To the Top of the World

Our camper in the sunset on Kluane Lake

Where the river meets lake waters in Kluane Lake

Where the heck is Chicken?

A derelict dredge

A park in the Hamlet of Eagle

Our 13th anniversary, where does the time go? So close to the clouds you could almost touch them

Since our last trip to the North 5 years ago Ken has been talking about our great campsite in Kluane Park and the yearning to try his hand fishing in the Kluane Lake, so it only made sense that we return and spend some time in this beautiful area. Kluane Lake is another of those turquoise glaciers lakes that grace the Yukon with their presence. Near the south end of the lake where the Kluane River runs into the lake there is a definite line where the clear water of the lake is joined by the cloudy, silty water of the glacier river. We took a hike up to the original Alaska Highway(now a dirt track above the existing highway)and even higher up a trail onto a mountainside where we had a birds eye view of the meeting of the waters and a great distance down the over 80 km lake. Storms where brewing and we barely made it back to our camp before the rain started, we have decided that on this trip we must be be prepared for all weather because it changes faster than you can bat and eye. The rainy weather was not enough to dampen Kens spirits; determined to catch something in the lake, Ken once again set a line to catch Burbot(and once again lost the gear) and after that with his line in the water only minutes landed a beautiful 22 inch lake trout(which his mean wife made him let go, it was too beautiful a fish and she was sure there would be plenty more where that one came from and maybe instead a tasty whitefish)but this was not to be...after 3 days, not another bite! Oops! At the end of Kluane Lake is the small community of Burwash where we stopped to view their Wildlife Museum, we were there at 9a.m. when the doors opened and it was was sell worth the $3.75 each to enter. Every different type of animal in the north was on display and a lot of information on the natives, all done up very nicely.

Off from Kluane Park and onto a short trip into Alaska and The Top of the World Highway...in the rain oh and fog. Yes, rain all day as we drove with just a quick stop in Tok to fill up with fuel and give the town a quick drive through then it was off to Chicken(they couldn't spell Ptarmigan). The rain cleared the next day so we took advantage of the dry(I use the world loosely) and hiked into an old abandoned dredge, drove a while longer and off loaded the KTM for a ride 100km ride into the town of Eagle. What a great little town sitting on the edge of the Yukon River, it has around 100 year around inhabitants which surprised us because the road is only open from early May to the end of September/beginning of October! So, in that 5 months that the road is open they all have to drive out for supplies several times to stock up for the winter again, and in the fall hunt for meat. You know what???they love it!!! What a beautiful setting, up until a few years ago a tour boat came down the Yukon river with tourists and a bus took them back to Dawson City, the town made a meager living off the arts and crafts they sold but this is no longer an option for them. Two years ago there was a flood at breakup that wiped out a lot of the town and last year the road washed out...no more tours, but Ken and I spent our $6.75 to do our part to help.

Unfortunately, we had such a nice time in Eagle that we missed the border crossing into Canada, at Boundary, by 25 minutes and ended up camping at the wayside stop just on the American side of the border. Our anniversary night...the skies cleared, we had a great spaghetti dinner sitting out on the view point and later hiked to the border where I actually put a little more than my big toe over the borderline(I'm such a rebel). P.S. don't tell the border patrol they may check their videos and find the tape!!!