Last days in Canada

YEP, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO DRIVE DOWN THE DEMPSTER HIGHWAY NEAR DAWSON
http://www.peelriverinn.com/dempster-highway.htm

We were told, by several travelers who had recently taken the trip, that it is a must see. It was described to us as similar to the Swiss Alps views. Never having seen the Alps, we decided to take a chance. This is actually a 460 mile route to Inuvik. It is the only road so you must take the same road on the return trip. You cross the continental divide, and Arctic Circle. We drove about 80 miles up the highway taking us about 3 hours one way.
We did see some great vistas, stopped for picnic lunch and were happy to return. Can't really say we would recommend it for everyone.

This is how the drive started

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 A bit of a cloudy day but made the views very interesting.

This is part of what added to the truck mess. The entire 80 miles was pretty much a mess. We averaged between 30 and 40 MPH

We stayed Saturday night at a government campground near Stewart Crossing.

No electric or water so used our generator.
But did have lovely flowers right out side the camper door. The sites were huge and spaced far apart from each other so lots of privacy.
 
Took a long hike down to Moose Creek and Stewart River. Through lots and lots of woods. Don't know what we were thinking. This is the sign posted at the entrance to the trail.

We particularly like the part about "our first mosquito bite contributing to the food chain". Carl mentioned that he thought the mosquitoes were huge but slow. We found that as soon as we stopped moving we were swamped with them and they are HUGE.

Part way down the trail we came upon this stairs. Not sure how many steps, but lots. We took a different trail on the return trip, without a stairs, so it was a steep climb up a hill.

 this is where the skeeters got us.








Took a short drive out of Dawson to the Dredge No 4.

 http://www.questconnect.org/ak_gold_dredges.htm

Chatting outside the dredge after the tour.

We really didn't know what to expect but man did we learn a lot. Explained the piles and piles and piles of rocks for miles in and out of town. Found out they are called tailings, left from the large company mining with dredges. What a mess, too bad they weren't made to clean it up. Oh well.

Carl on tour of old dredge. The place was huge inside with lots of and lots of machinery.

We spent well over an hour on the tour and learned how these machines worked and how much gold they got, and how many workers they employed. Economic life line for the area at the time. Mining continues in the area. Below is a map of active claims being mined.

Stopped at "claim 33" where we found yet more history of the area. We could have paid a fee and done a little gold panning for ourselves, but chose just to walk around and take it all in.
Following are more photos from sites around "claim 33'

Dawson maintains it's old feel with dirt streets and wooden sidewalks.

Not only the main shopping district but the entire town has dirt streets and wood sidewalks. We figure it must be an ordinance. Very interesting.

Historical society provides walking history tours of the town with costumed guides. We didn't pay for one of these, but find them all over town. We did our own waking tour as many building have plaques attached telling of the history of that building. Again, very interesting. The gold rush days really only last two years before the big mining companies came in and took over. That is when the building really began. Prior to that it was a lot of tent building and rustic living. Once it became a "company town" amenities picked up.

Several buildings in obvious stages of disrepair around town with plaques telling of the problems with permafrost and foots. The historical society has been working for years at restoring them. Monumental tasks I am sure. This town is sure worth spending some time at. So much history giving a real feeling of the way it was in 1898.

I spent some time visiting the Jack London (author of Call of the wild and White Fang) what a super visit and history. This is the cabin he lived in for two years. It was discovered in the woods down stream in 1969 and moved here. Even has his messages etched into the logs inside. Great little museum next door depicting his life and accomplishments.

This is the cache at the London cabin. We saw these at several old homesteads along the way. This is where folks would store their food goods. Away from wildlife and away from their cabins. You would have a ladder that you used to climb into the storage unit.

Probably the best part of our stay in Dawson was the "dome". Mountain peak overlooking the city where "midnight" sun gatherings happen.

 Plaque at the top of the dome.

We went there twice, at different times to take in the view. Never did make it up there for sun setting/rising as the sun set at 12:45 and rose at 2:30 while we were here. A little out of my time range.