August 29 Wow! We must have been overly tired! We woke up at 9:00 a.m.! We somewhat hustled to get ready for our day touring around the Dawson area. Fortunately breakfast was easy as we ate our leftover cinnamon rolls from the day before.
Our first venture was to walk to the end of our campground and get onto the bank of the Yukon River. Once there, we walked north to where there are at least 2 hulks of the early paddlewheel boats used to ply the waters of the Yukon. It was sad to see the sorry state that these once magnificent steamers were in. As you can imagine, the 100 years of neglect and abuse made for a discouraging scene. We believe this site is referred to as the boat bone yard. The boats had the indignity of simply being hoisted out of the water and left on the river bank to be ravaged by scavengers and flood waters.
We took pictures and hiked around the ships’ remains wondering what it would have been like to have ridden on these paddlewheel steamers back in their days of glory.
We packed some snacks, climbed into the pickup and were ferried across the Yukon River, drove through Dawson, and found ourselves driving up The Dome, a mountaintop which overlooks the area. It was an impressive view.
You could see the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers. You could look up the Bonanza Creek area. You could see the town of Dawson. You could see up and down the Yukon River. You could see the tailing piles left behind by the many dredges used in the early 1900’s to scour out every flake of remaining gold in those areas. Needless, we were impressed by the sights from above the lay of the land.
From The Dome we drove out on the Klondike Highway to some pull outs that provided information about the tailings. I found the need to leave the pull out and strike out on my own climbing up the tailing piles for that just right photo. Climbing on loose rock piles was of some effort, though. It seemed like I’d take one stride up and slide back a half stride. Finally I made it top the top of the tailings pile.
Peggy made a good choice in remaining where the trail was considering she had been doctoring her knee prior to leaving for this trip. I did take a picture of her and yelled that see should take one of me, knowing what the outcome would be. “But you have the camera and your iPhone. I have nothing!”, was the reply. :o)
I snapped off several pictures and then started looking for a way down. With guidance from my DW, I was directed to an area that was not quite so steep. Whew!
We then headed back towards Dawson and made a left turn to go up the Bonanza Creek Road. This road would lead us to Gold Dredge #4 and then to The Discovery Claim.
Gold Dredge #4 was an awesome spectacle! That thing is 66 yards long! Statistically, that dredge could gobble up massive amounts of pay gravel and process it to remove the gold. What did impress me was that it floated on water provided by the nearby Bonanza Creek, and that creek could easily we waded across.
From the dredge we drove further up Bonanza Creek Road and came to the original glory hole, The Discovery Mine. Back in 1897 three miners discovered the first flecks and nuggets of gold which lead to the Klondike Stampede gold rush. We were able to walk on the banks of the creek in the exact location where the discovery took place. And, the creek was originally named Rabbit Creek until gold was found, and it was renamed the Bonanza Creek.
I’ve never been a history buff, but when I started thinking that we had put a beginning and an end to the locations where in the late 1890’s masses of people departed boats and where the gold was discovered. We’d been to Skagway where steamers brought stampeders to take the overland route to the Klondike gold fields.
And now, we stood on the very place where the gold rush started. They only pieces missing where where the stampeders traveled overland to get to the Klondike/Dawson area. And those pieces we will hopefully visit as we make the drive from Dawson to Whitehorse, YK.
Hopefully the photos I’ve take will assist us in remembering all that we have seen and read about. Like I say, for a 62 year old neophyte history buff, I have been greatly impressed with what we’ve experienced. With out gold, it would have taken decades to have gotten this part of North America explored and populated. The Hudson Bay Company found out once the beaver populations had been depleted by trapping and furs lost their economic impact, they lost its interest in sending anymore trappers into the region.
We got back on the Klondike Hwy. heading into Dawson. I stopped at a fueling station adjacent to the Klondike River. After fueling we walked to the banks of the river, and I took photos of it because its namesake was used for the gold rush.
Back in Dawson we took some photos of recognizable places: Jack London’s cabin, the Commissioner’s residence, an old church, and original buildings in general. We did stop at a market and found O Henry candy bars. Grant has a yen for them so we will include them with the matches when we get back to the states and a post office.
Peggy had seen a small pub, “Bombay Peggy’s”, so we poked our head in, and yes, they served Yukon Gold on tap. We had our drinks, and I asked about getting Peggy a t-shirt but unfortunately they did not have her size. Bummer!!
Since our next involvement wasn’t until 7:00 at Diamond Tooth Gerties to eat, gamble, and attend the Can-Can Dance review, we returned to our camper via the ferry. I needed to run the generator to recharge camera and iPhone batteries.
On the ferry with us was a manly RV. It was a large, tank like, 4 wheel drive behemoth of a camper from Germany. I had taken a photo of it when we were in Dawson. I’m sure the family in it has great stories to tell of their journeys.
Around 7:00 we ferried ourselves back to Dawson to have dinner at Diamond Tooth Gerties. We both chose the ribeye steak, potatoes, and Caesar salad. I must say that the meal was very good. Prior to getting our meal, Peggy and I played a slot machine. After 4 tries and not winning we cut our losses and ate.
Since we were at the first show, we were among the youngest in the crowd. We decided that most there were with a tour group as some of them wore their IDs around their necks. If I ever go on a tour or cruise, please shoot me if I wear my ID to a casino or anywhere else were it is not required attire!
The show was very good and entertaining. Fortunately we had opted to sit in the balcony so neither of us had to be involved in any part of the show. :o) Peggy and I both admired how limber the show girls were. I know I wouldn’t be able to either kick my leg above my head or do the splits. Watching those girls do it...well...it was entertaining to say the least.
We then boarded the ferry for the second to last crossing of the Yukon. Tomorrow morning the plan is to get up early and get in line with our 5th wheel in tow. The ferry undergoes routine maintenance every Friday from 5-7:00 a.m. We should be in line by 7:00. We will see how many crossing are done before our elongated menagerie is allowed to board. And, then we will say goodbye to Dawson City, YK, with its gold fields.
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