Embarking North, Part 4: Watson Lake, BC - Dawson City, Yukon
Pulling away from Watson Lake there was a lot of uncertainty in our route ahead. With the newfound information that fires were potentially blocking our most direct route north we were setting off with our fingers crossed that we would be able to make our planned route without issue. We once again filled our fuel tanks and continued on.
Our route leaving Watson Lake continued along the Alaska Highway. The road through this section is stunning, offering views of gently sloping mountains in the distance while slowly wandering its way into the very southern beginnings of the boreal forest. At this latitude, this vast section of forest stretches from the east coast of Canada to the western border with Alaska and continues to the western-most points of Alaska making it the largest intact forest on Earth! Experiencing the massive ecosystem has long been on both of our to-do lists.
Several hours of driving later we arrived in Whitehorse, the capital of The Yukon. We quickly set off to the visitor center to again gather as much information as we could about the route ahead of us. What we quickly learned was that the fires had not changed much. Even though there was still a pilot car guiding people through the road as needed, tourists were strongly discouraged from going in that direction. Considering our impact on the limited resources in place and not wanting to add to an already dangerous situation, we decided that we were going to make the long detour around the fires. Instead of driving the 533km (331 miles) direct route, our 881km (548 miles) long detour would take us an additional 348km (216 miles) around the fires. We would enter Alaska earlier than expected, drive toward Tok, AK then turn northeast and make our way along the Top of World Highway finally re-entering into Canada again and landing in Dawson City, YT.
With new information in hand we set off to find camp close to Whitehorse for the night. We poked around several forest service roads that were heavily labeled with no camping signs. Finally finding one that seemed like a winning option we drove down and crossed paths with a very large and very curious coyote. Considering we had Greta with us, and that we didn’t want any potential d0g to coyote interactions, we decided that it was best to find another spot. The spot that we eventually landed in certainly is not a spot that we would have normally chosen, however we were not alone in our decision and it was nice to be surrounded by so many other rigs and travelers all doing the same thing.
Even though it was less than picturesque, our spot in the Superstore parking lot was perfectly level, we had all the fresh ingredients for diner super close, as well as clean bathrooms. The saying ‘it’s about the journey and not the destination’ was ringing in the back of both of our minds this night.
The next morning, feeling like we had enjoyed all that our parking lot accommodations had to offer, we quickly packed up and pressed on to more beautiful areas.
During our route we stopped several times to check out potential camp spots for our return south at the end of the summer. This one was shared with us from some friends and even though we didn’t stay long during our scouting missions we made many excited notes and were very eager to return.
As we drove northwest, passing a float plane camp towards the Beaver Creek international border crossing, we spotted a lanky dog-like figure up ahead in the road. As we got closer, the creature looked back at us over its shoulder but kept trotting up the road. We slowed significantly, thankfully with no other cars in either direction, and Christina hurriedly fumbled with the camera, realizing that the creature we were observing was a wolf! At one point, we were able to pull right up beside the wolf, windows rolled all the way up as Christina snapped photos. The wolf clearly wasn’t happy with us and dropped his head low and made direct eye contact with Christina, which sent “prey” shivers up her spine and an adrenaline rush that would last for the next hour! With that, we decided to give the wolf his space and continue on our way. In the heat of the moment, our photos were a bit out of focus, but memories of those up-close moments with that wolf will stay with us for a lifetime!
Ever concerned about fuel, we stopped anytime our tank was down to roughly half full. Even though we have enough capacity that we can cover 765km (475 miles) we like to play it safe and be sure that we won’t run out of fuel.
The next stretch of driving was some of the most sprinted driving that we did throughout the whole trip. When we crossed from Canada into Alaska at Beaver Creek we learned from the US border agent that the border crossing we were headed to re-enter Canada had limited hours. The Little Gold border crossing was set to close at 6 PM which was in 4 hours, and the drive to get to the border would take 4 hours as well. We were going to be cutting it close! Thankfully we had just filled up on fuel and had gotten a small lunch before setting off, so we felt confident that we could make this push uninterrupted.
The driving along this section was some of the roughest paved roads that we have ever encountered. The frost heaves were so big that if you hit them traveling at the speed limit you were very likely to get airborne and or bottom out your suspension! So, much of the driving was below the limit to be able to slow down or avoid large bumps or potholes as needed. However, we tried our best to travel as quickly as we could while also being as safe as possible but it was a bit spicy at times, winding our way along the narrow two-lane road. Sadly, we took nearly zero photos except for several photos from Christina’s phone while driving this section. Proving to us that whenever possible, it’s always best to travel slowly.
At 5:30 pm we arrived relieved at the Little Gold, YT Canadian border crossing with only one other vehicle in sight. This border crossing will be one that we will remember for a very long time! We waited briefly behind one vehicle that was in front of us and we were eventually waved forward by the border agent. We rolled forward and turned off our engine as we greeted each other, handed over both our passports, and answered the normal string of questions. Where is home, where did we come from, where are we going, how long will we be there and what brings up to Canada? I don’t know at what point it came up but we mentioned that we were traveling long-term and that our hard return home date was for the sole purpose of Christina catching a flight that would take her to Patagonia, Argentina. Just as we finished that statement the border agent smiled, and asked us, jokingly, but with genuine intentions ‘Wow that is amazing! What, are you, drug dealers?!’ The question came out so quickly and out of the blue from such an important interaction that we were both caught off guard. Likely that’s all part of the tactic here. We laughed out loud and quickly proclaimed ‘NO’, and then explained what we both do for work. Chiefly that we are definitively not drug dealers! Thankfully she laughed with us and took our passports into the office with her to officially check them. Upon returning she handed them back and welcomed us into Canada. We struck up some small talk for a few minutes as no one was behind us and she shared that recently some of her co-workers had spotted a large herd of about 500 caribou in the area and that we should keep a careful eye out for them. We thanked her and continued on our way laughing at what a strange and wonderful experience it was to re-enter Canada again.
Once on the other side of the border, we took a few moments to revel in how beautiful this location is! I mean, this might be the most beautiful border crossing in all of North America! Located on the crest of a ridge, completely by itself and surrounded only by the wilderness of gently rolling tundra this must be a stunning place to get stationed as a border agent.
Just past the border crossing, we pulled over once more to soak in this stunning landscape, and in doing so we stumbled into one of our favorite camp spots that we’d had along the trip thus far! This truly was such a special spot for us to find. We quickly found a level spot for us to settle into for the evening and soon found ourselves relaxing from the day by wandering around camp with some of our favorite drinks in hand as we watched evening rain clouds blow gently over the rolling hills. We made a yummy dinner and opened one of our Crème Brûlée backpacking meals as an early celebration of Christina’s Birthday!
Just moments before settling into bed for the evening, Brian looked across the valley and noticed that the snowfield which was previously covered in small black dots was now blank and clean, and in that instant realized what those previous dots must have been! Caribou potentially! Grabbing the large telephoto lens and binoculars we scanned the terrain and sure enough, we found the Caribou herd! It’s hard to say exactly how many there were but easily well over 200! Our minds were blown! We stayed up a bit longer and watched them as they ran from the crest of the mountain down a ridge into the tree-filled valley below where they eventually disappeared out of sight.
Late that night, around 3 am, we were woken up by Greta, growling and shaking with excitement. With very sleepy eyes we peered out of the open small triangular windows at the foot of our camper. Under the dull light of the midnight sun, we very briefly saw a black coyote-like creature with long legs move through our camp. We shifted to get a better look but it was gone! It vanished as quickly and as silently as it had appeared! We opened one of our larger windows to take a look around but saw no trace of the critter that had just visited us.
Completely unsure of what we had just seen we listed off the creatures that it might have been. It was too small and lanky to have been a bear. Too tall to have been a wolverine. Even though it looked a bit like a coyote it was the wrong color. Maybe coyotes have different colors this far north? We thought it might have been a wolf but it seemed so unlikely for a solo wolf to be so exposed in an area like this. The closest thing that it might have been was a coyote, but we were not confident in that either. This unknown camp visiter, as we would refer to it, would remain a mystery to us for nearly the remainder of the summer.
The next morning we enjoyed a leisurely start to our day and celebrated Christina’s Birthday with a pretty incredible backdrop. The day’s plan was to follow the remaining portions of The Top Of The World Highway into Dawson City, the former capital of The Yukon, and the center of the Klondike Gold Rush. After a quick stop in Dawson City for lunch, we planned to begin the Dempster Highway.
Just before arriving in town, we made our first of several ferry crossings that we would do throughout our time in Canada, the vast majority of them being on the Dempster Highway. All of the ferries within this area are operated by the Yukon government and are completely free to use. They serve as vital connections in the summer months when the rivers are ice-free and are removed for the winter months when the water freezes solid enough to drive over the ice instead! These ferry crossings are only closed briefly during the seasonal transitions in the spring as the ice melts and in the early winter when the rivers begin to freeze over again.
Dawson City is a fascinating little community! Currently, it’s much smaller than it was during the height of the Klondike Gold Rush between 1896 and 1899 when as many as 17,000 people called this place home! Now, just over 1,700 people call it home year-round. During the summer months, the town is flushed with seasonal workers, and tourists and the population grows considerably but never reaches its previous high point. Much of the town is preserved in the style that was typical around the turn of the century and is a real treat to walk the still wood-covered sidewalks. One of the things that the town is most famously known for is the Sourtoe Cocktail, which can be enjoyed at the Downtown Hotel. This little excerpt from Dawson City’s website describes it pretty well:
“The legend of the first “sourtoe” dates back to the 1920s and features a feisty rum-runner named Louie Linken and his brother Otto. During one of their cross-border deliveries, they ran into an awful blizzard. In an effort to help direct his dog team, Louie stepped off the sled and into some icy overflow—soaking his foot thoroughly.
Fearing that the police were on their trail, they continued on their journey. Unfortunately, the prolonged exposure to the cold caused Louie’s big toe to be frozen solid. To prevent gangrene, the faithful Otto performed the amputation using a woodcutting axe (and some overproof rum for anesthesia). To commemorate this moment, the brothers preserved the toe in a jar of alcohol.
Years later, while cleaning out an abandoned cabin, the toe was discovered by Captain Dick Stevenson. After conferring with friends, the Sourtoe Cocktail Club was established and the rules developed. Since its inception, the club has acquired (by donation) over 25 toes.”
As we arrived in Dawson City we were both very much on the fence about doing the Sourtoe shot, but reluctantly decided to pass on the opportunity as we had to continue driving that day. I suppose that leaves us with another reason to return and potentially join the ranks of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club in the future.
After enjoying some delicious burgers and nearly eating our weight in sweet potato fries we waddled back to the truck and headed off to a fuel station so we could once again fuel up before the next leg of our trip. Just East of Dawson City lies the start of the Dempster Highway. This 880km (546 miles) long highway which is nearly entirely dirt, travels north to the furthest point north that you can drive in Canada and eventually ends at the small community of Tuktoyuktuk, Northwest Territories.
Under stormy clouds and the occasional roar of thunder, we turned north onto Yukon Highway 5 and began our long-awaited trip north along the legendary Dempster Highway.
Thanks for following along! We can’t wait to share the next leg of our trip with you all!
