The Klondike Gold rush had begun on August 16, 1896 on Bonanza Creek.
This was located near Dawson, and 50 miles east of the Alaskan border.

The Chilkoot Trail is reported to have spanned between 28 miles and 33 miles from sea level at Dyea, Alaska to Lake Bennett, British Columbia.

The Chilkoot Pass was an important milestone which travellers had to conquer in order to reach the Klondike.
The travellers were called 'stampeders,' and some had earlier sought the riches of the 1889 gold rush in Alaska.

To be allowed to enter the Klondike and take part in the gold rush, Canadian officials required that stampeders take one ton of goods with them, to try to ensure they were prepared to survive on the frontier.
This was broken down into a year's supply of food, which was half of the weight, as well as another thousand pounds of equipment.
The supplies and food requirements were broken down into two lists.
The clothing items included: a waterproof blanket, 6 pairs of wool socks, 2 flannel over shirts, and a medicine chest.
The list continues with the essential clothing needed.
Some of the supplies required included: rolled oats, flour, salt, and bacon.
The weight ranged from between 20 pounds to 400 pounds for one ingredient.
This list was taken very seriously, as there was rarely a return journey after the Klondike was reached.

Park officials still require travellers to make preparation for hiking in this area.
But in 1995, the list for travelling the Trail and Pass was very different, as the technologies allowed for a much smaller supply list.
In addition, more creature comforts were available, such as a lightweight camp stove.

No traveller could take his supplies across the pass at once, so several trips had to be made in order to transport all needed goods to the destination.
Quite often the supplies had to be carried by hand in 50-60 pound packs, as the passes proved to be too narrow for wagons or draft animals.
The travel was slow and what would have taken a few hours in another environment required days to complete.
It is estimated that for every mile their supplies moved, the travelers had to walk 80 miles to get it there.

Only the wealthiest of stampeders could afford to hire labour to transport their supplies.
Most stampeders had to carry their own.
The professional packers of the time mainly consisted of Alaska Natives and First Nations people (Indians), who charged 1 cent per pound they carried.
Working the market, the packers quickly moved to new customers if there was a hint of more money to be offered by someone else.
The packing fees charged by professional packers were subject to change as the weather changed.
Ground conditions could make the packing much more difficult, and muddier ground conditions were harder to traverse as compared to frozen, snow-covered ground.
The Klondike Gold rush had begun on August 16, 1896 on Bonanza Creek. This was located near Dawson, and 50 miles east of the Alaskan border.
The Chilkoot Trail is reported to have spanned between 28 miles and 33 miles from sea level at Dyea, Alaska to Lake Bennett, British Columbia. 
The Chilkoot Pass was an important milestone which travellers had to conquer in order to reach the Klondike. The travellers were called 'stampeders,' and some had earlier sought the riches of the 1889 gold rush in Alaska.
To be allowed to enter the Klondike and take part in the gold rush, Canadian officials required that stampeders take one ton of goods with them, to try to ensure they were prepared to survive on the frontier. This was broken down into a year's supply of food, which was half of the weight, as well as another thousand pounds of equipment. The supplies and food requirements were broken down into two lists. The clothing items included: a waterproof blanket, 6 pairs of wool socks, 2 flannel over shirts, and a medicine chest. The list continues with the essential clothing needed. Some of the supplies required included: rolled oats, flour, salt, and bacon. The weight ranged from between 20 pounds to 400 pounds for one ingredient. This list was taken very seriously, as there was rarely a return journey after the Klondike was reached.
Park officials still require travellers to make preparation for hiking in this area. But in 1995, the list for travelling the Trail and Pass was very different, as the technologies allowed for a much smaller supply list. In addition, more creature comforts were available, such as a lightweight camp stove.
No traveller could take his supplies across the pass at once, so several trips had to be made in order to transport all needed goods to the destination. Quite often the supplies had to be carried by hand in 50-60 pound packs, as the passes proved to be too narrow for wagons or draft animals. The travel was slow and what would have taken a few hours in another environment required days to complete. It is estimated that for every mile their supplies moved, the travelers had to walk 80 miles to get it there.
Only the wealthiest of stampeders could afford to hire labour to transport their supplies. Most stampeders had to carry their own. The professional packers of the time mainly consisted of Alaska Natives and First Nations people (Indians), who charged 1 cent per pound they carried. Working the market, the packers quickly moved to new customers if there was a hint of more money to be offered by someone else. The packing fees charged by professional packers were subject to change as the weather changed. Ground conditions could make the packing much more difficult, and muddier ground conditions were harder to traverse as compared to frozen, snow-covered ground.
Chilkoot Pass