| Another early morning for us from White Horse. | | | | motor coach I saw a beautiful forest that |
| We had to board our motor coach at 8:00 a.m. so | | | | appeared to look much like a gorgeous green |
| before we did that we walked down two blocks | | | | patchwork quilt of every color of green against |
| to a Tom Horton's to grab some breakfast and | | | | the rolling hills. The groves of birch trees or cedar |
| then went across the street to Starbucks for | | | | trees stood out against the darker pines and so |
| that first cup of coffee of the day to get us | | | | thick that it looked smooth as if sewn together |
| going. White Horse has a population of 23,000 | | | | like a quilt. |
| people and is the capital of the Yukon Territory. | | | | The Yukon River meandered through the low |
| White Horse was a big port in "the day". | | | | meadows. As we continued on, every once in a |
| When gold was discovered in Dawson City by | | | | while we would see more evidence of forest |
| George Carmack news quickly flew about Gold! | | | | fires. Though there was much new growth on the |
| Gold! Gold! And the rush was on. | | | | forest floor, the evidence of the fires was |
| We departed from the hotel on the plush motor | | | | obvious with the dark, burned barren tree trunks |
| coach furnished by Holland America and passed | | | | standing tall but with no branches - just like sticks |
| the large white paddle wheeler, The Klondike. This | | | | stuck in the ground. There were also many areas |
| was one of the only ways to get from Skagway | | | | where the trees had fallen and the trunks were |
| to Whitehorse back in the Gold Rush Days. The | | | | laying on the floor of the forest next to each |
| Klondike was built in 1898 and is now a museum. | | | | other, grey from the weather. |
| We traveled along the Alaska Highway for about | | | | All along the highway there are signs for |
| 20 miles to the intersection of the Klondike | | | | campgrounds for those being adventurous and |
| Highway. The Yukon River is 2,200 miles long and | | | | driving through this magnificent area. There are |
| flows south to north and empties into the Bering | | | | small road stops with a one-pump gas station if |
| Sea. The Raven is the territorial bird of the Yukon. | | | | you are in need of gasoline. Gasoline is quite |
| In White Horse, they experience 6-7 hours of | | | | expensive here at about $1.18 per liter which |
| daylight in the winter months and 21 hours of | | | | computes into about $5.00 per gallon in the US. |
| daylight on the longest day of the year, June 21st. | | | | Ouch! |
| Skagway was the gateway to the Klondike. The | | | | The closer we got to Dawson City, I noticed yet |
| trek from Skagway began with your first | | | | another change in the landscape. The thick forest |
| destination of Whitehorse and then ultimately to | | | | changed to groves of birch and cedar trees with |
| Dawson City. By the time the prospectors and | | | | their branches gently moving in the wind. Their |
| hopeful gold miners finally had traveled all of the | | | | white trunks are straight and tall and they have |
| trails, they would have traveled over 600 miles in | | | | an umbrella of leaves on their top branches of a |
| all. | | | | light grayish green color. |
| 100,000 men and women came through | | | | Dawson City was where the original gold was |
| Skagway. They either climbed up the Chilkoot | | | | found that started the stampede to the Yukon in |
| Trail or the White Pass Trail. They say that no | | | | 1898. George Carmack staked his claim on |
| matter which one you decided to take, you | | | | August 16, 1898 at "Discovery Claim" in the |
| always wished you had taken the other trail. The | | | | Klondike River Valley. As soon as news spread |
| "Chilkoot" means the "meanest trail". Schools do | | | | about the gold discovery, Dawson City saw an |
| not have snow days but they have "bear" days. | | | | influx of thousands. The Gold Rush lasted only a |
| When the grizzlies decide to come visit, the | | | | couple of years, but the legend will live forever. It |
| parents keep the kids home. | | | | is said that there is still a lot of gold in them thar' |
| We crossed the Tahini River which was very | | | | hills. Of the 100,000 who trekked over the |
| reminiscent of driving through the mountains in | | | | mountains, only about 30,000 actually made it to |
| northern California with a two lane road with | | | | Dawson City. |
| gravel and dirt shoulders and about 209 feet off | | | | Our afternoon stop about 2:30 was at Moose |
| the road begins the forest. We learned that when | | | | Creek Lodge - just a little roadside log cabin |
| there happens to be a forest fire up here, they | | | | painted red. Their claim to fame is their |
| let it burn They do not fight it unless it is | | | | homemade tarts. We tasted a raspberry one - |
| threatening homes. | | | | and they ARE very tart. |
| This has been the first time that we have seen | | | | Tintina Trench was our final picture stop of the |
| the Alaska fireweed. It is about two feet tall with | | | | day. It is a fault line in a glorious valley of |
| delicate magenta colored flowers at the top. It is | | | | spectacular panoramic views of the majestic |
| fully edible and the first flower to grow back after | | | | mountains and valleys of the Yukon Territory. It |
| a fire. Then the birch, aspen and cottonwoods | | | | is 45 miles from here to Dawson City. |
| return and then the pine trees. | | | | The forest has now changed once again to pines |
| We stopped at the Braeburn Lodge for the | | | | that are only one straight trunk up standing tall |
| largest cinnamon rolls made in the Yukon | | | | with no branches. The highway is lined with |
| Territory. These humongous rolls are at least 2-3" | | | | patches of bright pink wild sweet peas that grow |
| tall and are at least 8 or more inches in diameter. | | | | to about 6 inches tall and are not edible. The |
| The Braeburn Lodge is a small log cabin wit a | | | | landscape seems to change at almost every turn, |
| large front deck with hanging baskets full of | | | | and it is more beautiful than the last one. The sky |
| purple and pink petunias and small pansies. | | | | is so blue it is incredible. The skies have cleared |
| Animals that you will find in the Yukon include elk, | | | | with only a few puffy white clouds dotting it |
| moose, raven, black bear and grizzly bears. Polar | | | | making it look even much deeper blue. |
| Bears are only about 100 miles north of Dawson | | | | One of the other things that we have been able |
| City and are the most violent. | | | | to experience first-hand on this trip is the |
| Our tour guides are not letting us go hungry by | | | | infamous Alaska mosquito. They are about ½ |
| any means. We have a stop every two hours. | | | | inch long and unfortunately several have decided |
| Today's lunch stop was at Carmacks - another | | | | my forehead is a nice place to have a little snack. |
| small village along the highway We had lunch at | | | | They are pesky little creatures. |
| the Hotel Carmacks - a rich tomato base, turkey | | | | We enjoyed dinner last night at Sourdough Joe's |
| vegetable rice soup with our choice of sandwich. I | | | | for fish and chips. I had grilled salmon and Jim had |
| opted for the veggie wrap which was in a green | | | | the cod. We ate with two other couples from our |
| tortilla with only lettuce and cucumber inside - not | | | | group and enjoyed getting to know everyone a |
| the best choice taste wise. I would have enjoyed | | | | little more. |
| a salad more.The Hotel is a wooden structure | | | | Many in our group decided to partake in the "Sour |
| painted in a light blue base with white trim. There | | | | Toe" drink at the Gold Rush Hotel. Honestly, I |
| was actually a little mini-mart near the front | | | | thought it was gross and disgusting - but there |
| where they had a good supply of goods offered | | | | were actually seven people from our group that |
| for the travelers that stop by. | | | | got in on the festivities. They have this big |
| After our tummies were all full, we headed out | | | | ceremony and if you put this frost bitten toe in |
| again down the highway and across a new steel | | | | your shot of Yukon Jack you have to drink it and |
| bridge over the Yukon River. | | | | the toe has to touch your lips. |
| We had a picture stop at Five Finger Rapids about | | | | Once that was over, we walked outside and the |
| half an hour after lunch. Originally there were four | | | | sun was shining high in the sky, not a cloud in the |
| islands in this very narrow channel which made | | | | sky and it was 10:30 p.m.!! Such is the land of the |
| navigating through the rapids quite a challenge in | | | | midnight sun! Tomorrow we actually get to sleep |
| the old paddle wheel boats and other boats the | | | | in and we will enjoy that! We have a small coffee |
| prospectors had built for the journey. Now, there | | | | pot in our room - which we will also enjoy while |
| are only two islands and three fingers of the river | | | | we are getting ready. There are "black out" |
| - but it is still a dangerous area to pass through | | | | curtains on our windows, so when we shut them, |
| and quite a challenge in any boat. | | | | literally no light comes through and it is easy to |
| Looking across the valley out the window of our | | | | get to sleep. |