June 5, 2024 Haines Junction, YT to Tok, Ak. Apparently, YT does not go on DST so our times are the same as AK. 9AM YT – 3PM AK Miles travels 298, 38 mpg Ak gas $4.19 per gallon
Awoke at 6:30AM after a very quiet restful night on comfortable queen beds. They hire young adults to do road service in the summer. 3 of their trucks pull in last night and they are staying next door and down 3 more rooms. They are having a couple of beers and jovial conversation around their trucks but then it starts to rain hard. We never hear another peep from them until their alarm at 6:30AM, showers and out the door for work. It’s about 40 degrees and we can see our breath but no frost. At first there is a heavy fog shrouding the big snow-covered peaks across from our room, but the sun is strong and starts to burn it off. The peaks become clearer and clearer and just as majestic as we remember. In these high elevations and thin air, the sun is very penetrating. A stop at our new fave the village bakery for coffee and breakfast does not disappoint. It’s soft rock we have lost the Bob Marley tunes. To Cousin Cheryl, we know you appreciate fine dining and good food so always ready to share our experiences. We do enjoy the occasional treat as a reward for all our travel endurance. As we travel west a beautiful healthy, furry black bear is eating new grasses by the road. He lets our car get within 10 feet and get our picture then he runs off.
As we head to Kluane Lake, deep aquamarine waters and goes on for miles, the Kluane Range is impressive but not as high as the coastal mountains that sit behind them on the west; blocking the ocean moistures making this area quite arid. There is small amount of snow still on the peaks here and there is no ice on the lake. It appears that just this week later of travel has made a difference in temps and snowfall. The road is in good condition. An RV has stopped and we are rewarded with a grizzly sow and two cubs. Grizzlies can be a range of colors. These bears are very blond and blend in with the undergrowth well. All very healthy looking coming out of hibernation. They are in close proximity of a small Lodge. There are observations that successful mothers stay around a human perimeter that discourages male bears. A male will try to kill the cubs in order to get her to mate with him. We drive through our fave campground Condon Creek, a few campers are there, it is quite windy. They continue to insist that tent campers stay only in the high gated area with electric fence. From Desctruction Bay and Burwash Landing the road becomes difficult and will continue to be a challenge until we reach Tok, AK. We see one wind turbine, wondering what took them so long, it’s always windy here. Fire season is currently rated moderate. Depending on our elevation we move in and out of late and early spring. We are seeing black spruce and more deciduous trees like aspen and birch. There are small clumps of purple wild flowers and the ever-present dandelions. We come to the Donjon Valley with its impressive vista and broad valley. This river braids all over and is bringing water from the coastal mountain glaciers and snow. Small dust devils are moving around inside it. We meet up with a German fellow at a rest stop. He is biking the whole way to Beaver Creek in heavy front winds. He’s very fit and determined, we wish him well.
At this point we begin to move away from the coastal mountains and into the interior. High tree and grass covered high foothills of the Wrangell Mountains, home of at least 3 volcanoes. This is the land of lakes, rivers, streams and muskeg (bog). Big migration area for water fowl and we see some swans and strange ducks. We pass Beaver Creek, very historic and isolated small town. It’s also the Canadian Board crossing station. We stop at our now fave store to buy real Birch Syrup. With the Canadian dollar exchange it’s a good deal. Pure syrup is getting hard to find. It’s 20 miles to the US border, once there we are passed through quickly. The RV in front of us was being searched. Thank goodness they don’t want to explore our back cargo, it’s a very tight fit. The road: the stretch from Kluane onward is very bad in the Yukon. There is not much effort made to keep it up. We’re dodging potholes, washboard, gravel and dust sections. This continues into Alaska where the road it slightly better and they are paving new road that we have to get through with a pilot car. It is a miracle that we haven’t cracked our windshield yet, but there’s always tomorrow and then there is Anchorage driving. We pass through a burn area of thousands of acres. When black spruce heats up their cones explode and release seed so there is always new growth following a fire. Just glad we’re not dealing with fire. There is nowhere to escape to with no side roads or ways out. We stop at the Tetlin Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, always a fave stop for exhibits, views and great restrooms. Pat buys beaded patch kits that local Athabaskan women work on all winter to sell. It’s a limited supply and will sell out. If Pat can make the patches they will be Forget-Me-Knot beaded flowers to be applied to gloves.
We pass over the engorged Tanana River draining from the Wrangell’s to the Bering Sea. Finally, in Tok, Ak, an historic crossroads town, known for hunting, lots of moose in this area. No stop lights in this town. Very bare minimum services but one decent grocery store, lots of camping and some restaurants. We’re in early so go directly to the Fish and Game Visitor Center. Lots of large big game taxidermy and water fowl. The full-size birch and tar canoe is beautiful. But it is the log structure that is really amazing. The largest one floor log structure in Alaska. The size of the locally harvest trees for the logs are stunning, one tree is said to have been 200 years old. They use the wood in ways that create design more than standard log cabin. Then across the road stop at another log structure that uses burled wood in many of its structure. Very eclectic gift array. The owner’s name is Patsy, same legal name as mine. She is an artist and owner of the business. She grows all her flower pots for sale from seed and they line the porch. Bucky the well-known full sized stuffed moose is now behind clear walls for viewing. Back in the day one could sit on him for pictures, alas no more, he is retired. We staying in the same place in a small one room cabin with all amenities, chairs on the porch and a picnic table. We’re still in the 60’s and breezy. There is storm moving in with very dark clouds. Anchorage had 98% rain today and looks like they are sending it to us.
We have dinner at Fast Eddy’s our usual spot. It’s always hopping and bus groups are coming in. The whole operation works like clockwork and all employees are pleasant. Pat can’t quite bring herself to get the salad bar which is the only source of vegetables. The storm is said to come tonight. We plan to get up early and finish our trip to Anchorage. We have a lot of unpacking and shlepping stuff up three flights of stairs.
Note: considering writing a book on restrooms across America, the good, the bad, the ugly. LOL
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