I wanted to explore the historic Skagway and White Pass area so once I reached the Alaska Highway again at the end of the Klondike Highway I turned west towards Haines Junction instead of continuing south east. This part of the Alaska Highway traverses fairly level terrain until it reaches Haines Junction in the foothills of the St. Elias Mountains. Haines Junction is named so simply because it is located at the junction of the Alaska and Haines highways. The town was established in 1942 and 1943 during the construction of the Alaska Highway and in 1943 the Haines Highway was built to connect the Alaska Highway with the coastal town of Haines over the Chilkat Pass. This was the road I would take next.