RubiKon: Yukon Quest '09

The Drive Home: Life on the Alaska Hwy

Before leaving the southern Yukon we spent a night at Tutshi Lake after our fantastic hike around Feather Peak.
Tutshi Lake is very scenic.

Along Windy Arm we took a quick stop to view Bove Island. Gorgeous!

Another quick stop at Carcross to view the relics and have an ice cream at Matthews General Store.

Once in Whitehorse, we hiked a bit through Miles Canyon and saw the Scwatka... a tour boat coming through on a picture perfect day.
We picked up our boat and said our goodbyes to Shawn in Whitehorse and took off back through the Southern Lakes region. It is a bypass of the Alaska Hwy and well worth it.

Along Tagish Lake we saw the fires that we first saw behind Whitehorse a bit more clearly.

Warm weather comes with a heavy price up here. Usually in the form on natural fires that are usually left to burn in teh roadless and remote bush country.

These sea gulls didn't seem to mind the fires or our presence.

Yukon Johann got a couple of nice shots of the Teslin River at Johnson's Crossing.

The next stop was for 2 days at Liard Hotsprings. These are some of the finest springs to be found in all of Canada.. and we dare say.. all of North America.

Because of the local fires and the heat, we found that we had the hotsprings all to ourselves at times. There is actually a cool portion of water at the end of this pool which we found quite refreshing.

The boardwalk to the springs in was also very scenic in its own way.

The sunsets at the Liard Hotsprings were spectacular. The smoke from the fires made a good filter.

We drove though Muncho lake and it began to rain. Arrrghhh! Last time though this area it was rainy and snowing for us (2 years ago)

We did see a few Woodland Caribou.

Woodland Caribou are genetically different than the Caribou seen in the farther north. These animals live not on the Tundra, but in the woods. Caribou are unique in that both, the males and females grow antlers.

The terminus of the rockies are here. If you look closely one can see the twists and folds in the continental shelf as it was thrust upwards from continental drift 176 million years ago.

The drive was precarious at times, especially along Stone Mountain park.

This poor critter had to be the strangest traveller we've seen so far. Not that little dogs are uncommon.... with all the large "Mansioned-Sized" motorhomes on teh road, we've seen pletny of these pint -sized mutts. This little guy was on a motorcycle tour with a solo female Adventure Rider... toughing it out in the rain!

We pulled in for the night next to the Ft Nelson Heritage Museum. Tomorrow we head to Ft St John.

More to come.....