Whitehorse (Takhini Hot Springs), YT to Carmacks, YT – 110 Miles
As has been the case every day for the past several days, we woke to a cool, drippy morning. The thermometer seems to be stuck right at 50 degrees, and outside it was drip, drip, drip. Since we were unsure of the weather conditions up ahead and how the Top of the World Highway was being affected to all this rain the past few days, we decided to go only as far up the Klondike Highway as Carmacks, just a bit over 100 miles, rather than trying to make it all the way to Dawson City (321 miles) then have to backtrack the whole way if the TOW was closed. Besides, we need a day of R&R just to get the motorhome cleaned up, do some laundry, and to catch up on e-mail and blog posts before we lose wi-fi for a couple of days or more. Plus, if the rain stops, I need to get the bulb changed in the front running light that’s out.
The first 20 miles or so of highway north of the Alaska Highway / Klondike Highway junction are in excellent shape, but we got into some construction around Fox Lake. At the time, we were driving in a light but steady rain and the temperature had dipped down into the upper 40’s. A young lady was working as a flagman at the construction zone, and as we pulled to a stop we realized she looked miserable out in the cold and rain with nothing but a small umbrella for protection. We gave her a couple of plastic garbage bags (unused) to wrap herself in, and was she ever grateful! The next several miles of roadway were in pretty bad shape – lots of potholes and washboard gravel. We probably averaged 30 mph through that section.
The Milepost had an ad for the Braeburn Lodge that mentioned cinnamon buns, so of course we had to stop for a bun and some hot coffee. Two tour buses were out front when we pulled up, and the place was full of elderly tourists. Since we were in no hurry, we just chilled until things settled down and then ordered our bun and coffee. The buns are HUGE, about 7 or 8 inches in diameter and 2-1/2 to 3 inches tall – about the size of a small cake. We’ll be nibbling on this bun for days. If we get stranded in the wilderness, we’ll survive for sure.
By the time we left the Braeburn Lodge the rain was starting to lift, and the drive the rest of the way into Carmacks was quite pleasant. No more construction along this stretch of highway, but who knows what lies ahead.
Pulling into Carmacks, we stopped to top off our gas tank. Regular unleaded was $1.429 Cdn per litre, or about $5.42 USD per gallon, depending on today’s exchange rate. Gas sure ain’t cheap in Canada, especially in these remote areas. It was $1.319 Cdn per litre yesterday in Whitehorse.
We stopped for the afternoon and night at the Coal Mine Campground, a mile north of the Yukon River bridge in Carmacks. The campground is right on the riverbank, and is popular primarily with river runners and canoe-ers who make the run down from Whitehorse or who are making a stop if they’re going all the way to Dawson City. While the highway is called the Klondike Highway and it roughly parallels the route taken by the Klondike gold rush miners back around 1898, the miners in fact all came downriver on rafts after crossing the dreaded White Mountain Pass just above Skagway. So the river runners are truly following in the footsteps (or is it paddlestrokes?) of the miners. Anyway, the tent portion of the campground was filled with a bunch of German river runners when we arrived at about 11:15 am. A large van was awaiting them, ready to shuttle them back to Whitehorse and whatever the next leg of their North American wilderness adventure might be. Oh, to be forty years younger and still doing crazy adventures like theirs. Of course we pass caravans of oversized Class A luxury coaches being shepherded along by their wagonmasters who probably look at us, out on our own in our tiny little motorhome, and have similar thoughts.
Well it’s starting to get cloudy, so I think I better get out and get a bit of sunshine while it lasts. Tomorrow it’s really on to Dawson City, then we tackle the Top of the World Highway on Friday.
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