The Chilkoot trail rose 900 feet to the base of the Chilkoot Pass to an area called the Scales.
This was a rough rock-strewn area and was named because it was the last place where travelers could have their packs reweighed, and adjustments could be made to their payments.
The Scales was also used as a place where travelers could store their provisions and supplies while going to lower levels to get the remainder, before continuing on their journey up the Pass.
After the Scales, the ground rose about 500 – 600 feet over a distance of approximately half a mile.
The trail was covered with giant, sharp slabs of rock, which made the footing treacherous and often induced crawling during the summer months.

In the winter, workers cut the ice into 1500 steps, which came to be known as the 'Golden Stairs'.
The steps were too narrow for more than one person to climb up at a time, so the trek was limited to a single-file line up the mountain, as shown in the photo for this article.
The workers who had carved steps into the ice of Chilkoot Pass also charged travelers to ascend the mountain, as the travelers had to use their stairs.
The Chilkoot trail rose 900 feet to the base of the Chilkoot Pass to an area called the Scales. This was a rough rock-strewn area and was named because it was the last place where travelers could have their packs reweighed, and adjustments could be made to their payments. The Scales was also used as a place where travelers could store their provisions and supplies while going to lower levels to get the remainder, before continuing on their journey up the Pass. After the Scales, the ground rose about 500 – 600 feet over a distance of approximately half a mile. The trail was covered with giant, sharp slabs of rock, which made the footing treacherous and often induced crawling during the summer months.
In the winter, workers cut the ice into 1500 steps, which came to be known as the 'Golden Stairs'. The steps were too narrow for more than one person to climb up at a time, so the trek was limited to a single-file line up the mountain, as shown in the photo for this article. The workers who had carved steps into the ice of Chilkoot Pass also charged travelers to ascend the mountain, as the travelers had to use their stairs.
Chilkoot Pass