19-09 Whitehorse Yukon Canada

19-2009

Dawson Peaks Resort and Rv Park, Yukon

Teslin Yukon

Whitehorse Yukon

Campground: Dawson Peaks Resort, Teslin. $28 Good Sam price. Elect. And Water. Great views of lake and wildflowers along the slope down to lake.

Campground: Pioneer Park. $28 Elect/Water/Cable Tv & wi-fi. . Nice wooded sites on the hill otherwise you can have a concrete parking lot site near the highway.

The fires were all put out and I headed on up the road into Yukon territory. I continued driving quite a distance, passing another road construction area, with a delay of about 30 minutes, but otherwise the Alaskan highway has been a great drive so far. I have not seen any caribou yet, but others have seen herds of them right on the highway… luck of the draw you know. I’m sure I’ll see them eventually.

Dawson Peak is owned by Dave Hett and Carolyn Allen and I must say if you ever head up the Alaskan Highway stop in for a night or even a bite to eat in their restaurant. A true story of grit and determination to build a life in the Yukon. Clearing the land, building the Rv sites, cabins and main buildings. Building dreams that become reality. And it all started with a 14’ x 32’ canvas tent cooking on two Coleman stoves for the passers by. Now they’re able to travel to exotic places like South America during the winter months.

I liked it so much, I decided to spend an extra day here. Peaceful.

By the way, many of these way-side stops which usually consist of a gas station, food and motel/Rv campsites are closed. I would have to say at least a 1/3 of them were closed as I traveled along the Alaskan highway from Dawson Creek to Teslin. In other words, if you see a filling station, top of your tank, the next one may be closed. The Milepost Guide book will not tell you if they are closed. I passed three in a row that were closed.

By the way, many of these way-side stops which usually consist of a gas station, food and motel/Rv campsites are closed. I would have to say at least a 1/3 of them were closed as I traveled along the Alaskan highway from Dawson Creek to Teslin. In other words, if you see a filling station, top of your tank, the next one may be closed. The Milepost Guide book will not tell you if they are closed. I passed three in a row that were closed.

Since I stayed an extra day in the area, I drove into Teslin, population 411. The native Indian tribe is called Tlingit (Klink-it). I went to both museums, The George Johnston Museum and the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre. The Mile Post, which is the mile marker guild for the Alaskan highway and everyone uses it like a bible, highly recommends the Teslin Tlingit Centre which was supposed to have information on the native Indians, but was to me anyway, a large building with one alcove dedicated to a local artist who did the totem poles outside and a series of Indian masks which I must admit were some of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever seen. That and a couple dugout canoes out back and that was that. The rest of the space being an open room for meetings etc. Now the George Johnston Museum which tells the life of the Native Indian, George Johnston was not only well presented, but also well worth the $5c entry fee. Great displays of his photography 1910-1940. Capturing the life of the tribe around him. He was a hunter and quite the business man as well. Bought the first automobile, a 1928 Chevy and brought it to Teslin. He had to build his own 3 mile road, so that he could use the car. After building the road he then charged two dollar taxi rides to his store. During the winters, he would paint the car white and take in out on the ice for fishing and hunting.

A note on the Native Indians. The Canadian Gov. decided that the children needed to be educated and took them from the tribes throughout the Yukon and put them in boarding schools. Where they were to learn everything except anything that had to do with their heritage. By the 1980’s they were permitted to go back home and are only now trying to regain some of the knowledge of their heritage.

To my disappointment, Mukluk Annie’s Salmon Bake was closed and is not expected to reopen for at least a year.

Whitehorse.

I had an easy 100 mile drive today to get to the capital of the Yukon. Population: 23,511. An easy day to set up camp, have a quick lunch in town, tour a bit, then head back to the camper and watch nothing on Tv…. Gad, is there really nothing to watch on Tv? No wonder I haven’t missed it. Wonder how the Digital Tv conversion has gone on in the states?

Travelers Tip: If you go into their visitors center here in Whitehorse or the City hall, they’ll give you a free parking pass for anywhere in town good for three days. The MacBride Museum is pretty nice. $8c. Lots of history on the development of the area, the gold rush, mining, the characters that made the place. The town is a modern town with hints of it’s past existence scattered here and there.

As I finally turn off the Tv and begin to read a book, having already perused all of the travel brochures, I notice the sun is still quite a ways from setting and it’s already 10:10 pm in the evening. Well, folks up here sure don’t have to use their lights at night for reading or for driving. At least in the summer time that is. But it’s time for bed and I’ll just have to pull all the night shades as tight as possible before heading of to “blanket movie time” as Mother used to call sleep and dreams.

Side note: Along the Alaskan Highway through the Yukon, there are many cut through hills with many rocks left over from the glacial period. Travelers have become creative and make signs by lining the stone up to write their names, towns, states they’re from and even a number of designs like pin wheels etc. Kind of like graffiti, but so much more ecologically mindful of the environment.

I think the one thing that I’ve become aware of is the vast space. There is sooooo much space between towns of 200 people or between the next gas station. While driving along the Alaskan highway, there have been many times that I’ve felt like I was the only one on the highway, as everyone pretty much observes the speed limit of 100 Km/hr (62 mph). Although others are on the road, they seldom speed up and pass me. (quite a concept eh Ms Ruth Hemrick). . So while heading on down the road, we are all like a giant chain stretched out and moving at the same speed, never seeing each other. Just miles and miles of scenic ancient forests, lakes and mountain ranges.

Back in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon, I’ve been enjoying this small town on the Yukon River. Life seems to be at a bit slower pace, maybe it’s all the space I’m not really sure. Took a tour of the SS Klondike, one of the dozen or more paddlewheel boats that brought supplies up to Dawson City and back until the mid 50’s. It’s last years were as a passenger ship, since the railroad and Alaskan Highway pretty much took all it’s freight business. But what a way of life for the years it was in operation. These steam ships with their huge paddle wheels on the back of the boat, a draft of only 44” allowing them to ply the shallow waters along the Yukon. Learned about the Klondike gold rush that brought as many as 100,000 people searching for their fortunes up here. There are few mines remaining in the immediate area, but it helped establish Whitehorse which became the capital of the Yukon over Dawson City.

Their museum chronicles the interesting characters that helped to make the city, including the ladies of the evening…. I’ll post a few pictures (how scandalous).

Oh, and I also took a tour of the largest wooden fish ladder in the world. Fun to see the snook, climbing the ladders created to bypass the dam which now has 4 hydro-electric generators. Producing virtually free electricity to the area. Canada has lots of hydro-electric dams. The salmon would begin their climb up the ladders in Aug. Sorry I’ll miss that even, it must be really something.

Getting closer to the Alaskan Boarder... Wha hooo.