North to Alaska

Second week or is it the third? Hmmmmmmm? 

We have made it part way through Yukon and are seeing quite a bit of wildlife, moose, black and grizzly bears.  Many birds, a porcupine but luckily no more mice.

Could be our retirement home?

Railway snowblower in Skagway

We wander around Carcross and decide to drop south into Skagway, Alaska.  The landscape on the road down is amazing, almost a moonscape, it is so barren and inhospitable!  We pass by the Chilcoot Trail and are amazed that people walked through this area to get to the gold fields in Dawson City carrying so much in supplies.  

We stay the night in Skagway, right downtown by the cruise ship docks.  Yup, must be back on the coast, it is cold, windy and rainy.  Low clouds obscure the mountains but you know they are very close by and big!  Wander around town with the other tourists the next morning and of course a visit to the quilt shop is in order.  The White Pass railway goes right by our campsite.  

Rainbow Lake

Marshmallows over the fire!

Evening fish on Teslin Lake, Yukon

Back into Yukon and by lovely Rainbow Lake and on to Whitehorse for supplies and a windshield repair.  We get our fishing license and some inside information from the local outfitter, including a suggested camping spot.  It is a beautiful mountain lake, the water is clear and very cold, the ice has only been off for a week or so.  Camp right beside the lake but no fish from the shore.  But it is time for the camping staple of hotdogs and marshmallows for dinner :)

Now we get into the worse section of road so far.  It is built on permafrost and really doesn’t stay where they put it.  The frost heaves are huge, have to take it quite slowly and still the trailer is getting beaten up badly.  We have to repair something almost every day, mostly loose screws and broken latches.  I am getting to be an expert on holding doors closed with bungie cords.

Joe and the moose.

Momma moose and babies

Midway Services

Cross over into Alaska at Beaver Creek, the road improves right away but only for a few miles, just to tease you I guess.  Starting to see trumpeter swans in the ponds near the road.  Moose continue to cross the road now and again and bears as well.  

Stop for supplies in Tok (rhymes with smoke) and fishing licenses.   We are stopped beside the road when a fellow stops his car and comes over to talk to us about the fishing.  We are not sure of him at first and his invitation to stay for free at his place and he will show us some fishing areas.  So we go to a government campground for the night and then decide to stop in at his place the next day.  Midway Services, highly recommended if you are driving on the Tok Cutoff. 

Mentasta Lake 

It turns out he is one of those people that it is a pleasure to meet.  He and his wife homesteaded the property, he bow hunts, fishes and traps as well as runs the mom and pop store.  Kind, generous, full of interesting stories, a real character.  He took us down to the river and gave us a short lesson on fly fishing and left us to fish his favorite spot where the creek joins the river.  

Arctic Greyling for dinner

Of course we didn’t get the salmon we were hoping for but we did spend a few hours and catch some greyling so at least we had fish for dinner.  Jay lent us a quad for the evening if we wanted to take it out, and of course the free camping.  He had a group of hunters in as well, staying in his famous old bus in the back.  The store was well stocked and had quite a display of pelts and hunting pictures.  Coffee is always on, and free, and there is always time for a story or two.  It was one of the nicest days of the trip.

Jay's bus

Matanusta Glacier

We had our first flat tire the next morning, but no problem, Jay helped to fix it.  And of course had some more stories to tell, this time about the big earthquake in 2002.  Shook them very badly and took out the road, and in November when it is cold.  He has a book of amazing pictures of the destroyed road and colorful anecdotes to go with it too.

After a days rest we are back on the road again and making our way to Anchorage and south to Homer on the coast.  Finally find a library and check emails, gee just like real mail, only bills.  Well, and one from Rosie letting us know she is doing well at her boarding place and getting the woman taking care of her trained well.

Turnagain Arm, Anchorage, Alaska

The scenery continues to amaze with huge mountains, glaciers, rivers, lakes and finally Turnagain Arm as we get to the ocean.  In Girdwood you can stay in the parking lot at the ski hill in the summer, only 300 feet above sea level but huge mountains.  

And you really know you are camping when dinner is frozen breaded chicken from the gas station.  But you know it was really good!  Or maybe a HUGE burger in a roadside diner!  I actually made it through most of it, but really didn't want to eat again for days!

Sailor's Memorial

Small boat harbour, Homer Alaska

Halibut charter

So now we are in Homer, Alaska.  Camped on the 3 mile long spit south of town.  Mountains, glaciers and the ocean on both sides, fantastic views.  Joe went out on a halibut charter yesterday and came home with fish for dinner and now we have 10 lbs of it in our freezer as well.  I wasn’t able to join in as I pulled a muscle in my neck the day before and really couldn’t have reeled in a fish.  

Waiting for dinner.

Now that's a fish!

Walking on the spit

Tonight it is king crab for dinner, yummmmm.  And daylight till after 11pm!  

I really can see how people fall in love with the North!  

Longest Day   Solstice  Alaska

Ok, maybe a brief update on that thought,  we just had a tsunami warning!  Magnitude 7.4 earthquake off the Aleutian Islands tonight.  The sirens go off, the loud speakers say tsunami warning- everyone evacuate.  We grab the passports and head out in the truck.  Traffic is getting thick on the only road off the Spit.  It takes about 10 minutes but we reach high ground and the radio says the warning has been cancelled.   So back to the trailer and our now cold crab dinner, but it was still good and what a story to tell!  

In the Yukon!

It has taken us six days to make it into the Yukon, some long days of driving and a few where we didn’t seem to get very far at all.  The scenery has been fabulous, weather variable and the truck reliable.  

We started of on Tuesday and made it up to Clearwater and Wells Grey Provincial Park.  I have seen pictures of the falls there but never made it in to see them for myself.  They are beautiful and very impressive this time of year with all the spring run off. 

Helmken Falls

Joe at Dawson Falls

We seem to have picked up a hitch hiker in the night, mouse poop was found on the counter in the morning.  So off to Clearwater and a hardware store for some supplies.  Mouse traps being the most important as we didn’t want to share any more of our chocolate covered almonds!  

Take that!

Lucerne Lake, Jasper

Mile 0 Alaska Hwy

With all that happening we didn’t make it very far the next day and camped near Jasper.  A beautiful lake, Lucerne Lake, calm and photogenic but the campground guy says no fish.  

Some rough roads, steep hills and downgrades but the truck handles it all well.  Starting to see some wildlife, elk and moose.  A beautiful red fox was beside the road and we got a good look at it.  Finally make it to Dawson Creek, the famous Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway.  More wildlife, bears and cubs, more moose and sheep and buffalo!  They are really, really big!

Big!

Stone Sheep

And of course no trailer trip is complete without some holding tank event, we had ours there and I will spare you the details but all is fine again.   If you have seen the Robin Williams movie RV you can imagine the event, well maybe without the laugh track.

Muncho Lake

A common event.

Saturday has us in Fort Nelson and going by lovely Muncho Lake.  And more folks on the road, campgrounds full so continue on until we find a nice boondocking spot by Smith River.  Lots of mosquitos, keeps Joe busy hunting them down in the trailer so we can sleep!

Interesting roadside attractions 

Sign post forest, Watson Lake 

Now we are across the Continental Divide and camped on Teslin Lake.  A day off from the highway is in order, launch the boat and see if there are any fish in the lake.  Have a real shower and enjoy being north of 60.