Northern Yukon –Whitehorse to Dawson City

2022 June 4 to 8

We arrived at Kathleen Lake campground and walked down to the lake that evening, with snow-capped mountains as the backdrop to a tranquil expanse of water. In the morning, we returned to the lake and had the chance to spot a beaver, beaving in the water. We then returned to Haines Junction, for good coffee at the Village Bakery, to continue north along Kluane Lake. At Thachäl Däl (or perhaps Thechàl Dâl’ – the signs showed both spellings) Visitors’ Centre we were pleased to see Daal Sheep high above us on the mountain crags. We continued to the excellent Kluane Museum, just a bit north, to then move south again through Destruction Bay and Talbot Arm to finally reach Soldier’s Summit Trailhead, where there’s a short walk to a viewpoint over Kluane Lake. We saw another Grizzly on the way south to Rock Glacier Trail where we walked up to another viewpoint, then to Dalton Post and finally to Million Dollar Falls campground, where we camped with the sound of the falls below.

 

On the Road

Kathleen Lake

Heading north

Thachäl Däl

 

Haines Junction

In the morning we returned to the Village Bakery in Haines Junction. After coffee, we headed east again to Whitehorse, stopping at the hitherto closed Visitors’ Information Centre. We lunched at the excellent Kind Café before making our way to Fox Lake, passed through Braeburn Lodge (acquiring some legendary cinnamon buns), then Carmacks, walking along the riverbank, and on to Five Fingers Rapids Recreation to finally reach Tatchun Lake campground.

Further north, Pelly Crossing was a gas station and grocery store. On our way to see Mayo, we enjoyed a short walk at Devil’s Elbow and then explored the village. At Mayo, Binet House was of interest, and we enjoyed coffee and a chat with Janicie at the Visitors’ Centre.

Continuing our way northwest we stopped to help a traveller with a car which had given up; enjoyed seeing beavers in a river alongside the road, then reached the Goldrush Campground at Dawson City; populated with wall-to-wall RVs, as is in the town and so a good base from which to walk into the town.

Dawson offered few options for dinner however the Pan of Gold Pizzeria was good. In the morning we went to the Visitors’ Centre and then continued around the town. The Cultural Centre was closed, the ODD Gallery at KIAC was worth our visit. The Yukon, Robert Service Cabin and Jack London Museum were all enjoyable stops. We also went to see Dredge #5 a little outside the town - an example of the dredges used for gold recovery in the river - leaving massive, ugly, tailings piles in the river valley.

We also enjoyed coffee and lunch and then started eastward again, filling with fuel at the junction with the Dempster Highway, to have a full tank before the northward journey.

 

 Kathleen Lake - another view.

Our next stages of the trip:

We plan to explore Dawson City, then head to the iconic Dempster Highway, with uncertainty regarding the river ferries, given the late end of winter, the high water levels, and the state of the road, then to Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, and the Arctic Ocean.

Hugs

Alan & Marce

Photos may be used for non-commercial purposes, with credit to alanymarce@gmail.com.