Saturday June 26, Crooked Creek Bridge, HW2, YT
Managed to find wifi just at the start of the Dempster Highway...a chance to load my last entry before the real wilderness!
220 Miles
After 24 hours in civilization it was good to get back on the road again. It was warm, clear and sunny, the past 4 or 5 days have been a bit grey at times with the odd showers, so looks good for the next few days.
First stop this morning was to try and get wifi as the camp’s link was not very good. The info centre sent me to the library but they were having trouble with theirs, tried rebooting it several times while I was there but no joy. Found out that a coffee shop in town had free wifi, so a good excuse for a coffee and a scone as I finally hooked up.
Ian bought a cheap little spinning rod from Walmart that looked pretty good. He brought the reel over with him. Happened upon a bike and car show in the Canadian Tire carpark, the locals were showing off their pride and joy, polished up to the nines. Pretty impressive. The local ford agent also had all his big trucks (utes) on display….Ian was there checking them all out.
Pulled out of Whitehorse at midday and shortly turnedoff the Alaskan Highway onto Highway 2 which is the Klondike Road and heads up to Dawson City and the Dempster Highway.
The number of vehicles on the road dropped and we went into real wilderness. There have been major fires through here, the biggest in 1992 that wiped out a huge area. The growth is just starting to come away, but at a very slow pace. The roadsides are edged with wildflowers.
Lunchstop was at Fox Lake, and Ian got his spinner out and had some casts but no joy. He had been talking to a couple of fisherman and evidently very good fishing from the shore.
There seems to be a big thing about cinnamon buns in the Yukon, all the roadside eating places advertise them, and when we saw the Braeburn Lodge had the biggest in the Yukon, it definitely was a place to stop. It was pretty busy with a tour bus as well as lots of travellers. The buns sure were big….enough for 2 suppers! The owner, Steve with his Harley Davidson t-shirt on and his long white beard was quite a character and was very happy to pose with his buns!
We crossed the Yukon at Carmacks and shortly after there was a stop for the Five Finger Rapids, one of the biggest navigational problems on the Yukon River for the paddle steamers in the 1800’s. Persuaded Ian that the 1 hour round trip to view them was worthwhile although the 250 step staircase from the road down to the track was a bit daunting. Well worth the walk though.
It was 7 oclock when we spotted this level parking area beside a little bridge and there was already a firepit from a previous camper. Set up camp, lit the fire and sat in the sun with a cold beer…..and no mossies!
…11pm We have travelled quite a bit further north today, and the sun is still shining on the nearby trees. Ian took his spinning rod down to the stream at 10pm (in the sunshine) and caught his first fish….a really tiny grayling, that he put back. Here’s hoping it is that start of some good fish.
220 Miles
After 24 hours in civilization it was good to get back on the road again. It was warm, clear and sunny, the past 4 or 5 days have been a bit grey at times with the odd showers, so looks good for the next few days.
First stop this morning was to try and get wifi as the camp’s link was not very good. The info centre sent me to the library but they were having trouble with theirs, tried rebooting it several times while I was there but no joy. Found out that a coffee shop in town had free wifi, so a good excuse for a coffee and a scone as I finally hooked up.
Ian bought a cheap little spinning rod from Walmart that looked pretty good. He brought the reel over with him. Happened upon a bike and car show in the Canadian Tire carpark, the locals were showing off their pride and joy, polished up to the nines. Pretty impressive. The local ford agent also had all his big trucks (utes) on display….Ian was there checking them all out.
Pulled out of Whitehorse at midday and shortly turnedoff the Alaskan Highway onto Highway 2 which is the Klondike Road and heads up to Dawson City and the Dempster Highway.
The number of vehicles on the road dropped and we went into real wilderness. There have been major fires through here, the biggest in 1992 that wiped out a huge area. The growth is just starting to come away, but at a very slow pace. The roadsides are edged with wildflowers.
Lunchstop was at Fox Lake, and Ian got his spinner out and had some casts but no joy. He had been talking to a couple of fisherman and evidently very good fishing from the shore.
We crossed the Yukon at Carmacks and shortly after there was a stop for the Five Finger Rapids, one of the biggest navigational problems on the Yukon River for the paddle steamers in the 1800’s. Persuaded Ian that the 1 hour round trip to view them was worthwhile although the 250 step staircase from the road down to the track was a bit daunting. Well worth the walk though.
It was 7 oclock when we spotted this level parking area beside a little bridge and there was already a firepit from a previous camper. Set up camp, lit the fire and sat in the sun with a cold beer…..and no mossies!
…11pm We have travelled quite a bit further north today, and the sun is still shining on the nearby trees. Ian took his spinning rod down to the stream at 10pm (in the sunshine) and caught his first fish….a really tiny grayling, that he put back. Here’s hoping it is that start of some good fish.
Comments
Another one of the 18 photos required!!(:
Love the campsite at 10-30pm photo.Looks infra red or something.
I am making Beetroot chutney and my hands are now dyed red!
My car needs 2x new tyres today at its service - dam! Plus brake pads! So I am carless all day!
I am judging Greymouth having done Wanaka on friday and Rotorua on the weekend......... someone I know got an Honours!! Also judging an Auckland clubs interclub comp!! Going crazy slowly! I could do with a cinnamon bun!!
Hugs
Lynn