Delta Junction & Richardson Highway, Alaska - June, 2004 (Re-run)

 After rejoining the Alaska Highway near the village of Tok, we followed it to its official end at Delta Junction, near the confluence of the Delta and Tenana Rivers.   This is also where the Alaska Pipeline crosses on its way south to the port of Valdez.  When the pipeline was first proposed, there were all sorts of dire predictions of catastrophic leaks, disruption to caribou migration, etc, etc.  None of those has come to pass.  The suspension system is designed to withstand earthquakes and human attempts to damage the pipe have been unsuccessful.  As for the caribou, they easily pass under the pipe, but prefer to hang around it in winter to enjoy its warmth.  A display explains all about the design and operation of the pipeline, including how metal "pigs" are sent through frequently to clean the pipe, pushing sludge on down the line.

The name Delta Junction reflects the fact that the Richardson Highway joins the Al-Can at this point, having come north from Valdez.  We spent the night here to be able to drive the beautiful road, since it would otherwise not be part of our itinerary.  I have to say, it was a great decision as the views of mountains and river were some of the best of the entire trip.

It was also an opportunity to stop for lunch at a true Alaskan "road house" for lunch, where I tried a hot dog made of caribou meat...yuck.

Yukon Territory, Canada - May, 2004 (Re-run)

 Our stop in Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon Territory and largest city in northern Canada, was a short one, although we liked it very much.  We actually spent much more time there on our return trip.  That said, we did take time to check out the Yukon River which runs through the town, and the old paddle wheel steamboat that navigated the Yukon back in the day.  The White Pass & Yukon train depot was quite active back in the days of the Klondike gold rush around 1898.

Not far beyond Whitehorse, we left the Alaska Highway to take the Klondike Highway that leads to Dawson City.  This town, also situated on the Yukon River, was the epicenter of the Klondike gold rush.   During that time, the population soared to more than 40,000, but after the gold played out fell to less than 1000 and isn't much more than that today.  One quilt was made that pretty much sums up the history of Dawson City.

There was enough gold left for successful operation of dredges, which left huge piles of waste that can still be seen.   

 

These days, the main source of revenue in Dawson City is the tourist business.  With its Victorian buildings as a draw, the town offers the kind of entertainment that might have been available during the gold rush.  Well, not everything.                                                                 

Many of the miners' cabins are still there and some are actually lived in.

I believe Jack London lived in this cabin while writing "Call Of The Wild".  Talk about immersing oneself into the story.

The Klondike Highway ends right here at the banks of the Yukon River.  Apparently, the government has decided it is more cost effective to operate a free ferry to cross the river than build a bridge that would only be used a few months each year.  It was a little daunting to pull our 40 foot motor home and a vehicle towed behind onto such a small ferry, but it worked out as expected.   We drove up the dirt ramp and onto the ferry, taking up one entire side.  Three pick-up trucks occupied the other side.

Once across the river, we drove the "Top Of The World Highway" toward Alaska.  The road isn't as high as the name implies, but it is the highest thing for many miles around.  I think the name is really due to its northerly location.  The scenery was pretty good, but not as good as we had been led to believe.  The road is about 80 miles long, about half of it unpaved and rough, and crosses the U.S./Canada border.  Along the way, the road passes the small "town" of Chicken, a must stop for anyone traveling this way.  We crossed the border on June 1.

British Columbia & Yukon Territory, Canada - May, 2004 (Re-run)

 The Alaska Highway, also known as the Al-Can, was built in 1942 to allow the military ready access to Alaska, which was considered vulnerable.  Japan did, in fact, make an incursion there by establishing a presence on two of the Aleutian Islands, the only U.S. soil captured during the war.  Aided by the highway, America was able to deploy a large force to Alaska and recapture the islands.

The Al-Can starts in the quaint town of Dawson Creek, BC, which has naturally tried to capitalize on its one claim to fame.  Lots of signage celebrates the "Mile Zero" status, and many businesses are themed to make tourists feel a little like they have already reached Alaska.  Despite having driven about 3900 miles to reach Dawson Creek, this is where we felt like we were finally on the way to Alaska.

The highway, built hastily and for military purposes, was once very rough, and wasn't even opened for public use until 1948.  However, it has been constantly improved over the years and is now a perfectly good highway.  Not only does it offer great scenery and plenty of wildlife, each town and village along the way tries to provide something that encourages visitors to leave a few dollars.  Many have developed "oddities" that are fully covered by the guide book "Milepost", which describes every one of the fifteen hundred or so miles.

 There is the unusual curved wooden bridge, the hats left at a restaurant by travelers and a "village" of signs brought in by many from their home towns.

One of the more famous stops was a restaurant called "Mukluk Annie's" where a delicious meal of grilled salmon was almost a requirement to use the highway.  They also offered a campground with hook-ups for a modest fee, as well as a "dry camping" area at no charge.  In addition, buying a meal entitled you to a boat ride on the adjacent lake with stories told by the owner.  Sadly, I've learned that the owners retired and the business is closed.