The White Pass & Yukon Route climbs from sea level in Skagway to almost 3000 feet at the summit in just 20 miles and features steep grades of almost 3.9%. The tight curves of the White Pass called for a narrow gauge railroad. The rails were three feet apart on a 10-foot-wide road bed and meant lower construction costs....

By that time the work was almost entirely above the timber line, and exposed to the full force of the Arctic winter storms. In many places the men had to be roped together while working, to prevent them from being blown off the mountainsides, where the granite was so smooth and slippery that the only foothold was often obtained from logs chained to iron bars drilled into the rock. The cold and the action of the wind were so intense that the men had to be relieved every hour, as longer exposure numbed not merely their bodies but their minds, so that they had not sense enough left to tie a knot securely or do other simple things of similar nature. Throughout the winter the thermometer at the construction camp ranged from 20 to 40 degrees below zero, and sometimes even lower.

It is truly an engineering wonder...you can read more about the rail and its construction here:

https://wondersofworldengineering.com/alaska_yukon.html

Novel

Neil’s Harbour, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

Nose Trick

Newgrange Kerbstone with megalithic art

Niece and nephew about 30 years ago.

I’m especially proud of my niece, who having suffered an almost fatal stroke about 2 years ago, recently managed to complete a fundraising marathon on a treadmill (which was brought to her house) over the course of 2 weeks.

In honor of John Lennon ("Let me take you down 'cause we're going to .. Strawberry Fields ....")

Nieces and nephews last Christmas Eve. Sadly, we won’t we seeing them this year.

maddiemo.....what a great story..thank you for sharing. Hugs for her!

New day dawning on ocean

Thanks Uptown Gal, when I see her I’ll certainly pass them on:)

She rang a couple of weeks ago for a chat, and due to the press attention her story received, she‘s been approached by a new stroke charity to work for them. She was absolutely thrilled at the prospect.

View of the top of Notre Dame Paris, so sad to think the lead "roof" melted and all this is gone:

Tv, I almost feel I shouldn’t have hit the lime button. But, you know what I mean.

Night shot.

eid--I totally understand! But--I was curious so I "googled" the apostle statues of Notre Dame. Luckily, they had been removed for restoration just a few days before the fire. Still so sad, though.

Narwhal

Noopy. His eye looks weird because it is a reflection of the stall across the aisle. The deep furrow over his eye, attests to his 33 years of age.

Marilyn--beautiful animal. Not being a horse person, I had no idea horses lived to be that old. I have a furrow between my eyes, too--but I'm a little older than 33! ;}

New Chef Santa. I am working on rebuilding my Santa collection. I have never seen a Chef Santa so I had to have him.

Nest ...... of the Ruby Throat Hummingbird. I have shown this before...probably more than once. But everyone needs to see just how tiny that nest and those eggs really are. The nest about the size of an english walnut and the eggs the size of peas.

Tvq1...I agonize over putting him down due to his extreme arthritis. He can lay down and get back up easily and his appetite is beyond good, and Emery loves him....so I keep him on. I watch him carefully, so when the time comes, I will know.

The new fence needed for the new pup (10-1/2 years ago!) Fence just got removed a couple of months ago. I haven't needed it for years as Carmelita is never far from my side when we are outside.