Alaska!

Hi All,
When last we left you we were in Watson Lake, YT. Today we crossed the border back into the US and into Alaska! We have seen some countryside on this leg of the trip. We detoured from the Alaska Highway (most of what we missed we'll catch on the way back) to drive the Top of the World Highway from Dawson, YT to the border crossing at Poker Creek, Alaska. From Poker Creek we took the Taylor Highway to Chicken, Alaska and then wound around until we got back on the Alaska Highway (Alaska 2) just south of Tok (pronounced TOKE), our stopping spot for tonight.

Here's the route, including a bit of a backtrack to the Liard Hot Springs in BC. Stop 3 is also where this post originates.

We skipped Liard Hot Springs on the way to Watson Lake due to weather and nervousness over fuel. After our first night in Watson Lake we decided to go back and check it out. We're glad we did. The water was a nice 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the road back to Liard Hot Springs we spotted this bear along the road. He looks more brown than black but I'm not sure what he is.

The hanging garden at Liard Hot Springs

Where we were able to get into the great water. We could have stayed all day.

On the way back to Watson Lake we stopped at the Smith River Falls

From Watson Lake we drove to Whitehorse, where we stayed for two nights. In Whitehorse we toured the SS Klondike, a stern wheeler that used to move gold, silver and supplies up and down the river between Dawson and Whitehorse. We also got caught up on laundry.

From Whitehorse we took the North Klondike Highway to Dawson, YT. Here we crossed the river by ferry and camped at the Yukon River Park. In our original planning we had nixed the idea of driving the Top of the World Highway because of how rough and remote we had heard it was. It was certainly remote but not all that rough. Most of it is gravel so you aren't driving more than 40 mph most of the time, but it wasn't bad at all. The worst we experienced on gravel roads was better than the worst we experienced on asphalt roads. The Top of the World Highway is not to be missed. You do feel like you're on top of the world.

Multiflora Roses are all along the highways

The views along the North Klondike Highway were no less breathtaking than those on the Alaska Highway

Duncan was begging to get his picture taken

The views from the Top of the World Highway are pretty impressive too

I kept marveling at the sky. THAT'S what sky blue is supposed to look like!

Our view as we wait in line to cross the border

You can't see the 30 - 40 motorcycles that are also in line. It took an hour to get through.

But we finally made it!

The most northerly land border port in the USA. Cool!

We did not go through the border like this

You'll have to enlarge this to read it. It's an interesting read.

Mosquito update: They're the size of a small plane

Old Mining Dredge in Chicken, still a gold mining town

Sun Update: In Dawson, YT sunrise was at 3:49 AM, sunset at 12:49 AM. Yep, three hours. When you count dusk and dawn there's only two hours of darkness. In Tok, Alaska (new time zone, one hour behind Pacific Time) sunrise is at 3:17 AM, sunset is at 11:48 PM. Thank goodness our blackout shades are working.

Weather: The last several days it has been in the 40's and raining off and on. Today the sun came out and when we got to Tok it was 70. A great day!

That's all for now. Take care.
Brian