Whitehorse to Dawson City Yukon Territory

The Beauty of the Yukon . . .

Mary arrived on August 12 and we spent the first few days sightseeing with Mary and Buster around the Whitehorse area. We saw the fish ladder (a device to help the spawning salmon move around a dam), the log church, the Beringia museum, and the transportation museum. Beringia refers to a large area of the Yukon and Alaska that was not glaciated. As a result, there were large animals roaming the area that are now extinct, including the woolly mammoth and a giant beaver.

One day, we took a day trip to Carcross (to the south of Whitehorse, on the road to Skagway, Alaska) and on the way, we enjoyed a delicious cinnamon bun. On the way back to Whitehorse, we stopped at Miles Canyon near Whitehorse to see Miles Canyon, and then later that evening, we took a boat cruise up the same canyon. During the cruise, I was very excited to see two eagles.

On August 15, we travelled north along the Klondike Highway towards Dawson City, stopping for an overnight at Carmacks. Enroute, we attempted to share the largest cinnamon bun I have ever seen. It was easily 8 inches square!

That evening, Mary stayed in the local motel, and I was camped out in the RV lot behind the motel. When I was backing into the spot, I accidentally hit the water connection and knocked off the faucet! In a flash, my little camping spot was transformed to having its own geyser/water fountain. It was a rather humbling experience, but the owners had the damage repaired in no time. I’m not sure but I think I heard someone mumble a comment or two about women drivers. Ah well–wouldn’t want them to think it was just a myth. That evening, Mary and I dined chez Buckskin enjoying tortillas with fresh, homemade guacamole, a grilled chicken breast with creamy pasta and broccoli, and leftover cinnamon bun for dessert. That evening, we took a long walk along the boardwalk beside the Yukon River and saw remains of a roadhouse that used to serve the travellers going to Dawson City during the gold rush days.

The next day, we arrived in Dawson City. We enjoyed wandering around the town although it had been raining and the streets were mud. We saw a dance show put on by local First Nations people, and then in the evening, we saw a dance show of another form–the Gaslight Follies. We also managed to make a small deposit at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall.

The next day, as Mary wasn’t feeling well, I went into town by myself to gather information for my upcoming trip up the Dempster Highway to Inuvik. I had heard all kinds of horror stories about that highway, and several days earlier had been awakened in the night with a terrible feeling of dread about the trip. As it turns out, just as I was asking at the information desk about the dangers of a woman and a dog travelling the Dempster, a woman came up and introduced herself. Her name is Eileen and she had just returned from Inuvik. Guess what? She is a woman of about my age travelling alone with her dog in a van very similar to Buckskin! A kindred spirit. She had also left her husband at home, and had taken an extended leave of absence from her work. We talked for about an hour, and she assured me there was nothing to fear in travelling the Dempster so long as one was prepared to take it slow. As we talked, I felt my fears and anxieties diminish. I also began to wonder how many other women like us are out there travelling in vans.

Later that afternoon, Mary and I took a trip out to see a gold mining dredge. We spent a bit of time looking for gold along the river but with no success. We also took a trip up to a site called “Midnight Dome” which is a high spot overlooking Dawson City. This site has special significance on the summer solstice as people for many years have been coming there to catch a glimpse of the midnight sun. I found it interesting to learn that a United Church worship service had been held at the site on the summer solstice in 1925 to celebrate church union.

The next morning was dedicated to preparations for my journey up the Dempster Highway–gas, propane, laundry, groceries, etc. I also carefully checked the tire pressure on all my tires including the spare. On the way to drop Mary off at the Dawson City airport, we stopped for a wiener roast in a territorial park that is situated near the airport. As luck would have it, there were enough embers in the fireplace to start a fire without the normal hassle. After a tearful goodbye, Buckskin, Buster, and I continued along the Klondike Highway for several miles until we came to the turn off for the Dempster.