In Episode 3 of our RVing to Alaska and Yukon we visit the Wilderness City of Whitehorse and explore the Klondike City - Dawson City.
With a population of 34,000, that’s roughly ¾ of the entire population of the Yukon, Whitehorse is a re-provisioning stop for many Alaskan travellers - but there is lots in the area to see and do.
We spent three and half days exploring the area - including a day trip to Carcross and Skagway - many don’t realize Skagway Alaska is only a 2.5-hour drive from Whitehorse and was one of the prettiest drives we did on our trip. Well, up to a point. When we got high into the mountains, and literally right at the border, the fog rolled in - we had a long chat about driving the last 20 kms thru the mountains in the fog - ultimately discretion got the better part of valor and we turned back but we did get to visit the quaint village of Carcross.
Originally called Caribou Crossing, Carcross is a quaint community, but Covid closures over the last couple of years seemed to have taken a toll and many of the shops in Carcross Commons were closed. But we enjoyed just wandering around waiting for Mathew Watson General Store, the oldest operating store in the Yukon and a fixture during the 1898 goldrush to open - we picked up a few souvenirs and of course some ice cream….which of course we would need hiking in the world’s smallest dessert - the Carcross Desert.
The next day we visited the Beringia Interpretive Centre. It is a small but very interesting museum where you can explore the formation of the continents, the ice age, its animals and learn about the first peoples of the Americas.
On our last morning in Whitehorse, we took an interpretive hike through Miles Canyon hosted by the Yukon Conservation Society. Where the Yukon River flows through Miles Canyon today is much tamer, thanks to a hydroelectric dam, then when the sourdoughs, the miners heading to Dawson City during the Klondike gold rush would have found it. But there are still many signs of the and artifacts of those miners that can be found on the hike, including a tramway car used to ferry their equipment around the deadly rapids that once existed here.
After the hike we headed back to the campground, hooked up and started our trek to Dawson City via the Klondike Highway. The drive was just as remote as the Alcan but not as mountainous. Evidence of the forest fires that had closed the road the week before was evident and there were just enough frost heaves and potholes to keep you on your toes. At almost the halfway mark we came to the town of Carmack where the Hotel Carmack has a store, restaurant and an RV park behind.
The next day had us driving through the 2 longest construction areas of our trip. Locals told us these were multiple year projects.
Dawson City is a truly unique destination. Located just 165 miles south of the Artic Circle it is the home of the klondike gold rush and visiting it is almost like stepping back in time to 1898. The streets are dirt, and the sidewalks are wood. History buffs will love it here.
Parks Canada offers some great attractions. There are guided walking tours of the historic downtown. There’s also tours of the Robert Service cabin and a small museum dedicated to Jack London and his time here.
Parks Canada also offers guided tours of the Keno, a steam powered paddle-wheeler that once plied the Yukon and other northern rivers.
And tours are also available of Dredge Number 4, built in 1912 its the largest wooden hulled bucket line gold dredge in north America.
And if you want to try your hand panning for gold, the Klondike Visitors Association provides the chance at the publicly available Claim # 6. You can even borrow a pan at the visitors centre.
There are a few camping options near Dawson City - we decided to stay at the Gold Rush CG. While it is basically a large parking lot with very tight sights, it was a well-run full-service campground located right in dt DC - this meant you could walk to the river, shops, museum, or visitors centre in just a few minutes - that includes Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall….and the Downtown Hotel, where the brave can order a Sour Toe cocktail. Yes, that’s a shot of whisky with a human toe that must touch your lips in order to earn a certificate that will give you bragging rights.
There was just something about Dawson City, something intangible, that made it so attractive. It was easy to simply find yourself wandering the streets imaging how much different life was here 120 years ago.
So many of the buildings have been wonderfully preserved while some show the effects of a hundred years of permafrost - both were equally photogenic.
We thought Dawson City was fantastic and was one of the highlights of our trip. We spent 5 days there and wished we could have spent a couple more.
#VisitDawsonCity
#ExploreYukon