Fairbanks to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

We left Fairbanks in the rain. Our original plan was to drive to Haines, AK and board the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry to Prince Rupert, BC. We planned get off at Juneau (the capital of Alaska) and a couple other towns but we had heard of schedule mix-ups so decided to scrap that idea and simply keep driving our trusty Roadtrek. I guess that's the beauty of having a small motorhome and the flexibility to change our plans. We had heard Skagway was a good stop so hi-ho, hi-ho off the Skagway we go.

The first stop would be Delta Junction, the northern end of the Alaskan Highway. Along the way, we saw a black bear and a moose that wouldn't stand still long enough for a good photo so a moving shot would have to do. We chalked up another black bear and a critter Carolyn had never seen before, a porcupine.

We arrived in Delta Junction and quickly found the information center along with a sign that signifies the northern end of the Alaskan Highway. Construction of the 1422 mile highway started in 1942, the beginning of WW II as a military route to supply airfields in Canada and Alaska. 

The mosquitoes were HUGE!

We continued south and found a pullout with a nice view of a lake on the north side of the road and the Wrangell Mountains to the south. There was a path to the lake but the rain made it mudding and slippery so we passed. But on the plus side doesn't the Roadtrek look better? The rain provided a free wash.

The drive toward the mountains reward us with views of several glaciers and mountain streams. This stream near Cathedral Rapids looked too good to pass up so we stopped for a little gold panning. Nope, no gold but it's always worth a try.

The nice road would soon change as we ran into one of the never-ending road construction zones. The harsh winter conditions in permafrost regions requires constant repair and upgrade of the road. This construction zone lasted ten miles of so.

The Whitehorse Walmart is a main gathering point for RVers. We passed through Whitehorse on our way north but didn't spend the night. Besides Walmart, there is a huge Canadian Tire store in the same parking lot. 

We learned about Yukon Brewing when we had dinner ate Klondike Kate's in Dawson City so when we learned the brewery was in Whitehorse, we had to make a visit and take the tour. We learned There was beer tasting following the tour – we chose a couple favorites to bring home as Canadian gifts for some friends.

On our way out of town, we made a quick stop at the Whitehorse Information Center and had a fun, fun, fun discovery. As we pulled into the Info Center parking lot, there were two campers with VIA PAN AM painted on the sides. We immediately knew this was the daughter and son-in-law of the Belgium couple we had met while camping just north of Denali.

The group was having lunch. They took a quick picture with us so they could show their parents. We wished them well on their journey and left them to finish their sandwiches. 

We checked with the information center folks and learned about the fish ladder. We checked it out but we were too early for the salmon run so it was a bust. The other place of interest was the Miles Canyon which turned into a fun place to visit.

The Miles Canyon is a portion of the Yukon river that flows through a natural lava rock canal that was formed 8.5 million years ago. This was a very dangerous passage for river boats on their way to the Klondike during the gold rush. Many boats were lost until special Miles Canyon river boat pilots became a requirement. We hiked along the river and crossed the river on the suspension bridge.

The water color was emerald green.

This narrow passage-way would have been tricky for paddle wheelers.