Alaska 2003 Week 4

Today began our fourth week on the road and we prepared to do battle with the muddy, potholed gravel sections of the Cassier Highway. We spoke to a couple who had just driven down the same stretch of highway we were headed for. They said it was awful, muddy (their coach was covered with mud) and narrow; very stressful to drive with all the trucks racing by. Other people had told us it was no big deal; we would have to see for ourselves.

What an anti-climax. We drove slowly and cautiously, most of the gravel sections were a few hundred yards, only one was more than two miles. We had set our expectations low, planning to travel only 200 miles. We reached that destination at 12:15! The coach was still clean since the mud only happens when it rains. We stopped for lunch and decided to drive another hundred miles. That brought us to the Dease River Crossing RV Park. What a special place. About a dozen campsites, ours is right on the river (photo). Our most scenic campsite yet. We had a leisurely afternoon and evening reading out by the river, talking about what the next few days would bring. Grilled some Snapper for dinner, ate it overlooking the river and surrounding mountains. We have much to be thankful for.

We awoke to a beautiful sunrise over the lake and got moving pretty early. First stop was Jade City, where they sell British Columbia Jade carvings to tourists. It was touristy as expected and we were soon on our way. In another 75 miles we turned left on to the actual Alaskan Highway.

Many of you know that the original Alaskan Highway was built from Dawson Creek, BC to Fairbanks, AK in 8 months during 1942 based on fears that the Japanese were going to invade Alaska. The road has been much improved over the years and its current status was best described as, “The good news is that it is paved for the entire length. The bad news is that Mother Nature doesn’t like it paved so sections of it get torn up by the winter weather every year.”

We planned the trip with conservative daily travel distances in Yukon and Alaska so we wouldn’t feel rushed when the road surfaces were poor or there were construction delays. Yesterday and today we traveled farther than planned so we got to Whitehorse, Yukon a day early. There’s lots to do and see here so we will put the time to good use.

We settled into our campsite, did some food shopping, had dinner and did laundry and sent some email. Tomorrow we sightsee in earnest.

We slept late today (8:00) since we were up after 11:30 last night reading and talking about what we would do today. We have to get used to the extended daylight since waiting for it to get dark is not a good way to decide when to go to sleep. Whitehorse is above 60 degrees North Latitude and in early July there are about 20 hours of daylight. I could still read outside last night at 11:30.

Started the day at the Beringia Museum, a fascinating place dedicated to the fauna and flora that inhabited the Yukon area during the ice ages, including Wooly Mammoths, Giant Sloth (one of which was named after Thomas Jefferson) and other strange animals. Next stop was the Transportation Museum with displays of Yukon trains and riverboats and an entire room devoted to construction of the Alaskan Highway in 1942. We then stopped to look at one of the largest wind vanes in the world. It is an actual Canadian DC-3 mounted on a pedestal and balanced so it faces into the wind (photo).

Next we visited the SS Klondike, a preserved Yukon River sternwheeler that made the run from Whitehorse to Dawson City and back, carrying cargo, passengers and silver ore from the mines.

In the afternoon we shopped around Whitehorse then went back to the campground for supper. In the evening we went to the “Fantastic Follies”

Another wonderful day outdoors. We went on a guided hike from Miles Canyon to Canyon City, one of the important gold rush sites along the Yukon River. The guides are from the Yukon Conservation Society. We learned a lot about Klondike history, local plants and flowers and native Indian (referred to in Canada as “First Nation”) practices.

After that hike we enjoyed lunch at a quiet picnic spot along the lake. For our afternoon hike, we worked our way along the lake shore for a couple of miles. We saw Common Loon, Mew Gull, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Oregon Junco, Gray Jay and the elusive Yukon Robin. About five or six miles hiked for the day.

Carl had heard about this dirt road leading up Grey Mountain to a great view. Up we went as the road got steeper, rockier and twistier. Just when we thought we had made it to the top, two big pickup trucks came speeding downhill towards us. Of course we were on the outside edge with no guardrail. We squeezed by with a foot to spare and got to the top for a great 360 degree view (except where the two radio towers were). After enjoying the view for a while we realized that one of the many antennas on the towers was for cellular! Sure enough my phone showed maximum received signal. A great place call home so Sandy could talk to her mom. Back down the mountain uneventfully, we went to Wal-Mart and picked up Sandy’s 14 rolls of film.

After dinner we made a computer service call. A couple we met in Hyder is here in Whitehorse and they mentioned a problem viewing pictures attached to emails. We offered to help fix the problem and it only took a few minutes. They are a lovely couple, originally from Laconia, NH now in their sixth year of full time living in their 36 foot motorhome.

We left Whitehorse headed for Skagway, AK; another of those Alaska towns you can only drive to from Canada. A breathtaking drive due to a) the scenery and b) the ten miles of eleven percent down grade! We stopped for the obligatory photo at the “Welcome to Alaska” sign (photo) but there was a bus stopped there so we had to wait until the driver had taken pictures of every couple and family on the bus in front of the sign.

Skagway is full of Gold Rush History and many of the old buildings have been restored as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. We went on a guided walk with a Park Ranger and enjoyed the displays depicting the hardships suffered by those seeking gold in the Klondike. We also passed a small shop with a sign that reflects its former use, “House of Negotiable Affections!”

Unfortunately, Skagway is also a cruise ship port! 6000 passengers in town today. Only 2000 expected tomorrow so, I guess we are in luck ! Clear skies and temperatures in the mid 80’s; rare for Skagway. We have been very lucky with the weather, I hope we don’t use up all of our good weather luck before we get to Denali National Park where the chances of seeing Mt. McKinley are 20-25%.

In the morning we rode the White Pass & Yukon Railway up through White Pass, one of the routes the gold seekers took in 1898. This railway was built in 1901. The train was very interesting and the scenery was wonderful. Once again we were blessed with great weather.

We had lunch in a delightful café nestled into the alley between two buildings. We then hiked up (and I do mean up, 700 feet in a half mile) to Lower Dewey Lake ad hiked the 2 mile loop trail around the lake. Didn’t se any wildlife but the lake and surrounding mountains and streams were nice (actually they were much better than nice but I warned you I would run out of superlative adjectives).

Had a quiet dinner in the coach and started getting organized for our ferry trip to Juneau tomorrow. We will spend three days sightseeing in the Juneau area, Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm Fjord, then back to Skagway next Wednesday to continue our journey in the motorhome.

We went for a hike this morning, birds were pretty sparse but the weather was beautiful once again. We hiked up to the Gold Rush Cemetery and then on to Reid Falls. When we got back to the motorhome I had hoped to send another email but the computer was in use (photo).

After lunch we went on a short Ranger walk in Dyea, the community where the gold seekers started up the infamous Chilkoot Trail. The town exploded from a small fishing camp to a town of over 10,000 residents in less than a year. Just as quickly, it disappeared when the railroad began operations in Skagway and no one used the Chilkoot Trail. The National Park service is supporting some archaeological work in the area.

We then headed for the Ferry Terminal where we caught the boat to Juneau. We spent almost the entire seven hours trip at the rail of the observation deck with cameras and binoculars, taking in the scenery and watching for eagles (saw two perched) and whales (saw several Dall Porpoise playing in the wake of the ferry). The sunset was outstanding (I really do need a thesaurus!) as I hope the photos show.