More Than Halfway Now

Journeying to Whitehorse in the Yukon from Watson Lake would take us through known caribou country, over black spruce tree covered hills, valleys, lakes and sharp curves. Eventually we crossed the Continental Divide at 699.4 miles from the start of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek. We are now over halfway to the end of the Alcan in Delta Junction, Alaska with 687.6 miles still to go. As you are standing on the continental divide – the ridge line that separates two of the largest river drainages in North America-the Alaska Highway crosses the divide at one of the lowest points. Only humps of sand and gravel separate the west-flowing Swift River from the east-flowing Rancheria River.

Drop a leaf into the Rancheria River to the east and it would float to the Liard River near Watson Lake, continue to the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories and eventually reach the Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean); a long journey of 2,650 miles for our waterlogged leaf.

Drop a leaf into the Swift River to the west and the current would take it to Teslin Lake and the Teslin River. The Teslin flows northwest to the Yukon River which cuts across northern Alaska en-route to the Bering Sea (Pacific Ocean); a journey of 2,300 miles. We cross back over the border with British Columbia at Swift River then back into the Yukon near Lake Morley.  The road conditions are favorable with some 6 to 7 percent grades to deal with while pulling a 13,000 pound fifth wheel. Again, thank goodness for the exhaust braking and the turbo charged features of the one ton RAM 3500 diesel truck. We have enough control to brake and accelerate whenever necessary to keep us safe.

We drive over the Nisutlin Bay Bridge-the second longest water span on the Alaska Highway at 1,917 feet in length- before we pass through the town of Teslin at Historic Milepost 804, population 239. We are at 2,239 feet in elevation and only 111 miles from Whitehorse. We stop to fuel up in Johnson's Crossing, population 10, and continue by Marsh Lake, our original campsite location, until we considered Caribou RV Park instead which is 14 miles south of Whitehorse.

Caribou RV Park was highly rated, but in truth it was over-rated in our opinion; tight sites, close together with water and electric at $64 Canadian ($46 US). I guess the advertising worked, but too late to change our minds at this point in the trip, so we paid for the one night only.

We drove into Whitehorse to get some information and have dinner. I was shocked at the amount of graffiti on the buildings in town; just didn't expect to see that kind of urban blight in a region associated with all the natural beauty. The Visitor's Centre was a good first stop. We got plenty of good information and some local recommendations for places to eat. We left the truck in their parking lot and walked up the Yukon river to the SS Klondike.

SS Klondike is the name of two stern-wheelers, the second now a National Historic Site located in Whitehorse, Yukon. They ran freight between Whitehorse and Dawson City, along the Yukon River, the first from 1929 to 1936 and the second, an almost exact replica of the first, from 1937 to 1950.

Klondike I was built by the British Yukon Navigation Company (a subsidiary of the White Pass and Yukon Route railway company) in 1929 and had the distinction of having 50% more capacity than a regular stern-wheeler, while still having the shallow draft and meeting the size requirements in order to travel down the Yukon River. Klondike I had a cargo capacity of 270 metric tons without having to push a barge.

In June 1936, Klondike I ran aground north of The Thirty Mile section of the Yukon River (at 61°40′17″N 134°52′22″W). The company salvaged the ship's boiler, engines, and many fittings to build Klondike II the following year. The remains of the hull of the Klondike I can still be seen at low water by canoeists on the Yukon River.

Klondike II carried freight until the early 1950s. Due to the construction of a highway connecting Dawson City and Whitehorse, many Yukon River stern-wheelers were decommissioned. In an attempt to save Klondike II, she was converted into a cruise ship by White Pass and Yukon Route. The Duke of Edinburgh (consort of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada) was invited to tour the ship in 1954, being taken on a short trip down the Yukon River and back to Whitehorse during his day-long visit to the city. The cruise venture shut down in 1955 due to lack of interest and Klondike II was left in the Whitehorse shipyards.

The ship was donated to Parks Canada and was gradually restored until 1966, when city authorities agreed to move the ship to its present location, at that time part of a squatters' area. The task required three bulldozers, eight tons of Palmolive soap, a crew of twelve men, and three weeks to complete. Greased log rollers eased the process. On 24 June 1967, the SS Klondike was designated a National Historic Site of Canada and she is now open during the summer as a tourist attraction; except this summer, because S.S. Klondike is undergoing extensive restoration and lead removal work. This is a long-term project. During this time, the boat is not be accessible to visitors.

We found our first totem while walking through the Friendship Peace Park along the river-walk in Whitehorse from the SS Klondike.

This Friendship Totem Pole was created by Stan Peters in 1973. It is located in Rotary Peace Park near the Yukon River. This totem pole was made to encourage unity and friendship among all Yukoners. As in any art, there is symbolism in everything you see. Starting from the top of the pole:

The Thunderbird with outstretched wings represents power and protection. He controls rain and ensures vegetation growth. Prominent in Indigenous legends, the thunderbird is depicted as strong enough to pull a killer whale out of the water with his talons. Only the most powerful and successful chiefs and families use the thunderbird in their crest.

The Wolf holding “Skookum Jim” Mason, represents one of the major Indian clans. Mason is one of the men credited with finding the first gold nuggets in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898.

The Crow, represents the second major Indian clan. The Beaver symbolizes economy and trade, especially the fur trade. The Bear symbolizes motherhood and is the protector of the animal kingdom. With its great power and human-like qualities, the bear is known as the Elder Kinsman. The bear also symbolizes strength, by supporting everyone above him on the totem pole. The Colors are also symbolic: Black represents the charcoal of campfires. Red symbolizes mother earth and white represents the rapids that existed on the Yukon River.

We finished our day trip to Whitehorse with dinner at the Cooper's/Dirty Northern, a cozy neighborhood pub serving creative comfort fare, craft beer & cocktails in laid-back surroundings. Between the 4 of us, we ordered some pizza creations, bison burger with salad and a chicken burger with fries to satisfy our appetites after a long travel day and self-guided tour of the town.

Back to the Caribou RV Park to get some sleep and prepare for the next leg of the journey.