JULY 27, 2012
JULY 28, 2012
Today we went with the caravan to visit the SS Klondike. This sternwheeler is now permanently dry docked on the banks of the Yukon River in downtown Whitehorse. This sternwheeler travelled to and from Dawson City during the 30's & 40's carrying freight and supplies to remote areas of the Yukon before the construction of highways. The trip from Whitehorse took 2 1/2 days with the current of the Yukon River. The return trip against the current took 5 days. It is hard to imagine how hard the people in those days worked. It was a flat bottom vessel with no keel. Unloaded it would be 24" into the water and loaded with 300,000 lbs of freight, it would be 40" into the water. It would burn 1 1/2 cords of wood an hour to produce the steam to power the vessel. Since there wasn't enough room to carry all the wood needed they would have to stop along the river at certain places where would stack and reload more wood to continue on.
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| SS KLONDIKE |
This was a very interesting tour. Glad we did it.
After the tour of the Klondike we drove over to see the largest weathervane in the world. It was unbelievable and I honestly thought that it did not move, but yes it does turn with the wind.
This airplane is the worlds largest weathervane
We walked around the shops in town for a while and then went to church. In the evening we gathered with our friends on the caravan and went to see the Frantic Follies Vaudeville Show. A few members of our caravan were chosen to go up on stage and participate in the show. It was fun and we all had a good laugh.
The weather has been nice. Not much rain and it is usually at night. Having an awesome time.
JULY 29, 2012
This is our last day in Whitehorse. We went to see the Whitehorse Rapids Fish Ladder and Hatchery. In 1950 because the area was growing they had to construct a dam for a hydroelectric plant on the Yukon River. This interferred with the Chinook Salmon going upriver to spawn. On the side of the dam they constructed the worlds largest fish ladder. This enabled the salmon to enter the fish ladder to continue their journey upriver.
In the afternoon several of the group went on a boat ride down the Miles Canyon. Miles Canyon is one of the most treacherous parts of the Yukon River. The Yukon River is almost 2000 miles long. In the Canyon the current runs fast and in one spot there are whirlpools which make it very difficult to navigate in between the walls of the canyon. It took us 1 1/2 hrs to get up the river against the current and a half hour with the current to get back. It was a beautiful day and the boat ride was excellent.
MILES CANYON
GOING THROUGH NARROWEST PART OF MILES CANYON
WITH SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVERTOP
JULY 30, 2012
Today is the longest travel day we have had so far. We needed to drive 335 miles over the Klondike Highway to Dawson City, YT. This is the worse road we have been on so far. Lots of permafrost which made for a very bumpy and slow ride. We left at 7:30 this morning and arrived at the campground around 4:30. At 5:30 we had our social and the campground owner came to talk to us for about an hour. He told us all about Dawson City and how it was years back. He also told us what we could do and see here. We will be here for 3 nights, leaving for Chicken, Alaska on Thursday, Aug 2nd. Looks like we will have another few jam packed days. The town (from driving through) is very old with dirt roads and sidewalks. We are doing a walking tour tomorrow morning. Looking forward to it.
Tonight we are tired and are going to try to get to bed early. Here's hoping anyway. Seems like the sun doesn't begin to go down until almost midnight and will only be like dusk before it starts to rise again.
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