The Call of the Yukon May 13 - 24/2012


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North America » Canada » Yukon
June 11th 2012
Published: June 24th 2012
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Maybe you find it crazy that we go that far to the North of Canada. We have several reasons. First of all we were in Ushuaia, at the southernmost tip of Argentina. Our trip would not be complete if we also did not see the most northern part of the American continent. Secondly -and maybe even more important- we were inspired by the books of Jack London. In the Netherlands (and also as it seems in Canada) we are not aware so much of his books, but in Central and East Europe and in the USA everyone knows them. 'The Call of the Wild' and 'White Fang' have become bestsellers. In the wake of the Goldrush at the end of the 19th century London travelled to the Yukon. He became a rich man, though he never found any gold. It were his books about the sledgedogs and wolfs which made him rich. Our aim is to reach Whitehorse and even Dawson City if the roadconditions allow us to do so. We start at Watson Lake in the very south of the Yukon.

In Watson Lake we see the Signpost Forest. It goes that a homesick American soldier, working on the Alaska Highway, started it with a signpost of his homecity and how far it was from here. Since then the number of signposts grew every year up to now, so that it has become a forest of signposts. We decide not to add our signpost, since we are not homesick at all. On the contrary we like even to go further from home, to Whitehorse. So next day we hit the famous Alaska Highway again, in Northwestern direction.

It is icycold, when we arrive at our campsite in Whitehorse. Whitehorse is the spot where the stampeders gathered after their hike from Skagway across the infamous Chillikoot trail. From here they sailed over the treacherous Yukonriver in self made boats to Dawson city. Jack London did the same. We visit the SS Klondike. It is a sternwheeler which sailed from Whitehorse to Dawson City from about 1930 to 1955. It supplied the community of stampeders in Dawson City with food and beer and brought the ore back. In the end it transported tourists but finally no one could afford it anymore. It is a pity the Klondike does not sail anymore. Due to low water (there are some dams) and bridges the Yukonriver has become unsailable .

The weatherpredictions are bad for tomorrow. There will be lots of snow and we are in doubt if the condition of the road will be good enough, so that we can drive to Dawson City. But when we awake early next morning we see it is not that bad and we decide to take the risk. We fuel our tank with some extra propane, so that we are sure we can heat our motorhome when we get stuck. We leave the Alaska Highway and follow the Klondike Highway from now one. It is a distance of 560 km and there is almost nothing in between but wildernis. And what there is, is almost invariably closed, because it is still too early in the year. There are some dens though which are open. They are cosy and we feel like travellers of the past when we visit them to fuel and to get some food. The owners are often rough eccentric men with long hair and beards, but we always get a warm and friendly welcome, open as they are for a little talk. It is surprising how many people have Dutch roots here.

Slowly the boreal forests make place for a more open taiga. We hardly see animals here. Only about 100 km before Dawson City we see three times a grizzly bear and also one of the weirdest animals, the porcupines. Some people believe they shoot their spikes to kill their enemies. Strange enough I even found it back in Plinius' books, which were written about 2000 years ago. They will never shoot their spikes, but it is almost impossible for a predator to kill them. When we come nearer to take pictures they try to run away, but they are not very speedy. Finally after 6 hours driving we arrive at Dawson City.

Dawson City is a little community with colourful houses, which gives you the impression you are back at the times of the goldrush. The houses are built on permafrost but due to climatchange the ground is not that stable anymore. Some houses lean dangerously to one side, like the Lutherian church, built at the beginning of the 20th century. We saw it already on our way to Dawson. Along the road the Black Spruces lean often to one side. The people here call it a drunk forest. Due to climatchange the permafrost has become weak. Along the Yukonriver we see big pieces of ice. The ferry to the other side is just open. This was the spot where the stampeders arrived and put their tents on the riverside. Nowadays the supermarket is filled with all kinds of fruit and vegetables. We even see mango's, ananas and melons. That was different when the stampeders were here.

'Jack London had to leave after one year, because he got scurvy', tells Dawne. She is our guide at the Jack London Center.

'Why they did not ask advice to the First Nation People?', we ask. 'They knew what to eat. Like the fresh young parts of the spruces.'

'In those times the First Nation People were considered as inferior', replies Dawne. 'The stampeders found themselves too good to ask them for advice.'

Dawne knows everything about Jack London. Full enthusiasm she tells how he took part in the goldrush. How desperate he was, like so many people in those times. There was a financial chaos and there was famine. In august 1896 three man Skookum Jim (Keish), Tagish Charlie (Kaa Goox) and George Carmack found gold near the Bonanza Creek. It lasted until 1897 before the news was published in the American papers. 'The stones are made of gold' they headed. But they did not tell how difficult it was to come here. Almost impossible. A lot of man died and only a few became rich. Like Jack London, but that was because of his books.

'How is it possible London could describe the behaviour of dogs and wolves so well?' we ask. 'It is as if he studied ethology.'

'Of course he loved animals', answers Dawne. 'And he read a book of Barnes about dogs.'

We see a picture which inspired him to write 'The Call of the Wild'. It was the dog of his neighbour. London loved to read. Another passion was sailing. That was why he was able to sail the Yukon river. When he left he sailed all the way over the Yukonriver to the Beringsea, where he picked a boat back to California.'In 1965 'Dick North found the rests of his hut near Stewart Island', tells Dawne. 'The hut outside the Jack London Center is a replica. It is partly built with the logs of the original hut. The rest is in San Francisco, where he used to live.'

Next morning we visit the spot where it all once began: the mineclaim at Bonanzacreek. All area is ploughed and covered with cobbles, which the stampeders left after they looked for gold in vain. The search for gold is still going on, but now with big machines. One claim is used by its owner to let tourists find gold in his exhausted mine. A little bit further on a claim is for sale. It is a sad sight.

It has become beautiful weather and we still have some time. So we decide to drive via the Dempster road to the Tombstone Territorial Park. The Dempsterroad is 750 km long and passes the Polar Circle till it ends at the Beaufortsea at Inuvik, where the Inuit live. We did not plan to do this because we are not sure if we are allowed to drive over this dirtroad with our motorhome. For sure we cannot go all the way to Inuvik. If so we have to cross the Mc Kenzie river. In summer there is a ferry and in winter it is possible to cross it, because the river is frozen. But in May the ice is melting and the ferry is not working because there are still big pieces of ice. We do not like to be trapped at the other side of the river. But we can at least go to the the Tombstone National Park, about 70 km driving.

When we enter the Dempsterroad there is a billboard which warns us there are no services, that mobiles do not work, that we have to take enough water, gass and at least two spare tyres, that in case of an emergency no one can help and that our car should be in optimal condition. After 70 km driving we arrive at the visitor center. It is not opened yet, but they let us in. We read that we are in what once was subcontinent Beringia. We read about Beringia already in the excellent Yukon Beringia Interpretrive Center in Whitehorse. Beringia was during the last Iceage (20,000 - 10,000 years ago) a landbridge between Siberia and Alaska and the Yukon. The sealevel was about 150 meter lower than nowadays. And it was not covered by Ice, because it was enclosed by mountains which prevented precipitation. That is why humans could cross from Asia to America and why plants (like Dandalion, Cloudberry and Dryas octopetalia) and animals could survive. In the Beringia Center we saw fossils of mammoths, mastodons, steppebisons, shortfaced bears, prehistoric Yukonhorses, giant sloths, giant beavers and lions. We learn that horse and camel came over this landbridge from America to Asia and that the mammoth went just in the opposite direction. A lot of artefacts of prehistoric people has been found in Beringia, because the ice did not crush them. Also under Icepatches (glaciers which do not move) a lot of intact artefacts are found. Like the atlatl by which prehistoric people could throw their darts much farther. It must have been a fertile area because of the loess, brought by the strong winds.

It is magic to drive here. It is so beautiful that we almost get tears in our eyes. 'I feel I am part of the kosmos here', says Linda. The alpine tundra is slowly changing in arctic tundra. The landscape reminds us of prehistoric life. It reminds me of the books of Jean M. Auel. We would not be surprised to see a herd of mammoths grazing in the valley. Instead we see a grizzlybear. It must be the northernmost boundary of its habitat. Because of climatechange grizzlies move more and more to the north, while polarbears move southwards. They even interbreed as it seems. What a monster that must be! By the same climatchange mooses move more and more to the North, because the taiga with its trees moves to the North and the Caribou disappear, because the tundra disappears.(Caribous eat lichens, which are typical for the tundra).

We see beautiful ptamargans and now and then porcupines. We hardly can stop. Every time we are seduced to go further, curious as we are what is behind the next hill. Adventure is beckoning. But we know we have to turn. Every kilometer we go further we have to drive back and the arrow of the gass is going down more and more. Moreover I do not know of the nuts and the bolts of our motorhome to repair it in case something is broken. After 100 km the road becomes worse and we decide with pain to stop and to turn back. Once we will come back.

While we drive back to Whitehorse we see lots of snowshoehares and groundsquirrels, which stand like milestones along the road. In Whitehorse we clean the car and deliver it to the excellent Frazerway. We have driven about 5000 km. For some days we stay in a nice guesthouse, called Beez Knees Bakpakers. At Thursday 24th of May we left by plane via Calgary to New York. In New York we stayed one day which we used to see the Museum of Modern Art, which was not such a good idea, because we hardly slept and we had still a jetlag. At the 26th of May we left New York and flew to our next destination: Iceland.


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24th June 2012

super
Hi, Geweldig, geweldig, geweldig! Super, super, super.
3rd July 2012

Jack London
Wonderful story and photos! Jealous, as always :)) My grandfather was very fond of Jack London. My father loves him. I love him too.:)) But Jack London - it's not just stories about wolves and gold seekers. I like his "Martin Eden" (1909)! Also very romantic book is Hearts of Three (1920)

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