August 19/20 - Catching pike on an arm of Kluane Lake and snapping photos of eagles was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Monday found us on Kathleen Lake again -this time on our own personal tour with a berry picking session on an island. It seems every time we're out the mountains, lakes and rivers seem more spectacular. While glassing the nearby mountain slopes we spotted several herd/flocks(?) of mountain goats.
Tuesday my buddy's wife became our tour guide while he participated in a native entrepreneurial(?) presentation. We headed north on the Alaska Highway again to an old abandoned trading post the head of the lake called Silver City. There were the most log buildings we'd ever seen in one spot as it was a village at one time, about 1900 or slightly before. The main industry was raising foxes and the number of log and chicken wire cages was amazing. Some of the buildings comprised of NWMP detachment and to stand in those buildings and imagine the human dynamics that took place there was awe inspiring. The sad part is the no one has taken the time to maintain the buildings, pens and fences. It would be a real tourist attraction had it been kept up.
From there we crossed Slim's River which used to drain Kluane Lake a short distance south to the Pacific Ocean. After the glacial ice dam melted that blocked the water on the north end of the lake the water began to flow northward to join the Yukon on its 2000 mile trip to the Bering Sea. The cliffs around the lake still bear evidence of the form lake level 30 ft above the present. The irony of the Yukon River is it begins its journey a mere 15 miles from the Pacific. Seeing this wide river so close (relatively) to its beginning I can't imagine how huge it must be after travelling so far and taking in all the other rivers along the way.
Next stop was Burwash Landing where my friend grew up. We met some of his extended family and there seems to be quite a few them. At the very impressive museum there I bought a book about the history of the RCMP in Yukon which featured a full page and photo of his grandfather.
We ended our tour with another great meal at our friend's with bison steaks with all the trimmings finished with a peach & strawberry cake. Those of you who we will see on our return will notice we've grown in more ways than knowledge and experience.
August 22 - Sadly we have taken our leave of Haines Junction and our friends there. Nan is quite adamant that she could live there and that she was offered two jobs. If she has two - I won't need any!
Back on the road so there will be more.
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