Long before the Gold Rush, The Taku River Tlingits trekked hundreds of miles on their annual migration from Juneau AK, up the Taku River and over the watershed to the Atlin valley and back again. They went to Atlin, Teslin, Carcross even before these places had these names. The Tlingits hunted, fished, trapped, and traded. The Tlingit name for the Atlin area is Wenah.

When gold was discovered in Atlin in 1898, gold seekers from the south poured into Skagway AK and began the quest northward on foot: north over the White Pass. Some went north to Dawson; some went eastward over the Fantail Trail, on foot and then by boat, to Atlin Lake.

Things changed enormously by 1901. The White Pass Railway was constructed from Skagway AK to Whitehorse Yukon. It covered about 120 miles, with stops along the way. If you were seeking gold in Atlin, you would take the White Pass Railway from Skagway to Carcross, about 100 km (60 miles). Then, you'd make your way by boat or on foot, south on Tagish Lake, east on Graham Inlet to Taku Station. At Taku Station you could pay $2.00 to take a train for 2 miles to Scotia Bay. After that, you would take a boat across Atlin Lake to Atlin.

All that, without GPS recalibrating.