Day 19
Sunday, June 26
On the road to Dawson City, Yukon Territory

We got an early start today - about 7:15. Robert, Bet, Jenna and I like to travel together. Robert and I take turns leading and we try to drive between 55 and 60. With the curving, hilly roads and the frost heaves we probably average 50 mph. During our travel briefings Ken usually informs us of a good place to stop for cinnamon buns. Today our stop was at the Braeburn Lodge, about 70 miles north of Whitehorse. When we arrived the parking lot was packed with Caravan Adventure rigs. The sign out front said "World Famous Cinnamon Buns." We had been told that cinnamon buns were big enough to share and that was the truth. We had ordered 2 - one to eat and one to take for another day. We could have gotten by on one = half to eat and half to take for another day. The things were the size of a dinner plate. Ken had called in our order so that everyone would get one this time. We at 2/3 of one and I cut the other one into parts and froze it. That will be breakfast a couple of days next week.

 
 


60 miles on down the road brought us to Five Finger Rapids. This is a group of huge rocks in the river that divide it into 5 separate channels. Only one is wide enough to be navigable,k and hitting it was not an easy thinga to do. Additionally, it was just wide enough to allow a boat to get through. They hooked cables on to the side of the river and hoisted boats through the gap, Coming upstream was made more difficult by a 2' drop or waterfall at the end of the navigable chute. How those people did it 100 years ago I'll never know.


 
 
 
 
At this stop was a viewing platform and steps (250 of them) that took you down to a platform 50-70 feet above the river. Roni, Bruce, Lynn and I were the only ones brave enough (or stupid enough) to climb all the way down. After going down the steps you had about 1/2 mile of trail to follow to get to the lower platform. Going down wasn't so hard, but Lynn and I struggled with the steps coming back. Bruce and Roni are avid hickers an climbed up like mountain goats!

Spring is well under way here and the wild flowers are in full bloom. Mainly we see Fireweed. It is purple and grown is large bunches along the highway. We also see something that looks like bluebonnets, but these are a different shade of blue. We saw a yellow bluebonnet like flower in southern Alberta. There is also a lot of yellow daisy type flowers and something that looks like baby's breath.

Our drive today literally had lots of ups and downs and we passed many, many rivers, lakes and high mountain views. A lot of the Klondike highway runs up high on the side of mountains and it provides terrific views of the mountains and valleys. Some of the valleys are miles wide. It is truly majestic! You look across the valley and see a lake or river, millions of trees, and no sign of civilization - no houses, electric lines, nothing!

After a lunch stop we journeyed on to Dawson City with brief stops and Moose Creek Lodge and the Tintina Trench. At the moose lodge we caught a glimpse of the only "wildlife" we saw today. It was a wooden moose, caribou and deer created by the lodge owner. The only wild part of each was the antlers! The Tintina Trench is a vast valley that runs several hundred miles through Alaska and the Yukon. It was created when the islands and land masses in the northern Pacific collided with the North American continent. A huge fault like lies under the trench which is miles wide. The trench makes a natural migratory path for birds that migrate in the fall and spring. They fly through the trench because there are no mountains to fly over or around. And you thought birds were dumb animals!!


 
 
 

We got to Dawson City and our RV park about 4:30. Everyone in the park came out to watch us pull in and park. Spaces here are all back-in and are only 18 ft. wide. We are once again stacked in here like chordwood. However, you have to understand, these places are only open a few months out of the year and they have to make as much as they can in that short time. Thanks to Gene, on of our caravaners, we were able to get into our spot on the first attempt. He gives explicit directions on how to back, where to start, what direction and when to turn the wheel. So easy!! The first major mechanical problem for our caravan occurred on this leg of the trip. Chris and Carl Finley's "toad" - the car they pull behind their motorhome - had the brakes lock up. Consequently, they had two blowouts and lost the rims also. Finding tires was not so hard, but I imagine finding 2 new rims in this part of The Yukon would prove difficult.

I needed propane and diesel so I went to the only station in town. As luck would have it, their electricity was off and I couldn't get either. Thanks to Robert I was able to borrow a tank of propane so we could have dinner. Hope they have power tomorrow!


Tomorrow is a trip to Dome Mountain where you are high enough to see the sun set and rise at the same time - if you are there at the right time. We also have a tour of Dawson City. I'll let you know how things go. Till then, Happy Trails!