In Yukon Territory

We spent 5 days crossing the Yukon Territory, Canada's northwestern province, on 570 miles of  the Alaska Highway between Watson Lake and the Canada/ Alaska border. It is named after the mighty Yukon river, where, close to Dawson City, the big gold rush began at the end of the 19. century. The population is just 34,000, which equates to merely 1 person per 5 square miles - and over 80% of the people live in the capital Whitehorse. Driving through this vast and empty land is a quite unique and impressive experience. We had the finest weather there  - sunny, dry, and daily highs between 75 and 83 degrees (24 and 28 Celsius).

Crossing into Yukon from the south, from British Columbia, the first major stop is Watson City, famous for its signpost forest that boasts over 80,000 signposts, brought  by visitors from all over the world.

 

 

Sunset over Lake Teslin, between Lake Watson and Whitehorse

 

 

At the Yukon River in Whitehorse

Historic steamer Klondike sailed the Yukon from 1929 to 1938

Downtown Whitehorse

 

 In Whitehorse begins the Skagway highway that leads to the Alaskan port of Skagway, which is a frequent stopping point of Alaskan cruises. We drove this highway some 40 miles south through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Yukon.

Emerald Lake, some 20 miles south of Whitehorse

 

A Grizzly bear right next to the highway



 

A whim of nature is the Carcross desert, a sand desert about 1 mile across

Lake Tagish

 

 

Located a few miles east of Whitehorse is the Muktuk dogsled farm, where Alaskan Huskies are bred and raised for all kinds of dogsled adventures, offered to tourists in the winter season. Silke and Benjamin took a 2-hour tour and were totally fascinated afterwards.

I guess I am lucky that Alaskan Huskies are...

pretty incompatible with our Hilton Head climate! 

 

Winding its way northwest from Whitehorse toward the Alaskan border, the Alaska Highway approaches the Kluane mountain range, where Mt. Logan is located, with 19,550 ft (5.960 m) Canada's highest peak.

 

Kluane Lake



Kluane Mountain Range