Elmo's log Anchorage to Edmonton

Matanuska Glacier
Panning for Gold in Chicken
Five finger rapids on Yukon River
Ferry across Yukon
Good place to buy bumper stickers in Chicken
Stone sheep in Stone Mountain Park
Clouds on road from Dawson to Laberge
Lake Laberge

Elmo’s Log: Anchorage to Brunswick

Elmo may not type this, but he significantly influences what goes in. Actually it would not take him much practice to achieve my typing proficiency. But for now I still have the job. This log is being posted from Edmonton, Alberta. This is our first access to the internet since leaving Anchorage.

August 15, 2006

Anchorage to Tok

The skies were overcast, dripping water, about 50 degrees; pretty much the weather of the summer in Anchorage (except when the Sunshines were here). This section of our trip was repeating the route we took coming to Anchorage. We couldn’t see anything then because of overcast skies, dripping water.

The clouds lifted by the time we got to Palmer and we could see the mountain tops of the Chugash mountains and they were dusted with new snow. Alaskans call that, “termination dust.” That is appropriate. This wonderful visit was terminating.

Sun actually shined on the Matanuska Glacier glowing green, like slivers and blobs of the Caribbean splashed on the ice. The Matanuska River rumbled next to the roller coaster road and the snow dusted mountains bulged under child painted skies. We decided that we should make a list of the top ten stretches of highway for this trip. The consensus was that the drive between Palmer and the Matanuska Glacier would be high on the list.

We camped again at Tok, but in a new campground, Eagle Trail CG. This was a great improvement over our first experience at the Tok River CG on the other side of town. We were worried about crowds; snowbirds going south; but this CG was almost deserted. We hope our fear of crowds continues to be unfounded.

August 16, 2006

Tok to Dawson City

Adventure is available, if you are ready for it. Elmo is always ready. Tim and Anne were packed and ready to drive by 8:30; a new record. Elmo was having an adventure and didn’t show up until 9:00. His tongue was dragging dirt, and an hour later when we turned north toward Chicken at Tetlin Junction, he was still panting. He has refused to tell us the story; maybe later.

The drive to Chicken and then on to Dawson on the Top of the World highway was a new adventure, a new road, and by itself worth a trip to Alaska. Chicken is now a community of souvenir stores; a restaurant, with souvenir store attached; a pile of gravel, dirt and rocks that is supposed to contain gold; gold panning troughs; and an RV park catering primarily to people who like to pan for gold for $7.50 per day. Chicken was originally founded and named by gold miners who could not spell ptarmigan. It is worth visiting primarily to get a sticker for your Yakama car top carrier and so that you can brag about visiting Chicken, Alaska. The turkey panini with roasted peppers, onions and pesto at the restaurant was also tasty.

One must also go through Chicken to get to the Top of the World Highway. This drive would go on our top ten list and close to the top. The road is further north than any road we have ever traveled and follows a ridge of softly rolling mountains providing endless mountain vistas north and south. The “highway” is dirt, mud and gravel with patches of pavement once you get into Canada.

We crossed the Yukon River on a ferry to get to Dawson City. Dawson looks like a copy of an old gold mining boom town, but a good copy. And don’t forget Robert Service had a cabin here. That also makes it worth the trip. We camped on the Klondike River just outside Dawson. Elmo consented to stay on leash.

August 17, 2006

Dawson to Lake Laberge

My bike is really muddy. It caught all the mud tossed up on the Top of the World Highway. We need to find a bike wash, and maybe a car wash also.

The road toward Whitehorse from Dawson generally follows the course of the Yukon River. Next week they are having a bath tub race down the Yukon from Whitehorse to Dawson. Look at it on the map. I wish I was at five finger rapids when the bath tubs came through. This is all Robert Service Country. And we camped on the “marge of Lake laberge.” Great campsite overlooking the water. Sam McGee picked a beautiful place to be cremated. I wonder about winter here.

August 18

Lake Laberge to Liard Hot Springs

We are back on the Alaska Highway and repeating our previous trip, but it is not the same; it is from the other direction and I think you could drive it a thousand times and be thrilled each time.

We stopped for lunch at a rest stop that provided a view of Simpson Mountain that looked like how a cartoonist would draw a volcano. A sign said it was formed during the Jurassic period (I have heard of that period; where is Reid when you need him) at the bottom of the ocean. We seem to be a long way from the ocean; talk about global warming.

We camped again at Liard Hot Springs because we liked the campground and the hot springs. Oh, almost forgot; we saw a herd of buffalo bedding down on the side of the road just before we got to Liard.

August 19, 2006

Liard Hot Springs to Charlie Lake

The excitement started early. I got up first to start the coffee. A big German Shepard ran barking into the campsite across the road. I told Annie to keep Elmo on the leash because a dog was loose in the campground. Actually it was the black bear that was loose in the campground and the dog had chased him up the tree in the campsite just across the road. And I was standing there watching. The dog ran off and the bear came down the tree and I lost sight of him. Annie, Elmo and I got in the car. A few minutes later a park guy came by in a pickup with dogs in the back. One was the German Shepard I had seen chasing the bear. “Did you see a bear?” the park guy asked.

I told him what I had seen. He got his gun and took off down the road. Two minutes later a lady came down the road walking her miniature poodle. I didn’t tell her about the bear.

We have another recommendation for the top ten drives: Liard to Fort Nelson on the Alaska Highway, really the part through Stone Mountain Provincial Park. Muncho Lake and Summit Lake are special. We saw several groups of Stone Sheep right next to the road. We also saw our first caribou of our journey. Even Fort Nelson seemed better with the sun shining and no sleet.

We camped at Charlie Lake just before Fort St. John; great Campsite, but a lot of traffic noise. Just before we got to Charlie Lake Annie and I both had the feeling that we were coming out of the wilderness. We saw cultivated fields, barbed wire fences, and round hay bales; none of which we had seen since May.

August 20, 2006

Charlie Lake to Edmonton

This route definitely took us through civilization. I have nothing against civilization; it simply takes more effort for me to realize its beauty. I will work on it. I am not ready at present to deal with the contrast. We are at a hotel in Edmonton. Flush toilets and hot showers are nice. The cell phone works. I can get on the internet. We may order a pizza and watch television. Civilization.