Day 12, Skagway, AK, to Haines Junction, YT

May 20  Pulled out of Skagway at 8:30 heading northeast up the White Pass into British
Columbia and on into the Yukon.  It was 28ºF when we left.  The temps hovered below freezing for much of the drive to the Alaska Hwy.  As we rose in elevation, the clouds started building, and it started to snow.  It became apparent that it had snowed in the pass overnight as the hwy. was sanded and to a degree icy and slick.  We took our time driving on the snow packed, icy parts.  Luckily, there was not any traffic on this part of the northbound South Klondike Hwy.

Eventually we came to the Canadian Port of Entry at Frazier, BC.  We were the only vehicle there.  As luck would have it, we got inspected.  As Peggy said later it looked like they were training a rookie Border Guard.  They went through the trailer and the pickup.  They even asked us to open the safe under the bed in the trailer, so Peggy did the honor.  After 15 minutes they thanked us for our time and let us be on our way.  The worst thing that happened was they messed up the bed!  :o)

We continued on our way to Carcross, YT, where we filled up the pickup.  The road was good as we have come to expect.  North of there, we turned west onto the Alaska Hwy.  It, too, is in good shape despite everything we had been lead to believe.  There are places clearly marked with the you-know-what signs and/or orange cones/flags.  You simply slow down knowing that there is a rough area in the road.

We did have to detour off of the new Alaska Hwy constructed in 2002 onto what the flag person said was the original Alaska Hwy.  Peggy took a picture of this old road.  I wonder if Dave Richardson's grandfather worked on it in the Yukon.  He had mentioned this on Facebook.

We made it to Haines Junction, YT.  If you turned south here onto the Haines Hwy you would go by the gold mine run by a grandson and grandpa whose names I can't remember, but the show is on TV.  It was mid-afternoon so we decided to camp at the Kluane RV Park.  Park is a loose term as it is more of a gravel parking lot with electricity and wifi.  (It's supposed to have cable TV but when I scan for channels, nothing comes up.)  However, the best attribute of staying here is the mountains!!  They are a glorious sight!  We'll take pictures and get them posted.

We drove back into Haines Junction and went to the Kulane NP and Cultural Visitors Center.  They have a beautiful new building.  We watch a 25 minute video on the national park and its cultural, First Nation heritage.  It was spectacular.  The same crew that videotaped "The Blue Planet" did the work on the film, and it was done first rate.

Peggy (a.k.a. CFO/Navigator) just said we are 294 miles from Tok, Alaska.  We're making good time and distances.  Bratwurst on the grill for supper, hopefully get some TV to watch as I'm sure the temps will approach freezing again tonight.  Tried hooking up to multiple coaxial connectors in the campground...but, alas...no being a dude camper tonight as the campgrounds cable TV must be out.

According to google maps, we are now 2922 miles from Omaha.  This does not include the 260 mile  round trip jaunt we took to Skagway.  We are now about 600 miles from Wasilla, AK.

Life is sure treating us awfully well.  Peggy deserves it...not sure I do, but I'll take it just the same.

Remember you can see more of our photos on our Alaska trip at https://picasaweb.google.com/taviking22/Alaska201302

---------

8:50 P.M.  We just returned from a from a hike along the Dezadeash River.  Twas 5.5 km (3.4 mi) long.  We just get started and Peggy says there's bears here according to that sign.  So, back we go to get our bear spray.  Nary a bear was seen.  Better to have bear spray along and not have to use it, than not having the spray with and....!   

Saw a sign in a bakery here (bought good sourdough bread!) saying that you should wear bells when hiking to alert the bears of your presence.  And you should be knowledgable about recognizing black bear poo and grizzly poo.  Black bear poo will contain grasses, berries, and small rodent skins.  Grizzly poo will contain chewed bones, digested meat, and bells!

In the RV campground (aka parking lot) we ran into a couple from Georgia that we had seen at dinner last night in Skagway.  So I had to ask if it was so...it was.  They ate at the Skagway Brewing Co., too.  They are driving a small, new, Winnebago motorhome to Anchorage for the Winnebago Co in Iowa.   They get to use the RV for free but have to purchase their own gas, food, etc.  I met a man from No. Carolina who was doing the same.  150 units from Winnebago are being driven by others to Alaska that way!

Today's Photos Uploaded to Picassa