REAL PHOTO - Klondike Gold Rush - Chilkoot Pass in 1897 - Yukon, CANADA:  The Klondike Gold Rush was a massive migration of approximately 100,000 prospectors to the Klondike region of Canada's Yukon Territory between 1896 and 1899..  The selected region shows the steep final climb of the Golden Stairs on the Chilkoot Pass during the Klondike Gold Rush (around 1897–1898), where long lines of prospectors ("stampeders") hauled heavy loads of supplies up the ice-carved mountain steps.

Key Details & Timeline    

     • Discovery: Gold was discovered on August 16, 1896, on Bonanza Creek (then Rabbit Creek) by George Carmack, Skookum Jim, and Dawson Charlie.

     • The Stampede: Word reached Seattle and San Francisco in July 1897 when steamships arrived with tons of gold, sparking a frantic global exodus.

     • The Journey: Stampeders faced grueling terrain, harsh subarctic winters, and dangerous routes like the Chilkoot Trail and White Pass. The Canadian government required each person to carry a year's worth of supplies (about a ton of goods).

     • Dawson City: The boomtown grew from a tent camp into a bustling city of around 30,000 people at its 1898 peak, earning the nickname the "Paris of the North".

     • Outcome & Decline: Out of 100,000 who set out, only about 30,000 to 40,000 actually reached the Klondike, and by the time most arrived, all major claims were already staked. The rush largely ended in 1899 when new gold strikes were discovered in Nome, Alaska.

Key Details from the Image

    • The Golden Stairs: A steep, single-file line of roughly 1,500 ice-hewn steps leading to the summit of the 3,759-foot pass'

     • The Scales: The flat, rock-strewn staging area at the base of the climb visible in the lower section, where packs were reweighed and sorted before the final ascent

 This Real Photo postcard is in good condition.  AZO.