The Longest Day or is it?

June 20, 2010
Day 11 of Moose and Mosquito Tours. Summer Solstice is approaching---twenty one hours of daylight and the birds are confused. The birds never stop chirping and I feel for them, but it does make it difficult to sleep in the wee hours of the morning.

Hello to the followers of Moose and Mosquito Tours. I am enjoying all of the comments. I do read them and share them with Greg –also known as the big fella.

Today we are “dry camped’” in Chicken, Alaska. After a five hour drive over the Top of the World Highway from Dawson City, Yukon Territory, we decided to stop a bit earlier than normal.
I will explain why later, but first a recap of our latest adventures.

When I last left you, we were in Whitehorse, YT. We restocked the larder, did the laundry, shaved, showered, shampooed, and we were ready to take on the town. Whitehorse sits on the Yukon River below the Whitehorse rapids and prior to the gold rush of 1898 was not much of a settlement. Today, it is a thriving town of 26,000 or so people. They even have a Walmart where many nomads like ourselves, are known to spend a night or two free of charge. As I previously reported we opted for the HI Country RV Park, which was crowded but at least it wasn’t a parking lot. But I digress, which is something that I do a lot, so back to the adventure. While in Whitehorse we toured the SS Klondike an old paddlewheeler that was used to ferry goods and people to Dawson City. A quick pb&j for lunch and it was time to take a guided tour of the old town. The young man leading the tour was college aged and quite personable. He provided great background on early Whitehorse and its prominent and not so prominent citizens.

Then we were off to the Transportation Museum. I won’t go on too much about this place except that it covered everything from snow shoes and dog sleds to snow mobiles. River craft, aircraft, old military vehicles, railroad stuff, firetrucks; you name it and they had it. It was a good museum, but we were there an achingly long time and so-much-so that I declared a moratorium on any more museums until further notice….OK it lasted a day. We ended our day with an outstanding dinner at the Klondike Rib and Salmon Barbeque. Greg ordered what turned out to be one pound of ribs. I kid you not! It was an enormous plate of ribs that he could not finish. It will be lunch sometime real soon. I had halibut with a bumbleberry sauce and brie. Yummy and the best part is that I did not have to cook. We left Dawson that night and spent the night at Lake Labarge in a government campground. Lake LaBarge is a beautiful spot in the Yukon River where the gold rushers would encamp providing that they made it through the perilous rapids near Whitehorse. The mosquitoes were swarming and we could not sit out and enjoy the night or the lake.


Both of us awoke very early and we were on the road by 7:30 AM, now on our way to Dawson City. Dawson City is located at the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike rivers. It was the destination for the stampeders of 1898 and has a very colorful history. Some of its denizens were poet Robert Service and author Jack London. Dawson City was also the destination of my grandfather, Pa, who’s biography I just completed. He arrived in the Klondike in about 1899 or so and had claims in the Dawson area. Visiting Dawson was an opportunity to walk in his footsteps or try to imagine what his life as a prospector may have been like. I learned that his claims in the area were a 5 to 6 hour drive into the hills or creeks as the locals say- and he walked or rode a horse two to three days to register his claim. That is just how it was then.

Robert Service Cabin

 The Canadian government has wisely declared Dawson City a national historic area. Many of the old buildings are under the jurisdiction of Parks Canada. It is a monumental task to preserve some of these sights. Things were built on permafrost, and as it melts, the structures lean. Some are precarious looking. We took a guided walking tour of the town which again was a good way for us to learn about the people and places. Our tour guide was a local and a real hoot. She waved at everyone that she knew and pointed out someone known as, “Caveman Jim.” Apparently this young guy lives in a cave somewhere nearby and has for a number of years. He rides his bicycle into town when he needs things. After the tour we found ourselves at the Dawson City Museum. Well, the moratorium lasted one day, OK? Once again, a great small town museum with history going back to the ice age…mastodons and such. It probably did not rate too high on the big fella’s list of favorite museums, but I enjoyed it. We were there a remarkably short time. Hmmm. While we were in town, of course there was a mining exhibit that could not be missed. Dredge number four was the largest wooden-hulled bucket lined dredge in North America. It was huge and we got to go inside of it. Whoopee right? Well, this is big fella territory and he was snapping pictures right and left. For the engineers in the crowd, he took pictures of the resistor. There were several dredges operating in the area from about 1905-1966. The tailings from gold dredge operations line the road and dominate the scenery as you drive into Dawson . They are mountainous and now have trees and other vegetation growing in them. That is about it for Dawson City but we missed the fire department museum. Damn!

We spent two days there and opted for the government campground just outside of town. We had campfires both nights. The first night the mosquitoes had a feeding frenzy. Greg was the primary victim but the buggers had the audacity to get me about the ankles. Little jerks! Night two, I put out the citronella candles-which Greg thinks don’t work- we were hardly bothered at all. Our campground neighbors said they were besieged. HA!

So, this morning we caught the George Black ferry to the other side of the Yukon River and began what I thought would be a nightmare ride on the Top of the World Highway. We had been warned that it was 113 miles of doing 15mph. Also, it was said that it was an OK road on the Canadian side, but hoo boy that American side is one lane and nothing but hairpin turns, steep drop offs without guard rails, and pot holes. Well, we made it. Yes, it was a gravel surface for most of the way. Yes, it was narrow sometimes, but the views were worth it. It was hardly the worst road that I have encountered. There are some places in Montana that I don’t ever want to go again because of the roads. We stopped at the top which is right before you cross the border and enjoyed the view and the moment. The day was sunny with a few clouds.
The border crossing was easy, but a word to the wise here—no duty free shop. Horrors! We decided to end today’s drive at Chicken, because why not! It is a wide spot in the road with a couple of RV campgrounds and of course beautiful downtown Chicken. There is WiFi but no phone service, go figure and three old men from West Virginia travelling without their wives. Greg heard one of them say that yes they left the spouses at home but heck the wives were sending money as it was needed and told them to stay away as long as they wanted These are women that I want to meet.

Top of the World Highway

Just a word or two about our Miller Times; yesterday’s was maybe the most unusual. Greg fixed me a gin and tonic, he had a martini, there was brie, crackers and to top it off chili dogs for dinner. What could be better? Chili dogs are now off limits! But here we are in Chicken, Alaska at our “dry camp” and it is pouring rain. What!?! A dry camp has no electricity. I don’t quite get the connection but I didn’t want to argue and I was able to get a showere. Yippee.

There is one thing that I neglected to mention about Dawson City. To celebrate the longest day Dawson locals get liquored up and drive to the Dome which is a peak right above town. Apparently, the city provides a shuttle service for those too impaired to drive. Good thing because the road is straight up with no guard rails. But there they sit and watch the sun go down at about 11PM and then wait for two hours until it rises. Just thought that I would mention it.

No wildlife, unless you count a few raptors, and squirrels. I know that there are a few moose left in Alaska, so I can hope. Greg just reminded me that we did no museums today. Hmmm.
More with the next WiFi.
Mary