So far, on this Holland America Cruise-Tour, I had experienced close encounters with Alaskan Salmon, and a Bald Eagle. This, however, was the first wild life sighting on land, up close and personal. Not only was I glad it had happened while we were all safely on the motor coach, but I got the sense everyone on board had just gotten their money's worth!

After spending three days luxuriating in the comforts of Holland America's Statendam, we left her familiar decks to spend the next several days far from sea exploring the remote reaches of Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Our evening clothes and shipboard finery where left behind on the ship to be reunited with us on the last day of our land tour.

The dress code for the next five days was strictly jeans and layers, removing a shirt or sweater as the day warmed up. Alaska is an informal place with emphasis on dressing for the weather. It can change rather suddenly. You can leave your designer clothes at home and make sure you bring a warm sweatshirt. Surprisingly, the weather throughout our visit was sunny and warm.We spent most days with our long sleeve tops tied around our waists.

Holland America Tours has been operating in Alaska and the Yukon for well over twenty years. A subsidiary of Holland America line, the two divisions combine to offer the most comprehensive selection of cruise-tours in the region.

SKAGWAY, Alaska

Skagway is a primary stop for cruise ships on the Inland Passage. Several cruise ships can be found at the docks most days of the week during the Alaskan cruise season. This historical town, surrounded by towering mountains played a key role in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. The name originates from a Tlingit Alaskan Indian word that has many definitions. Translations range from " lady reliving herself on a rock," to "end of salt water," along with "cruel wind." Maybe the best definition of Skagway came from a 1927 magazine article in which the writer concluded it "was a word of uncertain meaning."

This was the starting point for the gold rushers of 1898 headed for the Klondike. With a population today of nearly 800, Skagway now depends on the rush of cruise ship passengers every season. It is also the starting point for the White Pass & Yukon Railroad, which was built along the original White Pass Trail where well over three thousand horses and many inexperienced packers, driven by gold fever, died prior to the railroad's completion.

The rail trip is one of the top ten most spectacular in the world. The cruise ships offer a roundtrip same day rail excursion that is well worth it. Our group was met at the summit, after the three-hour ascent, by our Holland America motor coach to begin our exploration of the Canadian Yukon.

Whitehorse, Yukon

Whitehorse is named after the rapids on the Yukon River, just to the south of the city, which resembled the flowing manes of charging white horses. On the trail of '98, horse-drawn trams were built to by-pass the rapids and that was the beginning of what today is Whitehorse, Capitol of the Yukon Territory. With a population of 23,000, Whitehorse has several comfortable hotels and several local restaurants. It has become well known as a starting point for wilderness holidays that include, fishing, hiking, camping and hunting. Popular among Europeans, several airlines operate nonstop flights from Europe during the summer to what has become known as the gateway to the Yukon.

Our motor coach pulled up to the local Westmark Hotel, a chain owned by Holland America throughout the Yukon and Alaska. It was comfortable and I enjoyed my first portion of Artic Char, a local fish, prepared in the hotel's restaurant by Chef Ray Durk.We had time for a leisurely walk through town. According to several locals, the Cellar Dining Room located in the Edgewater Hotel www.edgewaterhotel.yk.ca is worth making a dinner reservation and a visit to Mac's Fireweed Book Store on Main Street will provide a wealth of books and information on the northern territories. www.yukonbooks.com

Dawson City

Although Holland America options included a seven-hour drive in one of their luxurious motor coaches through the heart of the Yukon, we chose a quick one-hour flight on Air North to Dawson City. The flight, onboard a sixties vintage 44 passenger twin turbo prop, was memorable. It was the first time on a commercial airliner that I was offered beef jerky and the first time I ever landed on a gravel runway.

Dawson City is remote! It was and very much still is a frontier town. Wandering its dirt streets, you are transported back 100 years when Dawson City was the heart of the great Klondike Gold Rush. Almost overnight, more than 30,000 people, lusting for gold, turned a quiet moose pasture at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike rivers into the largest city west of Winnipeg.

Today, with a year round population of under 2000, Dawson still celebrates its colorful and somewhat off-color past...prostitution was the city's biggest business during the gold rush. The gold mining industry still flourishes here and people still flock here drawn less by the gold than the adventure of getting here. During our overnight stay at the Downtown Hotel, we canoed down the Klondike River and wandered up the surrounding mountains for a bird's eye view of the city. It felt good to be out in the remote wilderness of this small frontier town. There are guides available to view the wildlife, which include bear and caribou.

Returning to the paved streets and fast-food restaurants of Fairbanks would prove to be painful. We continued our civilized trek on board the Yukon Queen II, which left Dawson on a glorious four-hour ride up the Yukon River to Eagle, Alaska. The scenery was stunning and the light meal, consisting of fresh fruit cup and cream of broccoli soup in a bread bowl, was delicious. This trip is not to be missed!

DENALI

After a hearty dinner of Alaska King Crab at the Pump House Restaurant and a restful evening at the Westmark Hotel-Fairbanks, we boarded the early morning departure of the McKinley Explorer. The fully restored 1950's glass-domed railcar provided an uninterrupted view as the Alaskan Railroad took us south to Denali National Park.

Enthusiastic college kids, knowing full well they had scored a great summer job, served stacks of pancakes and scrambled eggs in the dining car as beautiful scenery rolled by.

At our arrival, guests off-loading the train were transported to hotels, while others who had been at Denali were transferred to the train for the continuation of the rail journey to Anchorage. We stayed at the McKinley Chalets, where Alaskan wildflowers and a rushing stream were just outside our balcony. We took a fascinating natural history tour of the park, viewed roaming caribou and got to see Mt. McKinley from several perspectives. We thoroughly enjoyed the Cabin Night Dinner Show. Singing waiters served mounds of chicken and ribs family style and there was plenty of ham on stage!

Every aspect of Holland America's tour operation runs like clock work. It is truly a fail-safe way of comfortably combining a cruise with a well-organized exploration of Alaska and The Yukon. In the lobby of the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks, I asked three women traveling together how they would describe their Holland American Cruise-Tour. Their response was immediate. " We can't think of any better word than Fantastic!