Historian Michael Gates brings the Klondike to Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village

Michael Gates (center) shows details in his book to
Tess Larson (left) and Terry Zwicker (right)
T. Lucas photo

Toni Lucas

Gold nuggets the size of goose eggs scattered on open land untrodden by man was what prospectors dreamed of in the era of the Klondike gold rush.  In reality these intrepid souls faced harsh weather, deprivation and malnutrition while attempting to find future prosperity in the minerals of the Canadian north and later, Alaska.


Yukon 'History Hunter' Michael Gates presented 'The Cattle Drive to the Klondike:  Dalton's Gold Rush Trail' at Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village on the evening of October 24.  Gates lives in Whitehorse and is fascinated with the history of that area.  He talked about just one aspect from his book 'Dalton's Gold Rush Trail: Exploring the Route of the Klondike Cattle Drive'.  The presentation that was punctuated by historical photos as he focused on the men that drove cattle to the Yukon to feed the prospectors.  This work was every bit as much of a gamble as panning for gold.

The presentation was a reminder of a different time in the world.  In the 1890's a cut finger could become infected and swell up to the afflicted person's elbow.  The closest doctor was a two week hard ride away.  This was a time when having your dog sled animals healthy was a must for transportation or you would be walking in the dangerously cold weather over vast distances.  Paddle wheeler boats were still in use and refrigeration was uncommon.

This was a time where driving a herd of cattle to men that were starving might put you in the green for several lifetimes.  These men faced hardship, danger and heartbreak every bit as real as any prospector.  It is still hard work and there is risk to driving cattle along any trail.  Back then when that trail had hit its end they had to decide if it was easier to drive cattle through the wilds than it was to haul carcasses instead.  These men were placed in the awkward position of having to time the slaughter of the herd they have been chivvying along.

Without fodder to maintain the herd and with winter coming the animals would lose weight, and if they were unable to find sustenance they could die anyway.  They had to drive cattle or haul meat in areas without roads, deadly bogs, sandbars that could foul the barges, facing unpredictable and often treacherous waters and fickle weather.

Butcher your herd too early and the meat would spoil rather than freeze.  Too late and the meat would freeze, but so would the passage between where you were and your destination.  The meat had to make it to where the customers had gold, and empty bellies.  Travelling by barge with live or butchered cargo  had its dangers as well.  In the summer the cattle might die in sweltering cattle cargo holds, or sandbars might force portages.

Gates told of many hardships, and gambles that paid off.  The cattle owners that had both perseverance and luck on their side struck it rich with beef rather than metal and became wealthy men.

'Dalton's Gold Rush Trail: Exploring the Route of the Klondike Cattle Drive' is Gate's third book.  "The book is about more than just the cattle drives," said Gates.  "It talks about the Reindeer Relief Expedition, The mysterious 36, It covers Dalton and Glave's two expeditions into the Yukon, how they established trade with the interior, and how the trails were first established, and I talk about women on the trail."

Gold at Forty Mile Creek is Gates first book.  It covers the early days before the gold rush.  His second book,  'History Hunting in the Yukon' is based on  the column “History Hunter” that Gates writes for the Yukon News.

Gates plans to write a sequel to his first book, this one about life after the gold rush.  He is considering co-authoring a book with his wife Kathy about George Black.  Black was a lawyer, prospector, and politician who shaped history in the north.

"I wanted to live in the north and save the history.  I got to do that as a curator, and now I'm doing it as an author," said Gates.  "Interestingly enough, Pierre Berton wrote a masterpiece about the Klondike gold rush," explained Gates. "It's called 'Klondike'.  But there are only five paragraphs in his book that mention either Jack Dalton or the trail.  It's a broad subject and he covered it very well, but he didn't cover it all."  Likening Berton's book to a painting, Gates said "I'm filling in the detail in an unpainted corner."

All the books on hand sold out at the event, but Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village Curator Farley Wuth said that the museum bookstore will carry Gates' work in the future, or you can contact Harbour Publishing (click here) for a copy.

Related link: The History Hunter celebrates a milestone

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