP (Holland America Line and Princess) Bus Yard which supplies vehicles for the cruise ships in Alaska and Canada's Yukon. A collaboration of both cruise companies with headquarters in Anchorage, Alaska and operating just under 300 motorcoaches. Before HAP came HAL, Holland America Line (Westours), Inc., a holding company that controlled three subsidiaries: Westours Motor Coaches,  Evergreen Trails and Westmark Hotels of Canada. On 8^th April 2002 HAL acquired Horizon Coach Lines Ltd., with its operations mainly concentrated in Canada.

Gone are the days of the gold rush, replaced by the rush of motorcoaches as they whisk the cruise passenger on day excursions into the Yukon and woo betide any car driver that gets in their way. On one occasion a convoy of coaches was preceded by an escort vehicle clearing the road ahead to ensure speed was maintained on the steep inclines.

For a more sedate experience the Skagway Street Car Company operates a sightseeing tour from the historic downtown area, and at the time were using White Model 706s dating from 1936/37. I believe these vehicles are now located in Yellowstone National Park. The company makes tentative historic links to Martin Itjen, who in 1923 gave Alaska's first motorized sightseeing tour in Skagway.

The best time to enjoy Skagway is when all the cruise ships have gone and the town reverts to its sleepy, dusty former frontier self. Walking along the boardwalk you can almost hear the jangle of spurs, so grab a stetson and find your inner John Wayne.       

Prevost Model: H5-60. Westours (Westours Motor Coaches, Inc.). 1990 Prevost Model: H5-60 coach in the depot Skagway, Alaska. Sold to Absolute Charters. Converted into an RV in October 2019.

 Skagway Street Car Company, 1936 White Model 706.

Skagway Street Car Company. 1937 White Model 706.

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