During the Second World War, the American Army built a pioneer road to Alaska in very difficult conditions and in a very short time. The Alaska Highway cuts through boreal forest to pass the tall mountains of Kluane National Park and Reserve. The spectacular Haines Highway was built at the same time as an alternate route to the ocean and follows the eastern border of the largest internationally protected area on earth. The South Klondike Highway between Whitehorse and Skagway, Alaska crosses the coastal mountains via the White Pass, made famous during the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. 1