The discovery of gold in the Klondike created a mass stampede to an area few people had seen. The United States and Canadian governments were not even certain as to the boundary line between them but the gold rush hastened the border survey.

Dyea and Skagway became boom towns as they were the starting points for the Chilkoot and White Pass Trails. Dyea soon became a ghost town when Skagway became the southern terminus of the White Pass and Yukon Railroad, which was completed in 1899. Skagway’s population also declined when the gold rush waned.

After the prospectors climbed the Chilkoot Trail, many built small boats at Lake Bennett or Lake Lindeman and sailed to Dawson and the gold fields. In May of 1898 between 20,000 and 30,000 stampeders camped on their shores, cutting trees to build boats for the journey Even those who rode to Whitehorse on the train had to find other ways to get to Dawson.