SS Klondike, Paddle steamer in Whitehorse, Canada.
The SS Klondike is a steel-hulled paddle steamer with multiple decks that once transported cargo along the Yukon River. Inside, you can explore freight storage areas, engine rooms, passenger cabins, and dining spaces.
Built and operated as SS Klondike II from 1937 to 1950, the vessel carried silver ore, gold, and merchandise upriver from Whitehorse to Dawson City. After this period, it was no longer needed on the route and remained in Whitehorse.
The vessel reflects traditional river navigation practices developed for the waters of Ta'an Kwäch'än Council and Kwanlin Dün First Nation territories. Walking through it today, you notice how every part was built to handle the powerful Yukon River's demands.
The site is open to visitors from May through September with guided tours available. Tours explain how the boat worked and how it carried freight and passengers on its routes.
The journey upriver against the current took about five days, while the return trip downstream required only about one and a half days. This dramatic difference shows how much the river's power shaped shipping operations.
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