To make this Blog a bit briefer…the last day in Dawson City we went to learn to pan for gold, taught by the man living in the RV next to us in the park. We actually found and got to keep the gold flakes in the sample “paydirt” we were given to learn with. We then visited the huge Dredge #4 on display by Parks Canada that was used to strip the dirt to the bedrock level where most gold was found and the same dredge then sifted the gold out. The dredge is an amazingly large and complex floating piece of machinery that actually creates it own lake to float in while doing the digging in what was/is a streambed. Took lots of videos of this site. We continued on the dirt road past the dredge to a publicly open claim to try our luck for real but first the rain started and we gave up easily. Spent the rest of the day shopping for souvenirs after extending our stay to a third night in Dawson City. 
The morning of July 8 we arose and started out early to get onto the ferry over the river before a backup line of RV occurred. With Pat driving the Saturn we were first in line when we got there and crossed easily. It is truly amazing how nicely the captain of the ferry handles that ship in the very strong Yukon River current.
Then it was up the mountain and off on the Top of The World Highway. The highway connects Dawson City with the Taylor Highway, Alaska route 5. The Alaska highway is 175 miles from Dawson City and is unpaved much of the way. The Canadian side is good seal coated hard packed gravel for 65 miles of the most amazing scenery and vast expanse of wilderness that anyone can drive in the world. It runs essentially along the very top ridge line of some tall mountains with views beyond words. One stop was at an old abandoned log cabin. Here are some photos to try to show a small bit of it. PHOTOS 23 e,f,g,h,i
On the American side from the border crossing for 43 miles is a DIRT road. On the day we crossed it was very dry and dusty; I don’t think I would want to drive it in a hard rain for fear of washouts. The dust and dirt got into everything and the rocks were chipping and collecting on the roof of the car and the trunk of the car.
We will need to have the roof and trunk painted when we get back to PA! But it was worth it!!! There is no place in the world to see such fantastic scenery for seemingly endless expanses of wilderness and mountain vistas. Totally unpopulated throughout the entire length of the two highways except for the actual border crossing post itself. We did see one large burned area on the Alaska side. These two highways, Yukon 9 and Alaska 5 are not maintained in the winter and for good reason.
We arrived at Tok, Alaska putting us back onto the Alcan Highway, about 2:15 in the afternoon. While we had planned to stay there, the folks in the visitor’s center suggested a state campground 100 miles farther up the road near Delta Junction. Even though I had just driven 6 hours of gravel and dirt we decided to go on after fueling up at Tok. Delta Junction is the northern terminus of the famous Alcan Highway. We found the campsite, a state campground called Clearwater campground to be a pleasant and very quiet place to stay. Treated ourselves to a nice dinner of BBQ ribs and Prime Rib at a restaurant in Delta Junction before touring the area. We then headed back to camp where we met the camp host. He was a retired man, 80 years old, from Oxnard, CA who had been up at the camp for a couple of months and he and his wife were leaving the next morning. He gave us some great suggestions of things to see and do in the area and on our way toward Fairbanks. He said they did not have another host to replace him as far as he knew and asked if we wanted to stay and be host. Hosts are unpaid volunteers who in return for free campsite and utilities, if available, sort of run the campsites for the state. An interesting way to spend the summer.
The morning of July 8 we arose and started out early to get onto the ferry over the river before a backup line of RV occurred. With Pat driving the Saturn we were first in line when we got there and crossed easily. It is truly amazing how nicely the captain of the ferry handles that ship in the very strong Yukon River current.
Then it was up the mountain and off on the Top of The World Highway. The highway connects Dawson City with the Taylor Highway, Alaska route 5. The Alaska highway is 175 miles from Dawson City and is unpaved much of the way. The Canadian side is good seal coated hard packed gravel for 65 miles of the most amazing scenery and vast expanse of wilderness that anyone can drive in the world. It runs essentially along the very top ridge line of some tall mountains with views beyond words. One stop was at an old abandoned log cabin. Here are some photos to try to show a small bit of it. PHOTOS 23 e,f,g,h,i
On the American side from the border crossing for 43 miles is a DIRT road. On the day we crossed it was very dry and dusty; I don’t think I would want to drive it in a hard rain for fear of washouts. The dust and dirt got into everything and the rocks were chipping and collecting on the roof of the car and the trunk of the car.
We will need to have the roof and trunk painted when we get back to PA! But it was worth it!!! There is no place in the world to see such fantastic scenery for seemingly endless expanses of wilderness and mountain vistas. Totally unpopulated throughout the entire length of the two highways except for the actual border crossing post itself. We did see one large burned area on the Alaska side. These two highways, Yukon 9 and Alaska 5 are not maintained in the winter and for good reason.We arrived at Tok, Alaska putting us back onto the Alcan Highway, about 2:15 in the afternoon. While we had planned to stay there, the folks in the visitor’s center suggested a state campground 100 miles farther up the road near Delta Junction. Even though I had just driven 6 hours of gravel and dirt we decided to go on after fueling up at Tok. Delta Junction is the northern terminus of the famous Alcan Highway. We found the campsite, a state campground called Clearwater campground to be a pleasant and very quiet place to stay. Treated ourselves to a nice dinner of BBQ ribs and Prime Rib at a restaurant in Delta Junction before touring the area. We then headed back to camp where we met the camp host. He was a retired man, 80 years old, from Oxnard, CA who had been up at the camp for a couple of months and he and his wife were leaving the next morning. He gave us some great suggestions of things to see and do in the area and on our way toward Fairbanks. He said they did not have another host to replace him as far as he knew and asked if we wanted to stay and be host. Hosts are unpaid volunteers who in return for free campsite and utilities, if available, sort of run the campsites for the state. An interesting way to spend the summer.
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