You’re probably wondering how we managed to survive crossing a desert on foot? And anyway, since when is there a desert in Canada? Time to clear things up: the Carcross Desert is actually the smallest desert in the world! So really, it was more of a pleasant stroll than a real expedition 😁 A nice way to change the scenery after our bear encounters in Haines.
Wednesday, August 10 to Friday, August 12, 2022
Five weeks later, after an epic expedition to the Arctic Ocean and an incredible road trip through Alaska, we are back in Whitehorse. Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon, is a remote yet lively city we really like. Our return marks the end of our loop in the Far North. From here, we head south. But before hitting the road, we take full advantage of the city’s amenities: showers, laundry, grocery shopping, catching up with friends, and most importantly, WiFi at the public library. We spend two full days working, breaking only to enjoy a delicious salmon tartare (bought in Haines) with avocado. Yum! 😋
Late afternoon, we hit the road with a special goal: August is well underway, and our chances to see the Northern Lights are finally increasing. Tonight’s forecast is good. So we need an open spot facing north 🤞🤞. After an hour of searching, we find a promising place: a pine forest clearing with a clear view due north. Perfect. August evenings are still long, so we have to wait until midnight for the last daylight to fade.
We lie down in the tent, “windows open,” and set multiple alarms through the night. But, to our great disappointment, no Northern Lights appear. Still, it’s just a matter of time because Yukon will eventually offer us to one of Nature’s greatest shows. On the bright side, it’s Perseid meteor shower time. Despite a bright full moon, we enjoy some beautiful shooting stars.
Saturday, August 13
After two days in the city, we are thrilled to reconnect with the real Yukon wilderness we love so much. But just an hour southeast of Whitehorse, the nature we find is unlike what we are used to. Indeed, the small town of Carcross seems to have its own microclimate. Its lakes are fringed with… pine forests! Feels like home, minus the cicadas! But in Carcross, a strange natural phenomenon created a unique ecosystem, at least in Canada: a desert!
Technically, since the climate here is neither dry nor hot, Carcross Desert isn’t a true desert. It’s actually the remnants of an ancient glacial lake. About 10,000 years ago, when glaciers melted, they formed glacial lakes with sandy and muddy bottoms. When those lakes vanished, the river still carried sand here, hence the sand dunes! These dunes are considered the smallest desert in the world! So yes, we crossed the Carcross Desert on foot, but in 30 minutes!
Near the desert lies the village of Carcross. It’s charming, and we enjoy strolling around under bright sunshine. The town’s buildings are decorated with iconic Indigenous designs from the Tlingit and Tagish First Nations who lived here. We also meet Francisca and Antoine, traveling from France in a beautiful Defender with a Globe Camper camper shell. So cool! Safe travels, friends 😊
We then picnic among the desert dunes, where Jeepy handles the sandy terrain like a pro! What a perfect picnic spot: sand, pine trees, just like home, except the salmon in our tartare comes from Alaska! 😎
The southern junction is just before Watson Lake, where we were five weeks ago. And like before, the place is swarming with mosquitoes. We barely dealt with mosquitoes in Alaska or elsewhere in Yukon, so it’s like they all gather around Watson Lake! We find a nice, clear spot by the river facing north, but the mosquitoes are in the thousands. Having learned our lesson, it takes us less than five minutes to decide to flee. Too bad for the beautiful spot. Instead, we park in the famous signpost forest parking lot in Watson Lake.
We stroll through the sign forest, sharing an ice cream, searching for the sign from Eric and Muriel that we missed on the way in! It is doing great, friends! Still as beautiful and hasn’t aged a bit despite the cold and snow!
Sunday, August 14
Because we need days like this to keep moving forward, this Sunday is a day on the road. We head straight south under blazing sun and scorching heat, finally leaving Yukon for good, with a heavy heart, as we enter British Columbia. To cool off, we stop for lunch at Boya Lake, famous for its crystal-clear water. The place feels almost paradisiacal. With a lakeside campground, picnic tables, and a dock, it’s perfect to relax and have lunch, and for Rémi to take a dip in the lake. Watch out, it’s cold! 😂
We make a quick stop at Jade City, where shops sell some jade trinkets at astronomical prices.
Then, we cover the kilometers until late in the evening. And late means wildlife encounters! First, a bear with her cub. The cub is busy climbing while mom feeds in the ravine. We pull over at the roadside, and they cross! Finally, our much-awaited photo of a bear family crossing the road! Jackpot 😍 A few kilometers further, more bears! This time, a mother bear with one, then two, then three cubs! They run everywhere. The youngest lags behind on the other side of the road. Mom hesitates to cross back to fetch him, but the other two cubs have already wandered off into the woods. Finally, the little one sprints to catch up with his family!
It’s past 9 PM when we settle by a lake. Now that we are heading south and summer is waning, we will have to relearn to stop earlier as night falls faster. Tomorrow, we hit the road back to Alaska for two final emotional and memorable days in Hyder, in that American state that is already our favorite (how’s that, it’s our first?)! 😁
