Alaska, Tagish and Klondike Hwys

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We continued west on Alaska Hwy to Jake’s Corner, where we turned onto Hwy 8, the Tagish Road. We had some areas of gravel road on the Alaska Hwy and even more on Tagish Road. Sometimes the few other vehicles on the road were almost obliterated by the flying dust. In some places, where there were actually road crews working, they sprayed down the road with water, which helped settle the dust. But it sure made a mess on the cars and campers.

We passed scenic lakes and rivers that looked like painted backdrops, seeming too beautiful to be real.

At Carcross (the name is a shortened version of caribou crossing,) we turned onto Hwy 2, the Klondike Hwy, and went north a short way to Carcross Desert, an area of sand dunes. Then we turned around and headed southwest. This stretch of road from Carcross to the Alaska/BC border was different from anything we’d seen yet. There were tall, sharp mountains covered with snow right down to glacier scrubbed rocks, which surrounded lakes and rivers that still wore blankets of snow and ice.

We went up the steep road to White Pass at the US/Canada border, then down a very steep and winding road to US Customs.

After setting up our campers in Skagway, we went into town to see the sights and do a little shopping. There were four cruise ships in port, so the stores were crowded with tourists (not travelers like us.) We knew that ships were in before we got to Skagway because of all the tour buses we saw between Skagway and Carcross.

While we were shopping, the wind came up and blew huge clouds of dust through town. The wind was so strong, it blew over displays in the stores. Walking back to the car was like being in a desert dust storm. It was a bit unnerving back at the campground, the wind really made the camper sway and the sides pop. It finally calmed some and started raining.

Tomorrow we take the ferry to Haines and head north from there up the Haines Road.

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Photos

Charlie & Kerry
near Fraser

Tagish River
along Tagish Road, near the community of Tagish

Carcross
sign at city limits

Windy Arm, Nares Lake
near Carcross

Tutshi Lake
between Carcross and Fraser

near Fraser
glacier scrubbed rocks, snowy peaks and snow and ice on the Skagway River

Comments

[peggy]

sorry I missed your call, glad you made it to AK. The pics are wonderful. Is it cold? Looks like it. I loved the no drinking sign, did you obey? Love ya

[misty magee]

hope yal are having a great time love yal and miss yal. ethan says hi

[Laurie Gray]

we were there 27 years ago
Now you're in our neck of the woods. In 1983 John and I rode our bikes on the Alaska Ferry system from Seattle to Skagway and back - two weeks of an amazing trip. We spent about 3 days in Haines in a tent at the edge of town as John was sick with the flu. Probably due to biking in all that rain! Love reading about your adventures!