Alaska Bound… Day 7

June 3, 2017 1 comment

The Pile of Brochures

Watson Lake to Whitehorse

June 2, 2017

Miles Driven: 295

Sunrise (Watson Lake): 4:21am / Sunset (Whitehorse): 11:18pm

Latitude: 60.06N to 60.72N

National Parks Visited: 0

Wacky Roadside Attractions: 3

 

The women working at the Watson Lake Visitors Center are incredibly helpful and quite talkative. When we first went in yesterday, we left with:

  • Travel Book on the Yukon (Yukon – Larger than Life)
  • A map of the Yukon
  • A tourist book on Whitehorse (we mentioned we were headed that way)
  • A coupon book for the Yukon
  • A book on local flora
  • A book on local fauna
  • A book on local birds
  • A book on bear safety (Staying Safe with Bears)
  • 2x Yukon Luggage Tags
  • 2x Yukon Passports (like the NPS passports where you get stamps)
  • A coupon for the Northern Lights Center (which we used)
  • A mile-by-mile guide from Watson Lake to Whitehorse with 3 spots highlighted
  • This morning when we stopped back by so that I could get my own journal stamped, we almost got the same batch again. Nicole and I each spent some time going through it all, surprisingly there really is quite a bit of useful information. So we set off today with a plan to stop at all three of those locations recommended to us.

    Crossing the Continental Divide

    Vast Forests on The Alaska Highway

    Boreal Forest

    More Taxidermy

    George's 'Taxi'

    Rancheria Falls. A lovely hike through a boreal forest brought us to these twin falls.

    Teslin. After a lovely lunch at the Yukon Motel & Restaurant & Gift Shop, we headed over to the Teslin Tlignit Heritage Center where I was unable to tour the museum or buy a souvenir because their debit machine was down. Did I mention I have no Canadian money? Those of you out there who know me, know that I’ve a penchant for money troubles on travels. However, because of that (mis)fortunate happenstance we doubled back to the George Johnston Museum, which was interesting, albeit in a different sort of way. Instead of an encompassing picture of the Tlingits, I learned about their culture through the eyes of one of their own, George Johnston. He was an enterprising fellow purchasing a car in 1928 even though there were no existing roads. He had it shipped to him, literally. He charged to give rides across the frozen Nisutlin bay. He also got a camera and recorded some of their history. I couldn’t buy a souvenir at this museum either since they didn’t have a VISA machine (yet). They offered to let me look around even without Canadian dollars for the entrance fee, so I donated some of my American cash. To those out there who are planning a trip to the more remote parts of Canada, do get a few local dollars since some places out here only take local currency.

    Johnson’s Crossing Lodge & RV Park. We stopped here for their world famous cinnamon buns. Yes, that’s right, apparently there are two world famous buns bakeries a mere hundred miles apart here on The Alaska Highway. The results? A split decision. I liked Johnson’s Crossing's better, more cinnamon sugar syrup and raisins; Nicole liked the Tetsa River one better, more white icing, no raisins.

    Another World Famous Bun

    Oldest Brewery north of 60

    Well, we’ve arrived in Whitehorse. It was another lovely day driving. I’ve no wildlife to report today, except for a squirrel Nicole saw. However, I’ve never ever seen forests so vast. Literally, as far as the eye could see (and considering the air quality up here, that’s pretty far). Now, we are relaxing in our motel room with beer we got at Yukon Brewing. And I’m shaking the ultra-kitsch snow globe of the Old Log Church Museum that I got for free with a coupon that the women in Watson Lake gave us.

    Until tomorrow from Beaver Creek, Yukon…

    Safe Travels!

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