Pink & White Stick Horse

Another early morning for us from White Horse. We had to board our motor coach at 8:00 a.m. so before we did that we walked down two blocks to a Tom Horton’s to grab some breakfast and then went all over the street to Starbucks for that primary cup of coffee of the day to get us going. White Horse has a population of 23,000 persons and is the capital of the Yukon Territory. White Horse was a huge port in “the day”.

When gold was came across in Dawson City by George Carmack news speedily flew regarding Gold! Gold! Gold! And the rush was on.

We departed from the hotel on the plush motor coach furnished by Holland America and passed the huge white paddle wheeler, The Klondike. This was one of the only ways to get from Skagway to Whitehorse back in the Gold Rush Days. The Klondike was built in 1898 and is now a museum. We traveled along the Alaska Highway for when it comes to 20 miles to the intersection of the Klondike Highway. The Yukon River is 2,200 miles long and flows south to north and empties into the Bering Sea. The Raven is the territorial bird of the Yukon. In White Horse, they experience 6-7 hours of daylight in the winter months and 21 hours of daylight on the longest day of the year, June 21st.

Skagway was the gateway to the Klondike. The trek from Skagway started out with your original destination of Whitehorse and then at last to Dawson City. By the time the prospectors and hopeful gold miners in the long run had traveled all of the trails, they would have traveled over 600 miles in all.

100,000 men and women came through Skagway. They either climbed up the Chilkoot Trail or the White Pass Trail. They say that no matter which one you decisive to take, you always wished you had taken the other trail. The “Chilkoot” means the “meanest trail”. Schools do not have snow days but they have “bear” days. When the grizzlies determine to come visit, the parents keep the kids home.

We crossed the Tahini River which was very remindful of driving through the mountains in northern California with a two lane road with gravel and dirt shoulders and when it comes to 209 feet off the road begins the forest. We learned that when there happens to be a forest fire up here, they let it burn They do not fight it unless it is threatening homes.

This has been the introductory time that we have seen the Alaska fireweed. It is regarding two feet tall with delicate magenta colored flowers at the top. It is wholly edible and the initial flower to grow back after a fire. Then the birch, aspen and cottonwoods return and then the pine trees.

We stopped at the Braeburn Lodge for the greatest cinnamon rolls made in the Yukon Territory. These humongous rolls are at least 2-3″ tall and are at least 8 or more inches in diameter. The Braeburn Lodge is a little log cabin wit a huge front deck with hanging baskets full of purple and pink petunias and little pansies.

Animals that you will find in the Yukon include elk, moose, raven, black bear and grizzly bears. Polar Bears are only when it comes to 100 miles north of Dawson City and are the most violent.

Our tour guides are not letting us go hungry by any means. We have a stop each two hours. Today’s lunch stop was at Carmacks – another little village along the highway We had lunch at the Hotel Carmacks – a rich tomato base, turkey vegetable rice soup with our choice of sandwich. I opted for the veggie wrap which was in a green tortilla with only lettuce and cucumber inside – not the best choice taste wise. I would have enjoyed a salad more.The Hotel is a wooden structure painted in a light blue base with white trim. There was actually a little mini-mart near the front where they had a good supply of goods offered for the travelers that stop by.

After our tummies were all full, we headed out again down the highway and all over a new steel bridge over the Yukon River.

We had a picture stop at Five Finger Rapids regarding half an hour after lunch. Originally there were four islands in this very narrow channel which made navigating through the rapids rather a challenge in the old paddle wheel boats and other boats the prospectors had built for the journey. Now, there are only two islands and three fingers of the river – but it is still a dangerous area to pass through and rather a challenge in any boat.

Looking throughout the valley out the window of our motor coach I saw a gorgeous forest that appeared to look much like a finelooking green patchwork quilt of each color of green versus the rolling hills. The groves of birch trees or cedar trees stood out versus the darker pines and so thick that it looked smooth as if sewn together like a quilt.

The Yukon River meandered through the low meadows. As we continued on, each once in a while we would see more proof of forest fires. Though there was much new growth on the forest floor, the proof of the fires was apparent with the dark, burned barren tree trunks standing tall but with no segmentations – just like sticks stuck in the ground. There were also numerous areas where the trees had fallen and the trunks were laying on the floor of the forest next to each other, grey from the weather.

All along the highway there are signs for campgrounds for those being adventurous and driving through this magnificent area. There are little road stops with a one-pump gas station if you are in need of gasoline. Gasoline is rather costly here at when it comes to $1.18 per liter which computes into in regards to $5.00 per gallon in the US. Ouch!

The closer we got to Dawson City, I noticed yet another modify in the landscape. The thick forest changed to groves of birch and cedar trees with their subsections gently moving in the wind. Their white trunks are straight and tall and they have an umbrella of leaves on their top sections of a light grayish green color.

Dawson City was where the firstborn gold was found that started the stampede to the Yukon in 1898. George Carmack staked his assert on August 16, 1898 at “Discovery Claim” in the Klondike River Valley. As soon as news disseminate regarding the gold discovery, Dawson City saw an influx of thousands. The Gold Rush lasted only a couple of years, but the legend will live forever. It is said that there is still a lot of gold in them thar’ hills. Of the 100,000 who trekked over the mountains, only with regards to 30,000 genuinely made it to Dawson City.

Our afternoon stop in regards to 2:30 was at Moose Creek Lodge – just a little roadside log cabin painted red. Their assert to fame is their homemade tarts. We tasted a raspberry one – and they ARE very tart.

Tintina Trench was our final picture stop of the day. It is a fault line in a glorious valley of spectacular panoramic views of the majestic mountains and valleys of the Yukon Territory. It is 45 miles from here to Dawson City.

The forest has now changed once again to pines that are only one straight trunk up standing tall with no branches. The highway is lined with patches of bright pink wild sweet peas that grow to regarding 6 inches tall and are not edible. The landscape seems to change at closely each turn, and it is more pretty than the last one. The sky is so blue it is incredible. The skies have cleared with only a few puffy white clouds dotting it making it look even much deeper blue.

One of the other things that we have been competent to experience first-hand on this trip is the notorious Alaska mosquito. They are when it comes to ½ inch long and unluckily various have decisive my forehead is a nice place to have a little snack. They are pesky little creatures.

We enjoyed dinner last night at Sourdough Joe’s for fish and chips. I had grilled salmon and Jim had the cod. We ate with two other couples from our group and enjoyed getting to recognise everyone a little more.

Many in our group decisive to partake in the “Sour Toe” drink at the Gold Rush Hotel. Honestly, I thought it was gross and disgusting – but there were actually seven humans from our group that got in on the festivities. They have this big ceremony and if you put this frost bitten toe in your shot of Yukon Jack you have to drink it and the toe has to touch your lips.

Once that was over, we walked outside and the sun was shining high in the sky, not a cloud in the sky and it was 10:30 p.m.!! Such is the land of the midnight sun! Tomorrow we genuinely get to sleep in and we will take delight in that! We have a little coffee pot in our room – which we will likewise receive pleasure from while we are getting ready. There are “black out” curtains on our windows, so when we shut them, in a literal sense no light comes through and it is easy to get to sleep.

Pink White Stick Horse Pic

Pink White Stick Horse Picture

Pink White Stick Horse Image

Pink White Stick Horse Image

Pink White Stick Horse Image

Pink White Stick Horse Photo