Whitehorse to Dawson City

 We are at our last stop  before crossing the border into Alaska.  We made a turn off of the Alaskan Highway, headed toward Dawson City, Yukon Territories.  Our stay in Dawson City has been a highlight.  Our last trip in 2014 we did not go up this way because of horror stories about the road.  Tomorrow will be a new experience, as we put the trailers on a ferry to cross the Yukon River. A lot has happened since the last update.  I took a relatively easy drive and turned it into an adventure.  It was like Goldilocks and the three bears.  We intended to stop around Pelly Crossing and boondock.  Well, the wayside had wheels off the ground after leveling.  So, we headed north looking for another spot.  Found a nice looking spot by a new bridge. I drove down cautiously, but not cautiously enough.  Buried the front right tire.  After removing the e-bikes, rack, shoveling out the front tire and attaching tow straps, we were back on our way. Finally found a wonderful spot at a rest area near Gravel Lake.  We did see a wolf and a black bear along the way.

Our next day was only 58 miles to Dawson City. We saw one grizzly bear along the way.  Getting in so early, we started exploring right away.  We hit the visitor center, took the ferry across the Yukon river, went to the Dome overlooking the Yukon valley and Dawson City and went to Diamond Tooth Gertie's for a show.  The next day, we went to see the Keno Steamship, did the walking tour through Parks Canada, rode the e-bikes to see Jack London's cabin, Richard Service's cabin, the RCMP and YOOPer cemeteries and went to see another show. Parks Canada owns 27 buildings in various stages of restoration and do a number of tours. 

On Tuesday, our last day here, we went to breakfast at one of the old hotels, the Eldorado.  I did a 20 mile bike ride out to the Gold Dredge #4 and Gold Claim #33.  Then we all went to the Firefighter Museum.  Beautiful restorations and a tour by the assistant fire chief. Then to Cream and Candy for our second ice cream stop in Dawson.

A little history lesson. In 1898, gold was discovered in Bonanza Creek outside Dawson City. Miners flocked from everywhere.  100,000 people descended on Skagway, Alaska to come over the Chilkoot trail.  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police required each person to have a metric ton of supplies before entering Canada.  Things like flour, sugar, bacon and other supplies.  It took about 22 trips of 100 pounds over the Chilkoot pass to achieve that.  Once they got that done, they were at Bennet Lake and it was frozen.  So they had to wait until ice out to get across the lake and up the Yukon River. Eventually, they built the railroad from Skagway to Whitehorse, YT.  And, they started steamships up the Yukon. Over 30,000 people were in Dawson City, which until then was a First Nation Village. That brought banks, the Post Office, fire department, etc. However, the gold boom only lasted two years.

I know, everyone is wondering, where are the pictures, enough blathering about history. So, let's insert some pictures here, not necessarily in order.

This is how a shortcut turns into an adventure.

Our first stop was the visitor center.

The camp sites were a little tight.

This is how we will cross the Yukon today with our Montana 5th Wheels.

Decisions, decisions at Klondike Cream and Candy.

Decision made.

The view of Dawson City and the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers.

Mr. Grizzly eating his salad.

One of the shows at Diamond Tooth Gertie's.

Training one of the new "performers".

One of the original 1898 horse drawn fire engines from Dawson City.

Gold Dredge #4, not open yet because of flooding in the area.

The RCMP cemetery, one of several above town.  E-bike overheated it was so steep.

Robert Service's cabin.

Jack London's cabin and inside.

Walking tour inside the bank.

Terrie doing her "Titanic" pose on the Keno.

The Keno Steamship.