The Long Haul

Day 1 Anchorage to Tok

The drive was long and often the roads were terrible, but the scenery more than made up for it. For much of the day we skirted Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest, and yet often unheard of, national park in the US (the size of six Yellowstones). It was peak after snow covered peak with a glacier thrown in here and there. Nine of the sixteen tallest peaks in the country can be found in Wrangell-St. Elias and we saw two of them. Besides the rugged beauty of the mountains, we saw wildlife (three moose and a lake full

of arctic swans) and lots of fall colors.

Day 2 Tok to Destruction Bay

The name itself (Destruction Bay) inspires fear and, to hear tell, the road to this remote outpost lived up to its name. However, the anticipation of the worst section of road in the country did not meet (luckily) our expectations. There were long sections of road construction and large potholes we had to avoid, but the ever- present frost heaves were few and far between. Added to the ‘not so bad’ drive was another smooth border crossing. Once again the scenery was gorgeous with snowcapped mountains forming the backdrop for the brilliant fall colors. Destruction Bay itself sits on Kluane Lake, the largest lake entirely within the Yukon Territory. The Alaska Highway runs next to it for some time and both the lake and the road are remote and desolate.

Day 3 Destruction Bay to Teslin

We woke to rain and cold temperatures in Destruction Bay, there was even snow on the surrounding mountains. The rain and clouds followed us most of the day, but the roads were good and the driving was easy. Most of our group saw a roadside bear (this is a big deal, since we have seen so FEW animals), but neither John nor I spotted him. From then on I kept a sharp eye out, but had no luck with wildlife viewing for the rest of the day.

Day 4 Teslin to Liard Hot Springs

We woke to a near picture perfect day, sunny and cold. There was a mist over Teslin Lake that was eerily beautiful. The drive itself was a visual treat. In this part of the Yukon, the forest is a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees. So ever mountain, every hillside was blanketed in green with bright yellow and orange weaving throughout the forest. Add to that, the brilliant, now red, fireweed, and the picture was complete. We also saw wildlife along the side of the road; one black bear (yay!) and a herd of bison. When we arrived in Liard (basically a lodge with parking for RVs), we immediately took advantage of the natural hot springs and spent a good hour or so soaking in the water.

What a perfect way to end a long truck day.

Day 5 Liard Hot Springs to Fort Nelson

It was cold and cloudy as we set off toward Fort Nelson. Just a few miles after leaving Liard we ran into another (maybe the same) herd of bison. We’ve seen many bison over the years, but always in the summer when they are shedding their winter coats. These bison were gearing up for winter and their coats were dark and thick and so much cleaner). After leaving the bison, the road began to climb as we entered Muncho Lake Provincial Park, which was gorgeous. At one of the rest stops we met a guy who was walking from the Yukon/Alaska border all the way to New Foundland. Impressive but a tad bit eccentric (and crazy). We continued to climb into the mountains until we reached Stone Mountain Provincial Park. This

area of the Northern Rockies wilderness is known as the “Serengeti of the North”. How true! Just passing through the park along the road we saw two elk, several caribou and some very cool Stone sheep. Once through the park, the road dropped down significantly to a valley and the small community of Fort Nelson.

Day 6 Fort Nelson to Dawson Creek

It was cold, dreary and rainy all day. But we made it to Dawson Creek, Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway. We did it! Our whole group celebrated with a laughter filled farewell dinner.

However, we are further north than when we started in Hazelton, and still have a long way to go.