1897 was a tough year in most of America. Unstable economic conditions and numerous bank failures had thrown millions out of work.

Gold had been discovered in Canada's Klondike region in August of 1896, but news of this discovery didn't reach the United States until spring the following year.  That's when the madness hit. The Klondike Gold Rush became a stampede of humans. Folks from all walks of life headed into a hostile and unforgiving wilderness in hopes of making their fortune.

 

It was not an easy journey.  One of the many challenges of the hazardous trek to the gold fields was the Chilkoot Pass. It was called "the meanest 32 miles in the world." The meanest part of the Chilkoot Pass was the Golden Stairs.

The Canadian government required each potential miner to tote in enough supplies to survive a year in the Yukon. That added up to about a ton of provisions.

The Golden Stairs were 1,500 steps carved out of mountain ice. Prospectors moved up the stairs in a single line, clutching the rope balustrade, carrying their goods on their backs, usually 50 to 60 pounds at a time.  A single trip up the "Golden Stairs" could take as long as six hours. To haul your entire load over this hurdle required many trips.

Those who challenged the Chilkoot Pass are said to have walked 80 miles for every mile they managed to move their provisions.