Awoke at
5:30AM (after early night), dawn starting to light the sky in the east, only
noticeably more in the south. High 20’s
with frost, no wind, cold that penetrates, bright half moon and stars. Fast Eddie’s for a senior breakfast and on
the road before 7:30 with bright sun blinding us and clear blue skies temps
warming fast. Three stops for road work;
each flagger eager to talk since they seem lonely with little traffic. We are told moose season ends tomorrow and only
four were harvested. Blaming it on
harsh winter where some starved. Said
caribou were dead along the road from starvation.
Great views
of snow-covered mountains in the distance and high rolling hills covered in
bright gold and green. The distant mountains
are the St. Elias Range and are spectacular with glaciation. The range covers Alaska and Yukon
Territory. Canada’s Mt Logan is the
largest massif in the world and it is only short of Denali by a few hundred
feet. Stopped at Tetlin National Wildlife
Refuge visitors center. Beautiful views
of hundreds of lakes, ponds, streams and rivers over the vast upper Tanana
valley. Thousands of Trumpeter and
Tundra swans and Sandhill Cranes migrate through here as well as other water
fowl; the area has a special designation for migrating birds. Seems we missed the great migration; it must
have been something to see. As special
as it is these boggy muskeg bottom lands, a result of high mountain drainage,
can be brutal with insects, mostly ones that bite. At this time of year we are spared. But must be yummy for all the birds.
The road is
very rough with permafrost heave and many potholes. We cross the border into Canada at Beaver
Creek ‘town’. Agent just wanted to know
if we had marijuana, more than $8000.00 in cash or guns. All NO!
and so, we passed. Time changed
from Alaska Time to Mountain Time, losing an hour. We stopped off at Kluane
River overlook for a small picnic lunch, the river braiding over a huge valley. The Park has the world’s largest number of
Dall sheep that live on the high slopes.
We pass by massive Kluane Lake which we have not seen without ice over
the last three trips. The water is pure
and clear, blue sky reflected. We make a
quick stop at favorite Gondon Creek campground and walk to the shore. Bear sign warnings are everywhere. The salmon are spawning in the creek next to
the campground and so it brings them in.
Plus, they seem to like it regardless according to scat piles on the
beach at earlier visits. The only way
you can tent camp is to be enclosed in an electrified 12-foot-high fence. We have not seen the mountains surrounding
the lake so clear before. We can see
more distant mountains that are higher and glaciated.
We make it
to Haines Junction around 3PM. We go to
the native museum for the first time.
Fantastic traveling displays of individual handmade graduation outfits
for native graduates using natural hides, sinew and exquisite beading. Some had matching moccasins. The next show will be in Teslin and graduates
there will add their outfits and the collection will grow as it goes to the
next location in the Yukon Territory. We
are seeing Tlingit and other native cultures of the south east. We also visit the Kluane Park Visitors Center
and watch a brief film on the area. We
have seen so many wonderful locations around Alaska and in Canada; each has its
own specific beauty, different from each other.
Our hotel view is facing the mountains across from us, jagged peaks with
sugar dusting of snow, covered by green and gold on the lower slopes. By far the best view we have had on any of
our trip. After dinner at a local pub
next door where we sit on the patio overlooking the mountain vista in the
setting sun, we sit outside our room to watch dusk grow shadows on the mountain
peaks.
We will
cross the border into US tomorrow in order to go to Haines, Ak and the time
will change, again. Looking forward to
the drive and hope the weather holds, we are getting spoiled.
14 days to go,
The adventure continues. Nighty, night.
Mile driven Today: 298
Total Miles driven: 627
