Alaska Highway

The Alaska Highway officially begins at Dawson Creek, BC but the approach is over 900 miles to get there. The roads are generally good, about like SR 42 N and better than Lassiter. We usually drive about 300 miles a day and stay in full service campgrounds or more fun the frequent state park like campgrounds run by BC or Yukon Territory. We have stayed at Bear Lake , Charlie Lake, and Summit Lake and there are no services but lots of space and hiking trails which we try after stopping and very few people-pit toilets but very well maintained and clean. Driving there are miles of mountains, trees, and wildlife and then there is a lodge or service station but usually about 50 miles apart. Over a dozen black bears,many Stone(Bighorn ) sheep, and an occasional moose are beside the road. Gas has been as high as $7 a gallon Canadian and groceries are just as high. Frequent Indian villages- lots of lakes. Walked to summit of highest point on road at Summit Lake campground, about 6000 ft- lake still about covered with ice. Water pump at campground broken and our water tank was dry so we had to dip water from the lake and filter it for drinking and coffee. No power but generator runs all night to keep heat running because temps are in 30's and not much over 65 during day. A warm welcomed swim in the Liard River Hot Springs was a great little side trip. Visited Signpost Forest in Watson Lake,YT where thousands of travelers have posted signs from their hometown and we have one to post on the way back. Made a side trip to Skagway Alaska, leaving road for 3 days, and hiked the Laughton Glacier trail. Took a train ride 14 miles and were dropped off for the hike-lots of people on train but we were the only ones hiking- about 6 miles round trip, easy walk until the moraine then had to walk over the talus fields. Aimee crossed the Skagway River on rocks-about 20 ft and went to the glacier which had left hugh piles of slit as it retreated. Skagway is an old historic gold rush town but now is a cruise ship town-4 there when we arrived.No issues this time crossing the Canadian border(learned to answer ONLY questions asked), back to the Alaska highway for the final push to Alaska. Even though we had to cross some frost heaved potholed roads for over 100 miles at top speeds of about 30 mph, the unbelievable scenery of beautiful snow covered mountains peaks, stunning views of some of the highest mountain of North America and the largest nonpolar icefields in N.A made every bump worth it. Spent two nights in dry camp parks- Kluane Lake (154 sq.m) Rec. Site then finally reaching Tok, Ak. Had our first experience with mosquitoes at Eagle Trail Rec area- there are no single mosquitoes in Alaska, they have all married and have large families-, we were the only campers there. Next am headed toward Anchorage, slow go LOTS of road construction but made the 300 or so miles, views of Mentasta Glacier and Mt. Sanford (0ver 16,000 ft. elev.) just to name a few. Camped in Ship Creek RV Park, within walking and bicycling distance of downtown and extensive bike trails, took 3 days and enjoyed riding bicycle trails, fishing for salmon under the historic urban Ship Creek Bridge-no luck-, replenishing supplies and washing clothes. Plan to leave for Kenai Peninsula tomorrow-June 10-if we can get some sleep. Last night the sun went down at 11:01 pm and it was light enough to read a paper outside all night. We have had no phone or Internet service until we got here but otherwise the Alaska Highway is not as tough as rumored-gas is plentiful but expensive and little settlements are every 40-50 miles but not much in between. The towns usually have a small grocery, service station and a liquor store but not much else. Attended a small historic(1898) Presbyterian church in Skagway that was formerly a Methodist church when the town was larger so we felt right at home. So far we are at about 6500 miles into trip but we plan to take more time to bike, hike, canoe etc now. Will add more pictures of these adventures on next post.