Chilkoot Trail Closure: A Blow to Alaska-Canada Ties

0:00The Chilku Trail, that epic 33-mile hike from Skagway, Alaska, into Canada, has been off limits for the full journey for six seasons now, heading into a 7th. This historic path, used by tilling it folks forever, gold rush miners back in the day, and modern adventurers, sit split by an international border. A top of tough mountain pass that's not an official port of entry. It all kicked off with the COVID shutdown in 2020, then floods wrecked the U.S. side. Both countries reopened their sections last summer, but hikers still can't cross that borderline. U.S. Customs says everyone got to hit a real port, or it's illegal, no exceptions. Locals are feeling the sting hard. Long time guides him borsy cause it massive government fails, while Skagway's tribal leader, Jamie Bricker, says blocking this ancient route without. Borders hurts deep. Visitor numbers crash from over 3,000 a year pre-pandemic to just 370 last year, gutting the local cruise ship towns. Economy that thrives on those big spending independent travelers.

1:03Senator Lisa Murkowski, who helped make it a national historic trail, teamed up with Yukon's ex premiere last June to push for a fix, but the Department of Homeland Security shut it down. They cited national security, terrorists, and the rugged spot lacking any border setup. The nearest port's 22 miles away in Skagway. Now permits drop in June for the U.S. side, starting in DA, so folks can hike out and back, but guides say it ain't the same without crossing into. Those unique ecosystems on both ends. This closures messing with deep neighbor ties between Alaska and Canada that have held strong forever. That's your update from Anchorage News Today, powered by AI.