Whitehorse and The Mighty Yukon

It's about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 13 degrees Celsius. It's also cloudy and windy. No matter. Cooper and I are on a mission to discover Whitehorse today. Since it's a mile or two before we even get down the hill from our campground, I borrow the car and I park it above the old stern wheeler, SS Klondike.

Whitehorse is a city that's named after the White Horse Rapids of the Yukon River, which resembled the "flowing manes of charging white horses". The rapids became known as the greatest peril on the trail of 1898. In 1958 the famous rapids were tamed by the construction of the Whitehorse Dam, which replaced the once foaming rapids with Schwatka Lake reservoir. For years Whitehorse played the role of connecting rail service with riverboat traffic to Dawson City. Whitehorse was incorporated as a city in 1950 and in 1953 the capital of the Yukon was transferred from Dawson City to Whitehorse.

 

I walk down the hill and through town on the river walkway, which understandably follows The Yukon River, past the beautiful LePage Park where children were actually playing in the water fountains on this chilly day. They're a hearty bunch!

 I wander around taking in the sites, past the old train depot, past the beautiful Visitor Centre, the museums. I notice the old and the new. Whitehorse is a vibrant city of approx 25,000 people. There's a lot of new construction alongside old historical buildings. I've been told the median age here is 34 and I notice a lot of them are outside jogging, walking, riding bicycles. Clean, outdoor, wilderness living. In fact, many call Whitehorse The Wilderness City.

The trolley that runs along the waterfront.

The Old Log Church Museum

I enjoyed walking the river trail up to the Dam, across the Rotary Centennial Bridge, then along the other side of the river back to LePage park.

Cooper playing in the Yukon River

Since I worked up an appetite after all that walking, I decided to have lunch in town and wound up at Pho 5 Star for a delicious bowl of beef Pho and salad rolls. I'd also noticed a bakery on my earlier jaunt through town so the second time through I had to stop and I wound up buying Hearth Flax bread and huge Raisin Bran muffins - no cinnamon rolls this time - although they had them there and I'm sure they were just as good as the other three I've eaten!

Oh, and how could I forget yesterday!  It's been said that you haven't experienced Whitehorse until you've visited the Yukon Brewery and had the tour - so we did!  It's a small laid back place with only 12 employees and the only one in the Yukon. The brewery officially opened its doors in February 1997 and was originally called the Chilkoot Brewing Company Ltd. Two years later they changed their name because they wanted to sell beer to the U.S. market and there were some trademark issues with the name “Chilkoot.” Because of this the brewery adopted the name “Yukon Brewing Company.” In fact, the Yukon Red is quite the award winner. It was recently named “Beer of the Year” at the Canadian Brewing Awards in Toronto. For more info on their incredible brews click here: http://www.yukonbeer.com/ourbrew.html

Needless to say, I wound up with a case of their Thirst Aid Kit - 4 great beers (Yukon Red, Yukon Gold, Chilkoot, and Cranberry Wheat Ale) in a 12 pack.

The Keg Room!

Teslin

6.9.10

Today we arrive in the Tlinglit village of Teslin. It's a very picturesque setting with a population of a little over 800 residents. I'm parked overlooking part of the lake. Since it's such a private setting I kept the privacy shade off my front window last night so I could view the lake. I woke at 1am and it was still light out. I really wanted to get out of bed, go outside and take a picture but I just couldn't rouse myself enough to do so! (and I didn't want to brave the mosquitoes!) By 3am it was starting to get lighter outside and by 6am the sun was full on the lake. Such a pretty setting.

All by ourselves overlooking the lake!

Cooper playing at the marina - yes, he played in the water too!

View from the front window of my MH

Today we are searching out the best cinnamon rolls! Yesterday we stopped about 85 miles north of Watson Lake at The Continental Divide Lodge and had breakfast. We bought their last two rolls. I guess their baker moved back to Whitehorse so they were in the process of hiring another. They had about a dozen wrapped rolls behind the counter but she said someone new made those and they weren't very good! Today I am waiting for the restaurant here at the RV park to open so I can try out their cinnamon rolls (they also have Rhubarb pie!) and then once we hit the road we're stopping 10 miles north at Johnson's Crossing to try their claimed "World Famous" cinnamon rolls.

Didn't know I came all this way just to try out cinnamon rolls, did ya?

Springs and Signs

June 6 – 8, 2010
I’ve been without internet for the past few days so I have a lot of catching up to do! We stayed in Fort Nelson on Sunday night and Liard Hot Springs on Monday night and tonight we’re staying in Watson Lake. We made it to The Yukon! But to backtrack a little bit first – nothing going on in Fort Nelson, just a place to lay our head for the night. There was a museum next door but you had to pay to get in so I just walked around outside and there was still plenty to see. Cooper and I took numerous walks around the campground and talked to other dog owners. Cooper really knows how to make friends!

There's my little "Ellie" way back there!

We stopped the following morning at Toad River Lodge and took a picture of the famous hat collection. Over 6800 hats hanging from the ceiling and walls.

I saw Buffalo (Bull) on the road and managed to snap one picture while driving. Can you believe this is the one I managed to capture?

We drove past Muncho Lake, where copper oxide leaching into the lake attribute to its beautiful blue green water.

We stopped for the night at Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park and even though we didn’t have hook ups it was just like camping is supposed to be. Nice level campsites set in a wooded area with a LOT of room between you and your neighbor. It’s a nice sized campground with plenty of room to walk around. It was a short stroll down a boardwalk to Liard Hot Springs. They have two pools with most people frequenting the closer of the two, the Alpha Pool. Even though we walked to the Beta Pool we turned around because no one was there – which would be ideal except that there are a lot of bears in the vicinity and I didn’t want to be that isolated. The pool was wonderful and so much different than the one I went to in Banff. For one thing, you could smell the sulfuric minerals and there was buoyancy to the water and temperature variations depending on where you were AND the minerals turned my silver ring purple!  Of course the closer you got to the source the hotter it became. At the end of the pool there is what I call a rock pillar and the object is to be able to get close enough to the structure to put a rock on it. You're supposed to receive good luck if you can do it and kudos that you could withstand “the heat”. And you guessed it – I had to get a rock up there. It took me a few tries but I finally did it. I received a little advice and found that if you continue to churn the water with your hands then it’s not quite as hot as if you just walked through it. It gets up to 126 degrees Farenheight which is freaking HOT! But I did it! And let me tell you, my little heart was pumping fast after all that churning and hotness!

Now "this" is a campsite!

Wading through 126 degrees to get to that pile of rocks on the right!

We did see a bear walking back from the springs - even though it looks like a black blob!

Today we drove to Watson Lake in The Yukon. It’s home of the famous Signpost Forest which pictures don’t do justice. It started in 1942 by a homesick US Army GI, Carl Lindley. While working on the Alaskan Highway he erected a sign pointing the way and stating the mileage to his hometown. Others followed his lead and are still doing so to this day. You’d have to see it for yourself. I’ve never seen so many signs from all over the world. There were simple ones and very elaborate creative ones. Of course we didn’t have our own sign so officially we haven’t been there. You post a sign to signify that “you are here”. Just a good excuse for me to come back someday to post my existence!

We took in a presentation about the mystery of the Aurora Borealis – The Northern Lights – at the Northern Lights Centre. I would love to see that up close and personal some day but I’d have to be here in the fall and winter months, which is when you can see The Northern Lights. It would be one spectacular show!

Next was a nice walk with Cooper around Wye Lake, which is about a mile around the lake. Since I was by myself and forgot to put on “the bear bell” I talked to myself the whole way, just as a precaution! I’m really not used to talking to myself throughout a hike (and looking for bears) - it wears you out - so I only made the trek around the lake once! The locals tell me that there are a more than the usual number of bears this year and I don’t want to surprise one on any trail. So therefore, I make noise! We survived it and it was pretty.

Wildflowers along the trail

Tonight we are parked in what I call a gravel RV lot, where the motor homes are packed in like sardines. This is just RV parking (at $34/night) and not camping. Last night at Liard River ($21/night, including the trip to the Hot Springs) was camping – this is parking. The managers try to compensate for their lack of quaintness and offer a nightly BBQ with menu items ranging from Baby Back Ribs at $22/plate to Buffalo Burgers at $12.50/plate. To be fair, this includes salad, drink and dessert. They also offer breakfast in the morning, but we’ll be long gone by then.

I'm a little better, but this is NOT camping - this is overnight parking for a fee!

Tomorrow is Teslin and we’re actually stopping for breakfast along the way. It’s a place I’ve previously scoped out (in the Milepost) and they offer sourdough pancakes and world famous cinnamon rolls! Can't wait……

Routines

Yesterday was house cleaning day - first the outside, which I spit-washed with a spray bottle and cloth, including the roof. Then the windows. Then the inside. The day was incredibly beautiful so I took advantage of it. I also did the laundry - 3 loads. How can one person and one (big) dog create so much laundry?

Cooper and I also took another nice long walk down the Dawson Creek Trail. It's easy walking (no hills) and relaxing. I worked out again at the senior gym park. Love that place - would fit that into my daily walking routine if I lived here for any length of time! Have to show a few pictures of me and mom working out the other day:

Today were off to the Farmer's Market. I hope they have some great stuff because that's one of the reasons we decided to stay through today. I know it's early in the season for a variety of fruits and vegetables. They also advertise home baked goodies!

I bought goodies - for me -date bars, and for Cooper-homemade peanut butter dog bones!

What a life, huh?

A New Respect

We drove downtown today to check out a little Dawson Creek history. We had a brochure with a self-guided tour of various points of historical interest. We made it through number 6 out of 17 and decided that since the town wasn't all that big, and we were spending more time trying to decipher the brochure, that we'd just walk around and take a few pictures of the many murals depicting the 1940's and the start of the Alcan Highway.

In the Alaska Highway House they have displays, including a 1942 US Army Willy Jeep, that relate the incredible story of the Alaska Highway. They also had an hour long PBS film documentary: The Building of The Alaska Highway. After watching that film I have a whole new respect for the men who completed this "Paul Bunyan sized feat". They built, through vast untamed wilderness, a 1528 mile road, which included 133 bridges and more than 3000 culverts, in a little over 8 months. They battled mountains, mosquitoes and muskegs (a swamp or bog formed by an accumulation of sphagnum moss, leaves, and decayed matter resembling peat) to finish this vital artery.

Since it's completion in 1942, a continuous program of upgrading, widening and straightening has been underway. Virtually 100% of the Alcan is now paved except where there is ongoing construction. On September 28, 1996, a ceremony was held in Dawson Creek in which the Alaska Highway was designated as the 16th International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in the world.

I feel privileged and honored just to be able to experience it as it is today. I will remember those very brave men and what they experienced as I drive through what they lived almost 70 years ago.

Mom and dad - ready to travel the Alcan!

Dandelions

I've noticed that this part of Canada has Dandelions everywhere. It must be the providential flower! There are a few people that really try to keep them under control in their yard, but most just give up.

I couldn't help but take a few pictures.

I had to get a picture of that cool cloud in the sky!