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?)! 😁

L’article Canada, Yukon – Crossing the Carcross Desert on Foot! est apparu en premier sur Un pneu plus loin.

After three weeks in Alaska, we are back in the Yukon, Canada. During our Alaska road trip, we discovered exceptional landscapes, breathtaking fjords, impressive glaciers, vast and wild national parks, and abundant wildlife. But there’s one thing we dreamed of seeing and hadn’t yet: bears fishing for salmon! We heard about a place where this is possible, with a bit of luck and patience. So, we head to Haines, a small Alaskan village. But to reach Haines, we first need to cross back through Canada and the stunning Kluane National Park.

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

After visiting the old ghost mine of Kennecott, we cross the border into Canada. We are back on the mythical Alaska Highway, where we had so many adventures on the way there… but this time, in reverse! It’s always a pleasure to return to this magnificent road, whose landscapes never fail to leave us speechless. As always on the Alaska Highway, wildlife encounters are plentiful: bald eagles, black bears, swans.

As we cover the kilometers, the vast boreal forest dotted with lakes gives way to mountainous terrain: we are entering Kluane National Park, home to Canada’s highest peak, Mount Logan. Let’s gain some altitude to better admire Kluane Park. We get up early to tackle one of the park’s most beautiful hikes!

🥾 King’s Throne – 9.6 km (5.6 miles), 1000 m elevation gain

After a two very flat kilometers along Lake Kathleen, the real challenge begins. We gain over 1000 meters in elevation (3300 ft.) in less than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles). In short: it’s VERY steep! The trail is very rugged, but we gain height quickly, and the view gradually unfolds before us.

Two kilometers from the summit, we are forced to stop: powerful winds are nearly knocking us over. It’s impossible to stand against the wind. With steep drop-offs on either side of the trail, it becomes truly dangerous. We find shelter under a rocky outcrop to enjoy our picnic, safe from the wind, with a spectacular view.

After a grueling descent in howling winds, we stop by the lake to cool off. The wind is still blowing hard and the water is ice-cold! You can probably tell from our faces 😅

Exhausted but so happy with the beautiful hike, we hit the road again. And what a road! It winds through changing landscapes: first vast grasslands that remind us of Denali National Park, then across a windy pass, past rushing rivers, and finally through an old coniferous forest. Driving through the Yukon is always a delight! The roadside is dotted with bear scat, which Rémi enjoys counting, but no actual bears in sight.

We arrive in Haines at 7 p.m., after a quick border crossing. Yep, Haines is in Alaska! We are here for one specific reason: to see bears fishing for salmon.

This small fishing village lies at the end of a fjord. To leave, you must either take a ferry to Skagway or drive back the way you came. There are lovely chalets with views by the bay and estuary, loads of bald eagles, and many fishing boats taking advantage of the salmon season. But they’re not the only ones! In Haines, with a bit of luck, you can spot bears fishing for salmon too!

We head straight to the Chilkoot River, a well-known salmon river in the area. And from the moment we arrive, we are not disappointed: a mama bear and her two cubs are in the middle of a fishing session! They are fishing directly from the metal structure used to monitor the salmon run. Park staff use it for fish counts, already over 50,000 salmon since July! At the moment, no one’s on duty, and the three bears have taken over. Quite a spectacle! With so many salmon, fishing seems easy for this mother bear, she just has to reach down and grab one. The real challenge is keeping some for herself, with two very hungry cubs at her side!

We find a roadside spot to camp for the night, not too far from the river. Our goal: come back early tomorrow morning to see the bears again!

Wednesday, August 10

We are barely awake before we are on the road to the Chilkoot River again. Driving along the water, on the lookout, and suddenly: what’s that grazing over there? Cows? Bison? Nope, bears!! We’re definitely in bear country! A mom and her three big cubs, grazing in the grass! What a surprise.

As they move off into the estuary, we realize they are heading toward the woods and will cross the road. Without hesitation, we take the car and go park by the roadside, where we think they will cross. Then, camera in hand, we wait. And wait. Then suddenly, there they are, crossing… behind us! Darn it, bad calculation 😀

There are no bears at the river this morning, so we decide to kill time by… mushroom picking! We venture into the woods behind the campground, looking for porcini mushrooms. Honestly, not the best idea right after seeing four grizzlies in the area. The harvest is good: two large porcini and a bolete. We double-check our finds with a knowledgeable German couple. Just in case. For lunch: sautéed wild mushrooms!

Back at the river, the same mama bear from yesterday has reappeared. Not shy, she has just been “gazed” by a park employee, who was counting salmon on the bridge. The employee, very used to this, reassures us: the bear will be back soon. And indeed, a few minutes later, there she is! No sign of her cubs. Now that the employee is gone, she resumes her fishing from the same spot and quickly gets to work. With her sharp claws, she grabs the salmon with ease, guts them with her teeth, and devours them, everything except the head!

Back in Haines, we stroll through the village and stock up on a few groceries to go with our freshly picked mushrooms. Dinner is a wild mushroom sauté with fries (not homemade, sadly, no time), green beans, and a good steak. We eat it all in the car, sheltered from the rain, facing the bay.

Before leaving Haines, we return to the river for one last chance to see the bears. Unfortunately, the place is now full of fishermen. No bears, but we do enjoy watching a majestic bald eagle. Rémi has developed a bit of a passion with eagles, he’s determined to get the perfect shot. Which is not easy, since they always perch way up high, out of reach. But he’s doing a great job 😉

We loved watching the bears fish for salmon so much that we will definitely return to the Chilkoot River on our way back from our trip! Now it’s time for the long drive back to Canada. We had planned to take the ferry, but the cost is outrageous and the next one isn’t for another three days. So, we’re preparing to take the long road back to the Alaska Highway and onward to Whitehorse, nearly 400 km (250 miles), passing through the improbable Carcross Desert. As we cross the border out of Alaska—America’s 49th state—we spot our 49th bear by the roadside. A beautiful coincidence 😊 Either way, we are thrilled to have finally seen bears fishing for salmon in Alaska!

L’article Canada, Yukon, and Alaska – Hiking in Kluane National Park and salmon fishing in Haines est apparu en premier sur Un pneu plus loin.

When you’re about to drive more than 800 km (500 miles) of gravel road with your expedition Jeep to reach the Arctic Ocean, let’s just say it smells like pure adventure! A road to the ends of the earth, the Dempster Highway connects the town of Dawson City to Inuvik over 734 km (456 miles). It crosses two Canadian provinces, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, and even passes through the Arctic Circle! Beyond Inuvik, a new road built in 2017 allows you to drive an additional 140 km (90 miles) to reach the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic Ocean! Our wildest dream. So, are you ready for a road trip on the Dempster Highway with a Jeep?

Saturday, July 9, 2022

A legendary route for all travelers, the Dempster Highway is both admired and feared. Since we started our journey across Canada, we have heard a lot about this road. The main thing being that we’ll be completely on our own. On the Dempster, there’s no mobile service. No towing, no emergency services. Very few gas stations. Trucks speeding past. Extreme dust conditions causing terrible visibility. A bumpy road where anything can happen. Stories of travelers’ misadventures haunt our minds. So, when we leave the pavement behind for more than 800 kilometers of gravel, we are filled with both excitement and caution. Jeepy, we’re counting on you, don’t let us down! 🤘

The first few kilometers are nerve-wracking. When a truck approaches, we pull over. When a car comes, we slow down. If no one’s around, we drive in the middle. The Dempster’s shoulders are known to be steep, ending up in the ditch is not an option. We drive with headlights and fog lights on. We have deflated the tires, remembering that last summer, before setting off on our Pan-American road trip, a tiny rock destroyed our Jeep on a much less rough road than this one. Little by little, we settle into the drive and start to admire the scenery.

After 80 kilometers, we pull over for our first night on the Dempster. As expected, the mosquitoes show up, but the situation is manageable. We pitch the tent and sleep by the river, lulled by the sound of the water.

Sunday, July 10

Jeepy speeds along the road in a cloud of dust. There’s hardly anyone, just a few cars from time to time, a few (very brave) cyclists, and a caribou around a bend. The vastness and beauty of the landscapes unfolding with each kilometer leave us speechless.

By late afternoon, after about 300 kilometers, we make a stop at Eagle Plains to refuel. Aside from the gas station, there’s a campground and a motel. The motel dates back to the road’s construction in 1978, and not much has changed since, certainly not the carpet on the floor. Yet the price for a room is $225, with an extra charge… for the second person! Insane. Shower? $10 per person! No thanks. We drive a few more kilometers to find a “room with a view” by the river. Apparently, a pack of wolves has also made this place their home. We enjoy a wonderfully warm outdoor shower, what a treat!

At midnight, despite the fatigue and swarms of mosquitoes, we step outside to witness the midnight sun. A magical and emotional moment… the first of many on this road.

Monday, July 11

Today is a big day: after nearly two months of travel from Montreal and over 400 km on the Dempster, we have breakfast at the Arctic Circle! It feels unreal. PS: It’s 19°C that day on the Arctic Circle. Not so bad! We meet up again Juliette and Simon, Quebecers we met yesterday at Eagle Plains, whom we will cross paths a few more times along the road! Cheers, friends!

A few kilometers later, we cross another milestone on the road: we leave the Yukon and enter a new Canadian province: the Northwest Territories. A wild place where few travelers venture.

In this remote province, the tundra reigns supreme: a desert-like and inhospitable landscape swept by glacial winds. Hard to imagine what it must be like in the heart of winter! Definitely not a good place to break down. The road winds through this endless expanse. We scan the horizon which stretches as far as the eye can see, hoping to spot a grizzly, a moose, a caribou, any sign of life. But no luck.

After several hours of driving, we stop at Fort McPherson for a picnic and to refuel: on the Dempster, never skip a gas stop! This small town of 900 people has a few houses, a grocery store, and a gas station. With its old buildings and dusty roads, it’s not exactly welcoming. Imagine what it’s like in winter! Two short, free, on-demand ferries take us across the Mackenzie River and then the Peel River.

Then it’s back on the road for more long hours. An endless straight line of 150 km leads us to Inuvik, where, surprise, the road is paved! What a joy to drive on smooth asphalt. It’s like taking off ski boots after a day on the slopes 😂 Inuvik is the largest Canadian settlement north of the Arctic Circle. The average annual temperature? -8°C 😲 With 3,500 residents, there’s a church, a bank, a grocery store, and even an aquatic center, where we take a nearly warm shower. At least we’re no longer dusty!

We happen to arrive in Inuvik during the Great Northern Arts Festival, the world’s longest polar festival (ten days). We take the opportunity to enjoy the evening’s entertainment: a show about the Arctic sports of the indigenous peoples… Oh wait, it’s canceled. The person who was supposed to lead the show didn’t show up 😅 Well, it’s 9 p.m. Should we go to bed? Nope! On a whim, we decide to drive to Tuktoyaktuk. Why not, after all? Here, the day never ends, so we won’t be driving at night! Off we go for over two hours on a rough road, with a thick fog setting in.

We arrive in Tuktoyaktuk (pronounced Tuk-tu-yaaq-tuuq), or just “Tuk,” at midnight. Despite the late hour, the village is lively: a baseball game is going strong and kids are riding their bikes in the street. Everyone makes the most of these long summer days. Here, we are far from the picturesque little fishing village. Everything is raw, authentic, and unfiltered. This Inuvialuit (Inuit) hamlet is home to 900 people. In the Inuvialuit language, Tuktoyaktuk means “resembling a caribou.”

Tuk has been only welcoming travelers since 2017, when the final section of road was built. Given the journey it takes to get here, visitors are still rare. Before the road was built, Tuk was only accessible by car in winter thanks to the ice road. For now, the village relies mainly on fishing (especially beluga), hunting, and trapping. We learn at the tourist office, a temporary bungalow while a real building is being constructed, that the music group Metallica once played a concert here a few years ago! Pretty cool.

It was 37°C (98°F) just a few days ago. But we’re too late: today, a thick fog has fallen over the village, and it’s freezing cold! We settle in and spend a quiet night facing the Arctic Ocean.

Tuesday, July 12

We wake up early, facing the Arctic Ocean. Wow! That alone gives us chills. And not just because of the weather! Well, okay, a little from that too. No miracle this morning: the fog is still thick, and the wind is icy. But we’re overjoyed to pose in front of the famous sign and immortalize this magical moment. We are facing the Arctic Ocean, and we got here by car! 😎✌️ We drove the entire Dempster Highway with our Jeep, starting from Montreal!

Braving the cold and wind, we take a walk around the hamlet. The main attraction is the schooner Our Lady of Lourdes. For over 20 years (in the 1930s and 40s), it served as a supply ship for Catholic missions between Tuk and the neighboring province of Nunavut. We were also told to try the local food at Grandma’s Kitchen (the only restaurant), but we’re greeted with hot dogs, pizza, and burgers at sky-high prices. The only local dish? Beluga. It hurts our hearts to eat whale, so we pass and prefer to stroll through the streets to soak up the authentic atmosphere.

But it’s impossible to leave Tuk without having dipped our hands in the Arctic Ocean. We would have loved to swim in it, but today, that’s guaranteed hypothermia! No regrets though, as we’ll get our revenge when we swim in the Southern Ocean near Ushuaia at the end of our Pan-American road trip, and again in Alaska’s Arctic Ocean at the end of the Dalton Highway on our way back!

We leave Tuk in the afternoon to return to Inuvik, hoping to find some warmth and less wind. But first, we refuel the Jeep, running out of gas out here is not an option! Fuel is insanely expensive, so we empty one of our reserve tanks.

No luck with the warmth; it’s just as cold in Inuvik. Besides, the evening concert, part of the festival, has been moved indoors to the hockey stadium. We attend the concert of a local group: the Beluga Boys.

Wednesday, July 13

Now that we’ve reached the ends of the earth… it’s time to go back! A long drive awaits us as we retrace our steps down the Dempster Highway. Fog, rain, sun, dust, wildlife, endless scenery, and breathtaking landscapes: today we cover more than 500 km (300 miles), quite a feat considering we average 80 km/h. In the late afternoon, a dark cloud looms on the horizon. We can feel a storm coming! Worse still: a real hailstorm hits us! Fortunately, it passes in 5 minutes.

For our last night on the Dempster Highway, we bivouac in a riverbed. It’s cool, and this coolness has a big advantage: no mosquitoes (or almost)!

Thursday, July 14

The final kilometers of the Dempster Highway. We stop for a short hike in Tombstone Territorial Park to stretch our legs after days on the road.

The end of an adventure! Suddenly, the dusty gravel gives way to smooth pavement. Wow! Back to civilization. It feels like returning from another world. So many emotions knowing this long-awaited journey is coming to an end. We did it! We drove the entire Dempster Highway in our expedition Jeep and dipped a hand into the Arctic Ocean. Pure happiness! We are proud and beyond thrilled with what we have accomplished. And Jeepy definitely needs a good wash! 😆

Mission accomplished in Canada. Now, it’s time to move on to the next part of our journey, which promises to be just as incredible. In one word: Alaska.

L’article Canada, Yukon, NWT – Midnight Sun, Arctic Circle, and Arctic Ocean: Story of Our Journey on the Dempster Highway est apparu en premier sur Un pneu plus loin.

Over more than 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles), the legendary Alaska Highway led us from the Canadian Rockies to the capital of the Yukon, Whitehorse. Almost two months after leaving Montreal, we can finally say we’ve made it to the Great North. The Yukon, with its untouched, mountainous landscapes, endless forests, wild animals, tundra, remote towns, and gold rush history. We are eager to explore the Yukon, from Whitehorse to Dawson City. But first, we must face the wildfires, a real scourge that ravages this Canadian province every year.

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Welcome to Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon, and also the largest city in Northern Canada! Nearly 26,000 people live here, which is about 75% of the Yukon’s entire population! We’re glad to be here in the summer, because we can’t even imagine what kind of winters they must endure, so far north 😅 For now, it’s warm, sunny, and everything is green and beautiful. We’re already charmed by Whitehorse.

However, the city is in turmoil: there’s no internet. Just our luck! After nearly five days on the road along the Alaska Highway, we have work to catch up on. The general outage is supposedly due to fires farther north that have burned through some cables. Everything is down. We wait in line at the bank with half the town to withdraw some cash, since no machines are working in shops, and Jeepy needs an oil change. Then we settle in at Tim’s and try to catch a few drops of bandwidth to get some work done. Easier said than done…

In the evening, we order a pizza and eat it near the city’s dam. It’s particularly pleasant. Before going to bed, we enjoy a magnificent sunset at 11 pm. These endless days are just as magical as they are fascinating!

Thursday, July 7

Good news: the internet is back! Just like the day before, but without the network struggle, we spend the day at Tim’s from 8 am to 7 pm. Then, we go for groceries, refuel (including our two 20-liter jerry cans, since gas stations are rare in the Yukon), and stop by the visitor center to get some info. Fires are still burning along the road, and some sections are closed. At 10 p.m., we pick up takeout from a Chinese restaurant and head back to the same overnight spot.

Friday, July 8

We spend the morning strolling through Whitehorse, with its streets lined with historic Gold Rush-era buildings. The contrast between the perfectly preserved vintage structures and the city’s modern vibe is pretty amusing: a Sport Expert store inside a historic building, old murals showing scenes from the Gold Rush, vintage parking meters, charming period homes that are still lived in. We are captivated by the city’s cinema, preserved… in its original state. We love it!

At the entrance to town stands the SS Klondike II. This massive boat, built in 1937 after the original SS Klondike sank, ferried goods and passengers between Whitehorse and Dawson City, almost 800 km (500 miles) farther north, until 1955. Cargo and passengers arrived in Whitehorse by train, but beyond that point, there were no more roads or railways to go north. Other than walking or using dog sleds, the riverboat was the only option: a perilous journey along the Yukon River and its rapids.

We wrap up our Whitehorse visit with a stop at the canyon.

Today, we’re not taking a boat to Dawson City, but the Klondike Highway. The GPS indicates a 6-hour drive. But that doesn’t account for the fires… After 2 hours on the road, we’re stuck in Pelly Crossing, a seriously remote little town. As expected, the road is closed, and no one knows when it’ll reopen. Maybe tonight… or maybe tomorrow. After some hesitation, we decide to wait. There’s no way we are heading back to Whitehorse and making a huge detour through… Alaska!

Luckily, we’re not alone! Our German friends we met on the road are here to keep us company. They are just returning from Alaska and the Dempster Highway and have loads of advice to share! Not just advice, actually, they’re wrapping up their trip out west and gift us some of their gear they no longer need.

We also meet Alex, a truck driver. The kind who flies down narrow 90-kph roads at 110 and passes like mad. Alex loves our Jeep and invites us to stay at his island near Toronto! Maybe one day 😉 He’s traveling with his son, and the two of them drive nonstop. While one sleeps, the other drives. They’ve been doing this all summer. It’s Friday and they’re heading to the Dempster Highway, the road to the Arctic Ocean (from Edmonton, 3,200 km – 2,000 miles!) for… the third time!! 😲

We wait for 3 hours. Then, a car stops and tells us that the road will open in 5 minutes. Time to go! No way we are missing the convoy, as it’s probably the last one of the day. Alex, despite being chatty, disappears in less than ten seconds. We also pack up quickly, and off we go! A lead car in front, a tail car behind. We are a convoy of about thirty vehicles. The first few kilometers go smoothly. Then, we approach the fire: lots of smoke, reduced visibility, burned trees on the sides, and even some still-smoldering spots. It’s apocalyptic. Traveling in a convoy is reassuring.

After 60 km, we exit the burn zone, and the convoy breaks up. Still a lot of smoke, though. Impossible to spend the night in the area. It’s 10 p.m., but we decide to push on to Dawson City to sleep safely. The road is long and full of construction zones where we drive over dirt. Smoke plus dust, we can’t see much. We enjoy a well-balanced meal in the car (chips, peanuts, and cookies).

We arrive on the outskirts of Dawson City at 6 pm half past midnight, we lose track of time with the endless daylight! 😀 A beer with our German friends, and then off to bed! Friends, thank you again for these few hours and evening spent together. Thank you so much for everything you generously gave us: the Milepost has found its place in our cockpit, and it served us well on the Dempster Highway. The fish was absolutely delicious! And we hope to find some gold nuggets thanks to your gold pans! Thank you also for the America the Beautiful Pass! We will make good use of it 😊

Saturday, July 9

Time to explore Dawson City, birthplace of the Klondike Gold Rush!

In 1896, gold was discovered in the Klondike River. Immediately, gold seekers from around the world arrived, displaced the First Nations who had lived here forever, and built up the town of Dawson City. A few years later, everyone left, some rich, some empty handed, leaving behind scarred landscapes and an almost deserted town. Walking around the town, we can easily imagine the lives of these men and women in such a hostile place and the endless, glacial winters they endured. When Dawson City lost its title as the capital of the Yukon to Whitehorse in 1953, the government built a road between the two cities to appease the locals. That’s how now we’re able to reach it by road Today, the town has 1,800 residents and survives thanks to tourism.

The Gold Rush Buildings

We wander the village streets. All the buildings are beautiful. From the best-restored to the most weathered, they all have a certain charm that fascinates us.

We then join a Parks Canada guided tour. Our guide, dressed in period costume, takes us to the most iconic places of the Gold Rush and passionately shares the story of the town and the gold seekers’ lives in this remote village, which at the time was completely cut off from the world. It’s fascinating.

The Bank

People came to the Dawson City bank to weigh their gold and exchange it for real money.

The Saloon

A saloon with a very cozy atmosphere. The mirrors at the base of the counter allowed gentlemen to try to glimpse the ladies’ ankles.

The Post Office

Bear Creek

The abandoned village of Bear Creek has about sixty buildings, left behind overnight when gold mining became unprofitable. In the various buildings, we find hundreds of archive files. Offices still filled with documents and various items, calendars from 1966, old work schedules with former workers’ names and notes, and old maps marking gold streams in the region. This village operated from the early 1900s to 1966, after the Gold Rush. It was run by private companies that employed young workers doing 12-hour shifts in the mines.

We learn how gold bars were made: the soil was manually sifted, the extracted gold was dried, then melted in a massive oil furnace. The molten gold was poured into ingot molds and stored in giant safes before being sent to the city and sold to the bank.

The Dredge

Along the road, we then discover a huge dredge, sitting in a dry riverbed. At its peak production, it processed up to 23 kg (50 lbs) of gold in 3 to 4 days! Giant iron excavation buckets scraped the riverbed to extract tons of earth and gravel, which were then sifted. The leftovers went to Bear Creek for gold extraction. In nearly 50 years of operation, the dredge extracted 8,500 kg (19,000 lbs) of gold and 49 million cubic meters of gravel. Quite the impact on the environment🙃.

It’s still a question today. On the mountains and near the rivers and streams, we still see massive machines turning over huge amounts of earth. Production isn’t what it was 60 years ago, but the way they tear into the mountains and flip the land is heartbreaking. Dawson City is particularly beautiful, but the surroundings? That’s another story. Huge mounds of dug-up earth and gravel are everywhere. Everything is dug up, turned over, searched, and abandoned: old rusty machines, abandoned trailers, ruins, and old tools. Everything is a reminder of the town’s former life.

Eldorado Creek

We try our luck at Eldorado Creek (a promising name), where there’s a small public area to pan for gold. Indeed, you can’t just pan in any old stream! Every parcel of land belongs to a prospector, and woe to anyone who tries to find gold on someone else’s claim! In this public site, a few rules apply: technically, you can only pan three times per season, and you can only use basic tools: a shovel, sieve, and pan. Honestly, we’re not likely to find much: we clearly lack experience and technique 😅 So, we won’t get rich today!

After spending a few days visiting Dawson City, it’s time to prepare for a great adventure! An adventure we have been eagerly awaiting for several months! Indeed, we are setting off with our 4×4 expedition vehicle on the legendary Dempster Highway, an extreme road leading to the Arctic Ocean!

Are we ready? Check! Is the Jeep ready? Check! We fill up with water, gas, and our two reserve tanks on the roof. We stock up on food and remove the rear fenders, deflate the tires, and remove the ventilation grilles. A quick check of the Jeep to ensure everything is okay? Check! We are ready, Jeepy is ready. Let’s go!

Off we go on a multi-day expedition on the Dempster Highway towards the Arctic Ocean!

L’article Canada, Yukon – Wildfires and Gold Rush from Whitehorse to Dawson City est apparu en premier sur Un pneu plus loin.

Among the most legendary roads in the world is the Alaska Highway! Built in just eight months in 1942 to connect Alaska to the rest of the US, it winds through over 2,500 km (1500 miles) of untouched wilderness, from Dawson Creek in British Columbia to Fairbanks, Alaska, passing through the wild and remote Yukon Territory. Our plan is to drive it in its entirety! So, here we go on a memorable road trip along the Alaska Highway in our expedition Jeep! But for now, several days on the road and many adventures lie ahead before we reach Whitehorse, the first stop and capital of the Yukon.

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

A road trip on the Alaska Highway begins in Dawson Creek. It’s nearly 500 km (300 miles) from Jasper National Park. Heavy rain and industrial developments line our route, a stark contrast to the pristine wilderness we grew used to in Alberta’s national parks: oil, shale gas, coal mining, overexploitation of wood. We’re now seeing a much less glorious side of Alberta.

We find a free campsite deep in the woods, choose a sunny spot, set up the tent, light a fire, and take a lukewarm shower. We enjoy delicious burritos by the campfire. Then we roast marshmallows. A perfect evening, just the way we like it!

Thursday, June 30

We have left the mountains and are back in the plains of Alberta. The big nearby city is aptly named: Grande Prairie. We spend most of the day there: ordering and applying stickers on the Jeep, giving it a thorough wash, and stocking up on groceries. We can feel that we’ve left the mountains; it’s now stiflingly hot. In the early afternoon, we hit the road again, and, a few hours later we finally reach Dawson Creek! This is where the legendary Alaska Highway begins. It’s a big moment for us to pose with the Jeep in front of the iconic Mile 0 sign. Our road trip on the Alaska Highway can finally begin! We’re off on a 2,500 km journey to the end of the world!

After a long afternoon and evening of driving and some difficulty finding a spot for the night, we end up in the town of Fort St. John, where we spend a restless night in a park, surrounded by some partygoers.

Friday, July 1

It’s Canada Day! For us, it’s a day on the road. And what a road! Straight, empty, and lined with stunning scenery. Here, no more tourist buses or rental RVs. We’ve left the classic tourist trail behind. Mountain landscapes replace the prairies. We’re entering the northern part of the Rockies. The road becomes wilder, and the wildlife encounters multiply: an owl perched on a power line, three black bears by the roadside, a moose crossing in front of us (our first moose – no photo, unfortunately!), and even a caribou! Each sighting is a thrilling and magical moment that brightens our journey.

Amidst all these animals, we then make a stop in Fort Nelson, a small town on the Alaska Highway. We fill up on gas and water, grab some Wi-Fi, then head out again to meet some friends further down the road.

With all these stops, we arrive at our camp spot around 8 p.m. But, at these latitudes, it never really gets dark, and we can set up and cook in daylight. We reunite with our Swiss friends, whom we met in Banff, and spend the evening by the campfire, waiting for night to fall. It eventually gets the better of us: we go to bed at midnight under a still-bright sky.

Saturday, July 2

Dream spot. In a riverbed. Particularly pleasant warmth. Bright sunshine. What if we took a break and spent the day here? For the first time on our trip, we decide to do nothing, simply. No driving, no hiking, nothing. Just relax. The day is spent sunbathing, dipping our feet in the icy water, and relaxing, ending with an evening by the campfire with friends. Simply perfect.

Sunday, July 3

After this restful break, we’re eager to hit the road again! We pack up early because we have a goal today: to see wild animals! Early morning is the best time for that. Quickly, our drive through the northern boreal forest turns into a full-on wildlife safari: three moose, several porcupines, bighorn sheep, black bears, and even bison! The kilometers fly by without us even noticing, with one amazing sight after another.

But our road trip on the Alaska Highway is suddenly interrupted. After two hours of driving, a roadblock stops us. We learn that the road is closed due to heavy rains that washed away the roadway (media photo)! What a nightmare! And it’s not like there’s another route… Construction crews are working around the clock to build a detour, but the road isn’t expected to reopen until tomorrow. We’re now stuck in the middle of nowhere, near a campground, surrounded by RVs and trucks that have been here for four days. Luckily, we’re near Liard Hot Springs – so we take full advantage and spend the whole afternoon there!

On the wooden footbridge leading to the hot springs, a big surprise: two moose grazing, just a few meters away! We have plenty of time to observe them. A real treat! We’ve been hoping to see moose since we started this trip, and we’ve already seen seven in just three days on the Alaska Highway!

But our evening near Liard Hot Springs turns into a nightmare. Mosquitoes, tons of mosquitoes. And of course, nowhere to escape: we have to cook and eat outside, entirely at their mercy. By 5 p.m, we’re eating, standing, quickly, constantly moving. By 5:30, we retreat into the tent for the rest of the evening – or at least we try, as some of the relentless ones manage to sneak in. The night is going to be long.

Monday, July 4

What’s worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere because of a landslide? Being stuck in a mosquito-infested spot! The night was terrible. When we wake up, no relief – the tent mesh is literally covered in mosquitoes. Gross! They’re all there, watching us through the net, ready to pounce the second we step outside 😱 We feel like we’re in a remake of The Walking Dead. So, we pack up the tent in record time and get out of this cursed place as fast as possible.

The Liard Hot Springs campground and its overflow area are packed with people. More and more trucks and travelers are stuck due to the landslide. We hear the road might reopen in the evening. But no way are we spending the whole day here, getting eaten alive. So, we backtrack about 50 km to Muncho Lake and set up by the lake, where we find some relief.

This little detour costs us dearly: we have to refuel at the Muncho Lake campground, where we find the most expensive gas so far (hold onto your hat) at 2.79 CAD per liter! Ouch. At 5 p.m, we try our luck, fingers crossed and sweating. Will we have to endure another night of horror? No! The road is finally open. What a relief! 😌 A detour has been built through the woods and across rivers in just four days to bypass the damaged section. We can finally resume our Alaska Highway road trip!

Eager to put as much distance as possible between us and the mosquitoes, we drive nonstop for over three hours to Watson Lake, the last major town before Whitehorse. Dusk is the best time for wildlife sightings – we see 11 bears along the road, both black and brown! Plus, bison! We also enter the Yukon and cross the 60th parallel!

We arrive in town around 10 p.m under a still-blue sky! No way are we sleeping in the middle of a field, at the mercy of mosquitoes, black flies, and other pests. We park at the visitor center, surrounded by other travelers.

Tuesday, July 5

Our morning in Watson Lake is spent chatting with other travelers, visiting the visitor center and its museum (and bathrooms 😀), and wandering through the town’s famous Sign Post Forest. In 1942, during the construction of the Alaska Highway, an American soldier suffering from homesickness put up a wooden sign showing the way to his hometown in Illinois. Since then, travelers from all over the world have done the same! Today, over 90,000 signs are recorded – it’s a true maze.

At the visitor center, we get some bad news about our route: wildfires are raging throughout the Yukon, and some roads are closed – including the one leading to Dawson City in the North! The problem? in the Yukon there are few roads, so if things don’t improve, we’ll have to take a major detour through the US. As we drive toward Whitehorse, five hours away, we can actually see parts of the forest burning.

If yesterday we saw 11 bears on the road between 5 p.m and 9 p.m, today, in the middle of the afternoon, we see… one! Not the most productive wildlife day 😅

Just before reaching Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon, we find a beautiful lakeside spot for a peaceful evening and a good night’s rest! Tomorrow, we’ll finally arrive in Whitehorse. But the Alaska Highway, which has amazed us so much, does not end there. We’ll be leaving it for a few days to explore the Yukon, this wild province of the Canadian Far North. We can’t wait to discover the Yukon’s wild landscapes and its rich Gold Rush history, between Whitehorse and Dawson City.

L’article Canada, BC, Yukon – Dawson Creek to Whitehorse: Wild Encounters on the Alaska Highway est apparu en premier sur Un pneu plus loin.