Part 6 of 7… June 14th. through June 17th.
Check out parts 1,2,3, 4 and 5… Part 1 starts as of May 26th, 2009
You might have to go to the Archives ( in the right side column ) to locate part 1,2 or 3
June 14th, 2009
Haines Alaska, http://www.bellsalaska.com/haines.html )
It rained lightly mostly all night. First thing in the morning I drove around town for a few minutes to get the lay of the land. Haines is not very big, you can cover most of it in about 10 minutes. Those clouds were still hanging low on the bay ( Lynn’s Canal) and once again I thought about a boat trip to see some glaciers and Orca’s. It felt so good to sleep in a bed that I got up too late for the early boats, but I was still hoping for better weather, at least some clearing so I could get some good photos. I drove out to Chilkat Lake about 6 or 7 miles and took some photo’s. It is a big lake and very well situated between the mountains.
On the way back from the lake I came by the ferry docks and checked on ferris to Skagway. Signed up for the 8:30 pm ferry to Skagway. The weather seemed improving for a boat trip, but I was holding out for sun, plus I’ve now missed the afternoon trip for a 4 hour boat ride. By taking a ferry to Skagway I would save about 350 miles and 7 or 8 hours driving time. The cost was about $75.00. That turned out to well worth it. I than drove out to an Eagles nesting area to see if I could get a few pictures of some eagles, other than the two or three I had seen flying overhead. One of the reasons I came to Haines was to see Eagles, so far pretty much a big Zero as far as seeing any Eagles in Haines. None out there either, but I did find out they are mostly there in September and October. So I headed back to Haines and looked about town.
Ft. William H. Seward http://www.fortsewardalaska.com/ was active here from 1902 untill the end of the second World war. After that it was empty for a while and then several Private individuals ( Veterans ) bought it around 1947. It didn’t quite turn out as they had hoped, but most stuck it out and today it is a Historic Site, a Victorian Hotel and Restaurant. I had Lunch at a very nice restaurant down on the Bay, than wandered around for a few more hours and then drove back out to the docks and got in Line for the ferry to Skagway at 7:00pm, Ferry was to leave at 8:30pm. While waiting for the ferry, I met a couple of guys riding bikes through Alaska and Canada. They worked for the Norwegian Cruise Lines in Seattle and were from Holland. Very interesting fellows and I could see the girls thought so too, tall, blonde, blue eyes, had an accent, and the black leather suits helped fell in the look.
A Local Totem near the bay and a Nice Older Gardening Couple. (;>)
The only bird I was able to get a close up photo of today. On the right is a War Memorial for the Local Native Indians.
A Carnival Cruise Ship cruising the Bay/Canal on the left and the ferry I was going to be taking to Skagway on the right ( The Mariposa ). Soon we were boarding and by about 9:00pm we were in the canal heading for Skagway. Most people stayed inside as it was pretty cool on deck. The photo on the right is the Skagway Docks.
The ferry ride to Skagway was interesting, but free of much excitement. We arrived there about 10:30 pm and I headed straight for the camp to get my tent set up. It had stopped drizzling now for several hours, but knew the camp area had to be wet yet. The Chilkoot Trail Campgrounds and camp was about 7 or 8 miles out of Skagway near the old town of Dyea. After a couple drives through the camp I picked a spot, got set up and hit the sack.
June 15th,
Note; { I’ve enlarged some of the photo’s from this point forward if you click on them, Learning as I go}
Nice camp grounds with good privacy between each camp. Good table and Benches, fire pits and clean too. As I ‘m starting to pack the Jeep up to go into town the camp hosts come by to collect the fee. Small World, Jim and Judy are from Beaverton Oregon ( as I am ). This was their third or fourth year of hosting . We talked about their work and my trip, plus what to see and not see in Skagway. They have hiked about 5 or 6 miles up the Chilkoot trail and told me where to go to register in Skagway. They also told me a Grizzly bear was wondering around the camp last night and they chased it out with the 4×4. I didn’t hear thing.
The camp hosts said not to miss the Forest Services talk on the old town of Dyea and told me how to get there, which was not far from the camp. The photo on th right above is where the old town built a dock going out into the Taiya River. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyea,_Alaska The Ranger showed up right on time , ( 11 am) a very nice young man who really seemed to enjoy his job. About 4 people showed up and he walked us round where the Old town was built and made us believe we could still see it. Dyea was a competing with Skagway for the gold rushers. By coming to Dyea by boat they could save several miles of hauling their supplies over the Chilkoot Trail to White Horse. When the railroad came to Skagway a few years later, they could take the train to White Horse. Much easier and then there wasn’t any need for Dyea any longer. The only piece of Dyea not claimed by the years is this Old Store front.
I stopped by the towns old cemetary on the way out, didn’t stay long. Not because of Ghosts, but mosquitoes, talk about bad. The head stone for this fellow says 1898. On the way into town I stopped at the Chilkoot Trail head and walked up the trail a small ways. The trail head starts right near a bridge and while I’m over at the Trail Head Signs and Sign-In Box about 25 yards from the Bridge and Trail, I glanced over to my right and here come two Young Grizzly Bears running across the bridge towards me. I thought well that’s it they’re going to eat me, but instead they made a hard left and went running up the trail. Well of course my cameras were in the Jeep, so no picture, but any photo would have so blurry from me shaking , it most likely wouldn’t have been much anyway. From that time on I didn’t leave the Jeep very far without with my Bear Spray! After I changed my underwear ( LOL ) I thought to myself, if I had been 10 minutes earlier I might have met those two bears on the trail! Glad I stopped by the cemetary to check it out. As I start to leave a van pulls up and 5 hikers hop out with all their gear. I wait a few minutes, grab my Bear Spray and go over and talk to them. Two gals and three guys packed to the hilt with all the needed gear for the 33 mile hike. They figured to take 5 or 6 days to make it to the railroad pickup to get back to Skagway. Snow shoes, crampons and good rain gear was most important. After about 11 miles the trail starts up the mountain and then at 18 miles they come to what’s called the golden staircase. At about 15 miles from the start they will most likely be in snow and ice almost to the end. I told them about the two bears I had seen just a few minutes before. They had a couple of bear bells attached to their packs and each person had two cans of bear spray. I helped a couple of them on with their heavy packs and off they went up the trail. They all were Canadians from Alberta. Next I headed into Skagway, on the way in I spot this Bald Eagle sitting up in a tree over looking the River. I finely get a decent photo of a Bald Eagle.
After taking several photo’s of the Eagle I drove into Skagway. Skagway is not a very big town, has one main street mostly to serve the Tourist that arrive by car, van or ship. Their biggest crowds come from the Cruise Ships. When the cruise ships pull in for a 4 to 6 hour stop the town fills up fast. I got into town around 1:30 pm and went directly to Ranger/Forest Service office to get information on the Chilkoot Trail. One must register and pay a fee of $53.50. The Rangers discouraged me in going by myself, not because of the Bears, although they are an issue. Weather conditions are still considered almost winter this time of year with lots of rain and snow at the higher elevations. A person might not see anyone for several days and any amount of new snow on the trail could make it hard to follow. They were aware of the 5 that just left today and said 3 were ahead of them three days and unless someone else walks in today or tomorrow, no one is pre-registered for the next 4 days. So if I had to stop for some reason the next person or persons up the trail would be four days behind me. They really did not want me as a single hiker out there, but would not stop me. I had till 5 pm to make up my mind today. So it wondered about town, and had some lunch.
I had some great food and beer at the Skagway Brewing Co and Pub, the 1964 Cad is for rent for guided trips around town.
The most popular place for food and beer was the Red Onion, Standing room only ( after you got in ). The Brother Hood Hall constructed with drift wood mosaic on the front was sort of interesting. The gals with the horses will taxi you about town for a fare. The old-time buses take tourists for sight-seeing trips around Skagway.
I spent about 2 hours in the Skagway museum, a very interesting and fascinating place. The picture of the Army trucks coming through I thought was Interesting since we think of Skagway mostly as the Gold Rush town. I continued thinking about the Chilkoot Trail and whether I should go or not. I was just not prepared for the weather and snow factor here or at Mt. Robson, but I would wait until tomorrow to make my final decision. As I drove back towards the camp and I spotted another eagle sitting in a tree top. Now have traveled 5040 miles.
June 16th.,
Drizzled all night , that helped me make up my mind about the Chilkoot trail. I just didn’t feel hiking for 4, 5 or 6 days in the rain in area I did not know well, besides I don’t take good Photos in the rain. Packed up a wet tent and headed into Skagway. On the way I came across three people on bikes, one man and two women. The man waved me down and wanted to know if I could take his mother back into Skagway. They had come in on a Cruise ship and decided to take bike trip to Dyea, but his mother was getting very tired. So put her bike on top of the Jeep and we headed for Skagway., she was from New York and about 78 years of age. On the way in she now spotted an Eagle so we stopped and took some photos. I never knew an eagle could turn its head 180 degrees, but look it the eagle in the left photo.
After our picture-taking I dropped her off at the bike rental shop in Skagway and headed north on Highway 2 towards Whitehorse the Capital of the Yukon. As I reach the summit coming out of Skagway I come to this beautiful small lake called “Tutshi” nestled in near pass. Still gray and drizzled all the way to Whitehorse. I tried the city library for an internet connection, but could not get onto their system for some unknown reason. I stopped at this Plane on a tower. This is the worlds largest weather vane, this DC3 airplane turns with the wind, amazing and it is fully refurbished its original colors and numbers. Built in 1946 and flew until 1970, over 31,500 hours. Thats like flying 24 hours a day for 1.313 days.
After eating and getting gas I head back out on the road, I would really like to get out of this rain. After leaving Whitehorse I crossed the Continental Divide and then turned South on Highway 37 I drove until about 10:30pm. Earlier I had checked a BC camp site at Boya Lake, not very private, good views of the lake, but the misquotes were big enough to carry a child off and very hungry. So I pulled of the road and went up a small hill to get some breeze and away from the water, misquotes not bad in this small gravel diggings area. I now seem to be out of the rain so I layed out all my wet stuff from last night, eat dinner and crashed.
June 17th,
Up Early and on the road again, I had been on Highway #1 ( Alcan ) since leaving Whitehorse and before tuning onto Highway 37. That was a section of the Alcan that I missed on the way north, because I took highway #4 out of Watson Lake. The weather is looking much better for today. Suns out and it seems much warmer, ahead I can see the Cassiar Highway Mountain ranges. http://explorenorth.com/library/roads/hwy37.html
The Cassiar Highway is a gorgeous drive, Snow Capped Mountains, Lakes and Rivers around every turn.
The above Photos show a Jade Mine and the Cassiar Jade Store, Canadian Jade is very well thought of and can be very expensive. The Princess Jade Mine about 90 miles from this store supplies about 75 percent of the worlds jade supply! I didn’t know that, did you ? After spending lots of time and a little money at the Jade Store I continued south. In a few miles I came to a Cassiars First Native cemetary and found it very interesting. I hope they didn’t mind me taking pictures. A few more miles and the very pointed Mountain came into view. Its name is Needle Point, fits very well.
The rest of afternoon was very scenic and pleasing to the eye, and an easy drive, but not good for photos. Too many trees close to the highway and they blocked the view for good picture-taking. I’m not sure where I came upon the horse alongside the road, but he looked like a mustang , short strong and long, long tail. I think the white on his forehead was painted or dyed, still a pretty horse with a wild look. He was with several others, not tethered or fenced. The Photo of the Sign talks about the early days of a telegraph from Vancouver BC to Dawson City in the Yukon and it worked for about 30 years.
About 7:30 pm I come around a corner and there on the side of road is a beautiful Brown Grizzly bear. I had to drive past it since I was so close to the corner and was afraid it would run off, but it didn’t. I hopped out of the Jeep and started taking Photos, it moved fast across the road and started running up the hill-side when I noticed I had the camera set wrong. Damm, I had stopped earlier and had used the camera on a manual setting and for single shots only. I was now trying to use it as if it was on automatic. The best chance I have had for a great Photo of a Grizzly Bear. Bummer. But, these three are not too bad. That bear moved so fast all I got were nine shots as fast as I could before it disappeared into the brush at the top of the road side hill.
You can see how fast and powerful those bears are, that is a very steep hillside and it’s going full blast up it. I found a place off the road again for tonight, weather was nice today, but clouds are gathering as I get closer to the coast. Have now traveled 5809 miles and the Jeep needs a good cleaning again. Haven’t washed it since Anchorage. Not only is it dirty on the outside and dusty on the inside, I think there about inch of mosquitoes that I’ve killed on the floor. More photos at www.donsiebelphotography.com { New Section }
