The following is an excerpt from the "Hiker's Guide to the Chilkoot Trail" published by the Canadian Parks Service and the U.S. National Park Service that sums up the historic significance of this trail, and thus our interest in it.
The Klondike Gold Rush captured the imagination of the world. Rich and poor, young and old, women and men were attracted to the Klondike from all parts of the globe. No image better represents this historic event than the endless line of stampeders struggling over the Chilkoot Pass during the winter of 1897-98. Today, the Chilkoot Trail National Historic and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Parks commemorate this extraordinary journey. The contrast between the scenic grandeur of the Coastal Mountains and the fragile remains of the stampeders' goods and temporary structures makes the Chilkoot a unique backcountry trail."
