Dawson City

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Hey, thanks for your comments. Glad you're all enjoying the blogs!

The towels we had used to soak up the rain on the roof of our slideout on the camper have finally dried after nine days! The day started sunny and warm. We set out from Chicken on the gravel part of the Taylor Highway. The Milepost warns that "all gold-bearing ground in this area has been claimed. Do not pan in streams or trespass on claims." Then, it says, " Steep drop-offs, no guardrails, soft shoulders. Pull over for oncoming motorcoaches." They mean tourbusses! About 43 miles later, we came to the outpost called Boundary. The Boundary Roadhouse was one of Alaska's first. Then, we came to the actual international border. It's called the Poker Creek Border Station and it's the northernmost Border Post in the U.S. Duh! There were no signs that said "Welcome" or "Ya'll come back." The crossing went smoothly. Once on the Canadian side, the road was paved. That doesn't mean it wasn't bumpy! Rich said he felt like a slalom driver, avoiding the road's problems. Now it's called the Top of the World Highway. You can see why. The road goes from mountaintop to ridge and on, mostly above the treeline. The mountain after the border was an alpine summit with tiny plants. People had built many little "inukshuks" out of stones all over the top. Remember at the Winter Olympics this year, there were Inuit stone people as one of the symbols? Well, these were the same only small.
It's 65 miles over these mountains. There was an overlook with a sign bemoaning the fate of the Fortymile caribou herd. The gold-seekers nearly decimated the herd for food as they were traveling and mining. Then as we approached Dawson City and the Yukon, we were getting excited! Rich's grandmother was born there and other relatives actually had gold claims! The last part of the highway was a ferry across the Yukon. It was a free ferry and part of the Canadian road system. We didn't have to wait long for our turn to get on the ferry - only three crossings.
Dawson City is a charming town with turn of the century buildings (both authentic and re-created), wooden sidewalks, and wide dirt streets. It reminded us of Virginia City, but there were no crowds of people. It was actually quiet and nearly deserted. We thought it was confusing when we first entered Canada that there was a Dawson Creek and a Dawson City. We weren't sure at the time which was the gold mining town. Dawson City sure is a long ways up here!
The Yukon River starts 15 miles over the mountains from Skagway, Alaska and goes over 2000 miles to the Bering Sea. It has come at least 1000 miles by Dawson City. The Klondike river flows into the Yukon at Dawson City.
We found a campground and got set up. We commented that we were starting to get a little tired of traveling. (Just starting.) We kind of miss our shower at home.In Canada, most of the showers require a coin or two. They don't have dollar bills in canada. they have a one dollar coin. It has a loon on one side, so it is affectionaltely called a "loonie". The two-dollar coins have a bear on them, but they're called "twonies". Ha! loonie-tunes! Also, our trailer is starting to require minor maintenance. In addition, we're tired! Rich bumped his head on the trailer hitch and came in with blood on his face and hands and said, "I guess head wounds bleed a lot, don't they?" Luckily, it wasn't bad and he had his hat on for protection! Things happen when you're tired, you know?

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Photos

Border
The border post is in the background. The "inukshuks" are all over.

Alpine
Kinnickinnick or bear berries

The Yukon
From the Top of the World Highway

Dawson City
from the road by the ferry crossing

The George Black
The Yukon ferry

Comments

[Janet]

uh huh...
Hey, take it easy there, Rich! You've still got to drive all the way back to CC! I liked the"loonies!"

[Jodie]

Good thing you are such a great driver, Dad! That's one thing about you I always tried to emulate. You are the best!