June 10, 2025 Tuesday

Day 11 of  the Trip

Miles driven today: 297.7; Total miles for Trip: 3,143.3

Gas Mileage today 33.8 mpg, average of 31.1 mpg for trip

Total elapse driving time 52 hours, 16 minutes, 10 seconds

Awoke to sunshine looking out at the snowcapped mountains.  We were incorrect about time changes.  We did bounce between British Columbia Time Zone (briefly) and Yukon Time Zone.  We are on YT until the US border, so one hour later than Ak Time.  We awake 7AM YT and head to Village Bakery for breakfast.  So yummy and still funky, we sit out on the deck, it’s about 45 degrees no wind and sun.  A group of Canadian National Park workers are gathered getting ready to start their day’s work. 

Our hotel was not very busy so very quiet. 

It didn’t get very dark last night as we move north.   We travel next to the St. Elias Mountains.  We pass Mt. Logan, second highest mountain in North America; it sits among the highest coastal peaks, 19.5k – 17.5k.  This is where great glaciers still flow with slow retreat.  They are very beautiful. We are in the lowland forests with lots of rivers and streams, yet the land it very arid.  We come to Kluane Lake, so huge, ringed by Kluane Mt Range.  It seems relatively calm given past conditions.  We pass Sheep Mountain and think we see two males on the slopes.  We stop at Burwash Landing, a small native village, and visit the museum.  So humble looking outside, inside very sophisticated displays.  Their gift shop has a good selection of local native made crafts.  Chuck buys Pat red deer skin gloves with arctic fox trim and beaded red rose on each.    Afterward the road gets more difficult with potholes, washboard, and heave.  We watch the high St. Elias alongside with glaciers and snow cover some new. Large glacial rivers fill the valley and the White River carries old volcanic ash so it is named.  We stop at Beaver Creek, last town before the border.  At the Visitor Center we are greeted by an elderly but very spry town character, so nice and welcoming.  Moved from Alberta in early life and prefers the -40-degree Beaver Creek winters with no prairie wind.  We pass through a very large burn area from 5 years ago.  We are told there is still a fire burning from last year ‘over the hill’.  But he feels completely safe after more than 60 years there.

The Visitor Center is modest but beautiful log cabin.  We stop at the roadside gas and ‘grocery’ for Canadian Birch Syrup and stock is way down.  Through US border quickly and revert back to AK Time.   Permafrost and large bog drainage areas contribute to road conditions in YT and some in Ak.  But there is a lot of roadwork being done around Northway and we have to contend with it. But will be better in the end.  The huge Tanana River runs through the broad valley between mountain ranges with hundreds of streams, ponds and lakes.  If one trapped beaver this is where you’d come.  We have not seen any wildlife other than rabbits and occasional bear scat. 

We pull into Tok and it’s only 4PM so we check into the cabin at Tok RV.  The same cabin as in year’s past.  We stop over at a fave gift shop with Bucky the Moose.  It’s all burled logs and so beautiful.  The owner, Patsy, longtime resident makes crafts to sell besides a large selection of native and Ak themed items. She makes homemade fudge to sell.  She is our favorite crafter/vendor of moose nugget ornaments.  At only $4.00 per it’s a steal, considering what the shops in Anch are selling for.  And these are real Tok nuggets made by a real Tok resident.  She starts in December and plants seeds for flower baskets.  By April they are ready to bloom in a hothouse and she hardens them off.  The front of the store covered porch is filled with every color of petunia, geranium and other types of potted plants for sale.  One day t=our car won’t be so full and we can buy one for the apartment.

On to dinner at Fast Eddies, our regular restaurant.  We are waited on by our former waitress who is Athabascan.  The food is good and beer is cold.  We walk back to the cabin and finish the blog.  It’s still early and still light but it won’t be long before sleep beckons.  This travel stuff is tiring more than we know.  The cabin has two double beds with a shower/commode and sink area with a microwave and fridge.  Each cabin has a desk, small wall mounted TV an a heater on wheels.  Tomorrow is Anchorage, end of the road with our voyage into Ak.  Don’t know if we can make Dean’s baseball game at 7PM, depends on how soon we can unpack at the apartment.  Heard from Seth today.  He and Carrie are making plans for Ak.  Hoping to spend some time with them while they are there.

Nighty night.