Leg 4 Watson Lake, British Columbia through the Yukon

Watson Lake has the “Sign Post Forest”.  Everyone who makes it to here puts up some sort of a sign post – a paper plate, a toilet seat, a simple sign, or an elaborately designed sign.  Most are personal, many are city signs, virtually all about where you came from or a sign from the trip.  It started in 1942 when a guy from Illinois who was working on the highway posted the below sign.  There was one then, there are thousands now.

 

It is amazing to see, difficult to describe, but moving to be there.  We, of course, conjured up our own sign and with pomp and circumstance duly erected same.

Basically it is the NuWa forum business cards, our common bond, with our names and forum handle, along with our group picture.  Signs seem to last anywhere from three years to 15 years max.  Here is Rich erecting our “sign”:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found friends Stacy and Sharon’s sign (moved by some selfish jerk, but still broadcasting and alive) and our friends Robert and Leslie’s sign:

Oh, Robert is Robert Campbell and we actually have two friends by that wonderful Scottish name so here is an appropriate street sign:

Some more sign post forest views (over 60, 000 signs!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spotted this go-anywhere-tactical RV!

Oh, I should mention they have this movie theater that shows a movie on the Aurora Borealis, highly touted, supposedly a must do. I am watching and getting really bored, but not wanting to be a party pooper so keep quiet.  Finally said something to Shelle and found she was of the same mind – almost at that exact moment, Rich behind us goes into a pronounced, audible snore!  We cracked up.  If you get there, skip the $9 nap!

 

The CG was nice, don’t stay in one of the mud parking lots downtown,  go out of town – which is a whole 5 or 10 minutes – to find a great little camp site: Watson Lake CG Services.  Wooded, spacious, very nice.  Great forest to romp in behind CG. Here are some shots of the forest:

And the forest floor was covered with this really neat carpet, kind of like a Spanish moss, but more delicate and a ground cover.

Up close.

Next off to Teslin.  The drive is beautiful, as are virtually all our drives, and we cross the Continental Divide, observe more rivers and lakes and cross in and out of the Yukon/BC several times.   We are now in the Yukon Territory for sure, wow where is Jack London? Views from the cockpit:

This was the view just before we reached Teslin and put into the Yukon Hotel and Restaurant and RV camp right on Lake Teslin.  Once settled it is off to the local tackle shop, well tackle/food/donuts/fuel/etc. We all traipse off into the thickets and claw our way down to the lake.  Pretty for sure, fun for sure, productive, definitely not for sure.

Jeff going down to make sure I do it right! Actually he just wants to make sure there are fish before he gives it a go.

Mike going for the big one.

Sally tries her luck.

Rich joined us later and the two of us worked our way back into a little bay and then into a back bay of the main bay.  We were sure there was a big old northern in there somewhere.  Finally we saw the wake of some big guy swimming through so we continued to try.  Finally I hooked one, a nice fish.  But…… here I was almost hip deep in the water, water just an inch or so below the top of my waders and I’m stuck in the mud at the bottom, it is like quick sand and sucks you in.  Rich is wishing like the devil he had a video cam.  Next to me is an old dilapidated floating dock with big steel anchor lines and of course the fish is heading for the rusty sharp steel lines.  I’m trying to hold the fish off the lines, get my self out of the mud, and not loose the fish. Now the water is lapping over my boots, Rich is laughing, I’m actually starting to panic a little – yikes – but I landed the little dickens.  And then I had to wade back out to get my tackle box from the dock.  But we had a nice 25” 3.5 to 4 pound northern.  Dinner tonight!

Fed all of us, wonderful meal –  Joan did her  magic beer batter and we had a delicious feast.

 

Also at this place were some free spirits camping in small vehicles, even down to motor bikes.  One old boy was from the Carolinas riding a Honda trike and camping all the way (took a couple of pictures for Lyle – Ruth please show him – this old boy was only 75 – a youngster!)

These folks had the best spots and views.  Here are their rigs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And our view, well from the roof top, but we sure could see all this stuff – nice stop.

Now off to Whitehorse.  Everyone tells us we are too focused (anal ?) and make way too many reservations. When we arrived at our chosen destination in Whitehorse (High Country RV) it was full - no room at the inn – period. So we doubled back to Pioneer Park a combination pack-‘em-in parking lot, lower level, and very nice sights in the forest on the upper level.  We, of course, opted for the great sites in the forest on the upper level.  Turned out to be about the best pick in town.

 

View out the back.

Whitehorse is a sort of bigger town so along with laundry and all that stuff we did some shopping. Then on to the tourist things, the best of all a great trip down the Yukon River. 

Whitehorse is a happening place, the capitol of the Yukon and the population center.  Whitehorse has about 26,000 folks while the entire Yukon Territory has about 34,000. Great town, lots to do.

The Yukon River was the main transportation artery during the gold rush, so lots of stories around that.  What a wild river.  It was dammed in recent times to tame the river some and to generate hydro-electricity.  The dam created Lake Shwatka, named for an early explorer of the river.  Here are a few shots of same.

The Yukon still flows into the lake and comes in through Miles Canyon, a spectacular narrow canyon – the water used to, before the dam, really scream through this canyon. Jack London made a lot of money ferrying folks through the canyon.

Here is the MV Schwatka which we will take up the river.

It was a great cruise and education as we enjoyed the river.

The canyon drops off quickly and the captain hugs the wall.

Shelle enjoys the trip.

These kids were enjoying the lake in a classic wooden speed boat.

The Canadian ensign.

The dam created a challenge for the salmon who were born up river of the dam – salmon always return to their birthplace  - so a fish ladder was built.  Now rather than trying to jump the dam – a certain death feat – the fish go up this sort of water switch-back.

There is a little house/museum with info on various fishes and a window to view the salmon.  We were too early and salmon were not running but there was a little grayling hanging out that we could spy occasionally.  One of my major goals/wishes of the trip is to catch an arctic grayling on a fly, so this first sighting was kind of cool.

Whitehorse has an air museum and in front they have the worlds largest wind vane – a DC 3 airplane suspended on a pedestal!  The airplane rotates and always cocks into the wind – and it doesn’t take much wind at all to move it.  It is really awesome and eerie to see it turn.

 

We also visited the Sausage factory for lunch and followed that with a visit to the Yukon Brewery, a small – we might call it a micro brewery – beer maker with excellent beer – and samples! I bought some “Midnight Sun Espresso Stout” – yummy.

The people of the Yukon have been great.  Everyone is helpful, everyone is friendly and all seem happy.  So far the Yukon is really wonderful and definitely gorgeous. More to come.