Kettle Falls, Washington - Donnelly, Idaho

Day 33 – Wednesday, August 31 2005
Kettle Falls, Washington – Donnelly, Idaho
Miles Driven: 373
After a good nights rest we were ready for the home stretch. We left Kettle Falls, Washington and followed Highway 385 south through Spokane. Getting through Spokane from north to south is not easy. The highway goes right through the middle of town and is confusing. Once out of Spokane we followed Highway 195 to the Idaho border, then Highway 95 through Lewiston, Idaho south to New Meadows and Highway 55. After 33 days and 5,703 miles, we arrived in Donnelly at 3:30 PM Mountain time, very glad to be home and happy to say “Safe Passage”. We camped in 20 different campgrounds, stayed in some rather interesting motel rooms, and saw so much beautiful scenery it is hard to believe. This was without a doubt a trip that we will never forget and one we are so glad we took while we were still young enough to enjoy it.

I hope you enjoyed this travel diary and that you will be inspired to take the trip yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

Hixon, British Columbia - Kettle Falls, Washington

Day 32 – Tuesday, August 30 2005
Hixon, British Columbia – Kettle Falls, Washington
Miles Driven: 603
We were up early and ready to hit the road by 5:30 AM. Normally we would not start driving until daylight but we wanted to try to make it across the border before stopping for the night. The first hour was tense, driving in the dark and watching for wildlife. By 6:30 we were in Quesnel where we gassed up and as we were driving out of town saw a small deer lost on the city street, the only wildlife of the morning. We followed Highway 97 south to Cache Creek, then turned east on Highway 1 toward Kamloops. Just before Kamloops we turned south on Canadian Interstate Highway 5. We were only on the super highway about 50 miles before we exited at Merritt and followed Highway 97c to the Okanagan Lake area. The valley from Penticton to Osoyoos was covered with orchards and vineyards. It is said to be the wine capital of Canada, you can believe it. The view driving up out of the valley from Osoyoos was spectacular. We followed Highway 3, a twisty mountain road to Christina Lake, British Columbia where we turned south on Highway 395 and crossed the border for the last time. Of all the border crossings on this trip, six in all, this was the only time we were questioned and asked to open the van for inspection. Once across the border we were only 31 miles from Kettle Falls, Washington where we found Barney’s Café and Motel. The room was cheap but the meal at the café was the best of the whole trip, good old USA beef! The TV didn’t work but we were too tired to care.

Prince Rupert, British Columbia - Hixon, British Columbia

Day 31 – Monday, August 29 2005
Prince Rupert, British Columbia – Hixon, British Columbia
Miles Driven: 500
The ferry docked in Prince Rupert, British Columbia at 5:45 AM Alaska time, 6:45 Pacific Time. It took about forty minutes before we were off the ferry and through customs. The original plan was to drive the 1,500 miles from Prince Rupert to Donnelly in about five days, taking our time and camping along the way. However; we decided on the ferry that we had seen what we wanted to see and were anxious to get home so we would pick up the pace and make the trip as quickly as possible. About 50 miles out of Prince Rupert we spotted a pack of wolfs on the side of the road but couldn’t get a picture of them. We traveled east on the Yellowhead Highway that follows the Skeena River and then turns south. South of Smithers, BC we saw Babine Lake, the largest natural lake in British Columbia and said to have the biggest sockeye salmon run in the world. It would be fun to come back to this lake with a boat to do some real fishing. We had planned to stop in Prince George, about 450 miles from Prince Rupert, but I was driving at the time and drove right past a couple of motels thinking there would be others once we turned south on Highway 97. Well I was wrong, and we ended up driving another 50 miles to Hixon, British Columbia. Lucky for me there was a nice little motel, the Kreekside Motel and Campground that had a vacancy. We ate some sandwiches we had picked up along the way and crashed after a long day. No pictures of this part of the trip, we were out to make time and didn’t stop for photos.

Close To Sunset

Sunset on the ferry was beautiful.

A Passing Ferry

Wrangell, Alaska

Wrangell, Alaska from the ferry.

Petersburg, Alaska

Petersburg, Alaska from the deck of the ferry.

Traveling The Inside Passage

Day 30 – Sunday, August 28 2005
On board the ferry

After waking up several times throughout the night, we go up about 5:30 AM and made some coffee in our little traveling electric coffee pot. (It’s come in handy many times) As it got daylight we could see whales jumping outside our porthole window. For some reason we just watched from the window instead of going out on the deck where we could have had a much better show. We were told that there were hundreds of whales around the ship that morning. Most of the day was spent watching the beautiful scenery and talking to a very interesting man from Minnesota. After lunch in the cafeteria, that had pretty good food, we watched as the pilot navigated his way through the Wrangell Narrows between Petersburg and Wrangell. We were lucky to have such a beautiful day, calm waters and no rain. If you want to see the Inside Passage but don’t want to spend a lot of money on a cruise, take the ferry, it’s great.

The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry

The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry M/V Kennicott.
We left Haines, Alaska at 9:30 PM on Saturday, August 27 2005. The ferry made stops in Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan. We arrived in Prince Rupert, British Columbia at 5:45 AM on Monday, August 29 2005. We had booked an outside berth with facilities, which meant we had our own full bath. We found the accommodations to be quite comfortable once we realized the fold down sofa was much better for sleeping on than the top bunk. Traveling on the ferry through the Inside Passage was one of the highlights of our trip.

Haines and Skagway, Alaska

Day 29 – Saturday, August 27 2005
Haines and Skagway, Alaska
Miles Driven: 4

Still in Haines waiting for the ferry that does not leave until 9:15 PM, we stayed in our motel room most of the morning. The skies had cleared and it looked like it was going to be a nice day so we decided to take the fast ferry (passenger only) to Skagway. It was suppose to leave at 11:45 AM but was delayed twenty minutes due to over 100 people who boarding with their baby strollers, back-packs, and musical instruments. They were headed to Skagway for a big music and art festival. We arrived in Skagway about 12:30 PM and the return ferry was leaving at 2:00 PM so we did not have much time. We took the short walk into town and visited a few over-priced gift shops. There was a cruise ship in town so there were lots of people wandering around. We found Moe’s Pioneer Bar, a real Alaska bar with nice friendly people, and had a quick drink before heading back to the ferry. Back in Haines we stopped at the Harbor Bar for something to eat then found a parking spot along the Chilkoot River to relax and take a nap while we waited for time to board the ferry to Prince Rupert. About 6:30 PM we drove to the ferry terminal, checked in, and got in line. We spent time reading and talking to other people in line. It is interesting to hear others stories about their adventures in Alaska. The ferry arrived about 9:00 PM and by 9:30 everyone was on board and we were ready to sail. We checked into our cabin which was comfortable and roomy enough for the two of us. By the time we got to sleep it was close to 11:00 PM, then at 2:00 AM we woke up when the ferry stopped in Juneau. We woke up off and on through out the rest of the night; I guess it takes a while to get use to sleeping on a moving ship.

The picture is of Tim in Skagway.

Haines, Alaska

Day 28 – Friday, August 26 2005
Haines, Alaska
Miles Driven: 25

This is the first time since the trip began that we stayed in the same place for more than one night. The rain had stopped so we spent part of the day driving around the Haines area. We drove to Chilkoot Lake, 10 miles out of town, and watched hundreds of salmon rolling over in the lake. It was spawning season and the salmon were everywhere. There were also lots of bald eagles sitting on the rocks next to the river. We stopped at the Harbor Bar for a snack and a drink then went back to the motel to catch up on some laundry. In the evening we went back to the Pioneer Bar for dinner since it was so good the night before. Everyone in town had been telling us about the brown bears that come down to the river near Chilkoot Lake just before dark to fish for salmon, so we drove out there to check it out. After finding a place to park (there were a lot of people there bear watching) we watched as three (maybe four) bears fished on the opposite shore. They were too far away to get a good picture, but it was fun watching them through the binoculars.

Million Dollar Falls, Yukon - Haines, Alaska

Day 27 – Thursday, August 25 2005
Million Dollar Falls, Yukon – Haines, Alaska
Miles Driven: 123

After packing up in the rain we headed for Haines, crossing the border and leaving the Yukon behind. We will miss the wonderful Yukon Government campgrounds. The drive along the Haines Highway is said to be one of the prettiest in Alaska, sadly we could not see it because it rained all the way. We arrived in Haines and checked into the Captains Choice Motel, a hot shower never felt so good. After walking around and checking out a few shops we went to the Pioneer Bar for some lunch, then retired to the comfort of our warm dry motel room.

Kluane Lake, Yukon - Million Dollar Falls, Yukon

Day 26 – Wednesday, August 24 2005
Kluane Lake, Yukon – Million Dollar Falls, Yukon
Miles Driven: 119

We left Congdon Creek campground and followed the highway (that was under construction) around the shores of Kluane Lake. It is the largest lake in the Yukon and it is very pretty. By the time we reached Haines Junction, the end of the Alaska Highway for us, it was overcast and stormy. We stopped at a small store for ice and water and headed down the Haines Highway. We didn’t want to drive all the way to Haines so we stopped for the night at Million Dollar Falls Yukon Government Campground. After viewing the falls we setup camp just as it start raining lightly. We rolled out the awning and were able to get a quick meal cooked before the rain got heavier. It proceeded to rain all afternoon and all night, as we huddled in the van reading and sleeping. A group of foreign kids (maybe in their 20’s) stopped by looking for directions to a river where they were to meet up with a rafting outfit the next day. We were glad we weren’t in their shoes. The rain did not stop all night and when we packed up the next morning everything was soaked. We felt lucky that after three and a half weeks on the road, and twenty nights of camping, this was our first night of camping in heavy rain. Oh, and we later found out there was a problem grizzly bear that frequented the campground. If we had known that we probably would not have camped there!

Deadman Lake, Alaska - Kluane Lake, Yukon

Day 25 – Tuesday, August 23 2005
Deadman Lake, Alaska – Kluane Lake, Yukon
Miles Driven: 182

Leaving Deadman Lake we continued down the Alaska Highway toward the Canadian border. Back in the Yukon, we had a great surprise when a cow moose and her baby crossed the road right in front of us. They were not in a hurry so we had plenty of time to stop and get pictures and video. We were a bit surprised that we had not seen any moose in Alaska, only in the Yukon. We camped for the night at Congdon Creek Yukon Government Campground on Kluane Lake. The lake was a beautiful turquoise color, but since the wind was blowing we picked a spot away from the shoreline and sheltered by the trees. We had some fun on the playground equipment, who says we’re too old for a tire swing and slide?

Eagle Trail Campground, Alaska - Deadman Lake, Alaska

Day 24 – Monday, August 22 2005
Eagle Trail State CG, Alaska – Deadman Lake Campground, Alaska
Miles Driven: 84

We left Eagle Trail campground and drove into Tok where we stocked up on gas, food, booze, and ice; all the essentials of a good road trip. As we left Tok we were once again on the Alaska Highway, traveling on a portion of the road we had missed with our side trip up the Campbell Highway. The recent rain had cleared the smoke from the fires so we could see the mountains. We stopped for the night at Deadman Lake Campground. It is run by the Alaska Wildlife Foundation and they do not charge a fee. We found a nice site and enjoyed relaxing in the sun after a couple of rainy days. Tim used the windshield repair kit to fix the rock chip, which thankfully had not spread. It was a very quiet night, we slept great, and it was not too cold in the morning.

Valdez, Alaska - Eagle Trail Campground, Alaska

Day 23 – Sunday, August 21 2005
Valdez, Alaska – Eagle Trail State Campground, Alaska
Miles Driven: 248

It was raining as we packed up to leave Valdez. We stopped at the local grocery store to stock up on a few supplies, filled up with gas, and headed toward Tok. At Glennallen we stopped at a hardware store and bought a windshield repair kit, hoping for a chance to repair the damage before it had a chance to spread. By the time we reached the Tok cutoff that leads back to the Alaska Highway it had stopped raining so we started looking for a campground. The first place we stopped had posted a sign warning of a problem bear that frequented the area. Since we had bought fresh meat to cook we didn’t want to send an invitation to the bear so we kept driving. We ended up at Eagle Trail State Campground about 20 miles from Tok, one of our longer days of driving. We enjoyed a good meal and it was not as cold as it had been the last few nights we had camped.

Along The Richardson Highway

This is along the Richardson Highway on the way to Valdez. You can't see it very good, but the little white line near Tim's head is the Alaska Pipeline. The van is showing the dirt from the Denali Highway, thankfully we found a carwash in Valdez.

Paxson Lake, Alaska - Valdez, Alaska

Day 22 – Saturday, August 20 2005
Paxson Lake, Alaska – Valdez, Alaska
Miles Driven: 189

The only real “schedule” we had on this trip is to be in Haines by the 27th to catch the ferry. Since we were running a couple of days ahead of that time line we decided to take a side trip and headed south on the Richardson Highway toward Valdez. What a great decision, as this turned out to be one of the prettiest stretches of highway we traveled. The rouged peaks of the Chugach Mountains and glaciers are incredible. The Worthington Glacier comes almost to the highway, and there are a couple of spectacular waterfalls including Bridal Veil Falls and Horse Tail Falls. We stopped several times for photos and video. We had hoped to find a nice motel and get a great seafood dinner, but ended up in the Keystone Hotel with take-out seafood. The hotel was the old command center during the oil spill cleanup project and has paper thin walls. The people in the next room kept their TV on all night so it was not a very good night’s sleep. The only good thing about being in the room was it rained pretty heavy during the night so we were glad we were not camping.

Brushkana River, Alaska - Paxson Lake, Alaska

Day 21 – Friday, August 19 2005
Brushkana River, Alaska – Paxson Lake, Alaska
Miles Driven: 120

Since it was so cold when we woke up, we quickly drank our coffee over the campfire and hit the road again. It was overcast so the mountains were not as visible but there were lots of small lakes and rivers along this stretch of road. We drove another 80 miles on gravel before the road changed to pavement. By this point we were getting a little tired of gravel roads and happy to be back on smoother ground. We reached the intersection with the Richardson Highway and drove south about 10 miles to Paxson Lake BLM Campground. As we were relaxing by the campfire, someone walked up and said something about our Idaho license plate. It turned out to be a woman I had worked with in Boise and her husband. What a small world, here we were 3,500 miles from home and we run into someone we knew! It was another cold night with the temperature reaching 30 degrees again.

Denali National Park, Alaska - Brushkana River, Alaska

Day 20 – Thursday, August 18 2005
Denali National Park, Alaska – Brushkana River, Alaska
Miles Driven: 94

After a brief morning rain shower, we left the RV park and headed for Denali National Park. It was early so there was not much traffic. We drove into the park as far as it is allowed (about 15 miles) but decided not to ride one of the tour busses that take you farther into the park. What we could see was beautiful but it was overcast so Mt McKinley was not visible. By 10:30 we were in Cantwell where we re-fueled and bought a few supplies before heading out on the Denali Highway, a 135 mile gravel road that connects the Parks Highway with the Richardson Highway at Paxson. There were a lot of hunters on the road with ATV’s; we assumed they were looking for moose. The road follows the Nenana River for a while, and the Alaska Range is in view, very pretty. We camped for the night at Brushkana River BLM campground. It got pretty cold during the night; my little thermometer read 30 degrees when we woke up the next morning, and it’s the middle of August!

Fairbanks, Alaska - Denali National Park, Alaska

Day 19 – Wednesday, August 17 2005
Fairbanks, Alaska – Denali National Park, Alaska
Miles Driven: 136

We left the motel in Fairbanks and negotiated our way toward the George Parks Highway. There was construction for the first 30 miles and the smoke from the fire was pretty bad, so the sightseeing was not very good. Just after the end of the construction zone we met a gravel truck that threw up a rock and cracked the windshield of our van. (Not a huge crack, but big enough.) We were really bummed out since we had traveled over 500 miles on gravel roads on the Campbell and Taylor Highways without a single rock, and then get hit on a paved highway outside of Fairbanks. Oh well, what can you do? We drove on toward Denali National Park and spent the night at an RV park just off the highway, nothing special but a place to sleep.

Clearwater Creek, Alaska - Fairbanks, Alaska

Day 18 – Tuesday, August 16 2005
Clearwater Creek, Alaska – Fairbanks, Alaska
Miles Driven: 120

Leaving the campground, we continued on the Alaska Highway to Delta Junction, Alaska; the official end to the Alaska Highway. From Delta Junction we traveled the Richardson Highway that follows the Tanana River most of the way to Fairbanks. Near Big Delta we got a quick look at the Alaska Pipeline. We stopped at an interesting gift shop named the Knotty Shop, and at the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska. We spent the night in a motel in Fairbanks where the smoke from the fires was so bad planes had been grounded and the city was filled with people trying to get out. A health alert had been issued, warning everyone to stay indoors. Now we tell people, yes we have been to Fairbanks, but we couldn’t tell you what it looks like.

Tok, Alaska - Clearwater Creek State Park, Alaska

Day 17 – Monday, August 15 2005
Tok, Alaska – Clearwater Creek State Recreation Area, Alaska
Miles Driven: 122

We stopped in Tok to restock on all the essentials; gas, food, booze, and ice, then continued down the Alaska Highway. After the long tense drive on the Taylor Highway the day before, we were taking it easy. A black bear crossed the road in front of us but he didn’t stick around for a photo op. We stopped at a reindeer meat shop and bought some reindeer sausage. About noon we stopped for the night at Clearwater Creek State Recreation Area, about eight miles off the highway, and found a nice shady spot. We cooked a great meal in the dutch oven using fresh chicken we bought in Tok, and the reindeer sausage.

Alaska At Last

We crossed the border into Alaska on the Top Of The World/Taylor Highway between Dawson City, Yukon and Chicken, Alaska. It was about 9:30 AM Alaska time, (10:30 Canadian) on Sunday, August 14th; sixteen days and 2,543 miles after leaving home.

Dawson City, Yukon - Tok, Alaska

Day 16 – Sunday, August 14 2005
Dawson City, Yukon – Tok, Alaska
Miles Driven: 186

At Dawson City we crossed the Yukon River on the free ferry operated by the Yukon Government. It was interesting watching the ferry pilot navigate in the strong current. We drove up the Top Of The World Highway, said to have some of the best views in Canada, however because of the smoke from the fire burning to the north our view was limited. The boarder crossing is at about 4,000 feet above sea level and the sign said population 2 – one US customs agent and one Canadian. At the Alaska border the name of the road changes to the Taylor Highway, and the condition changed from mostly paved on the Canadian side to very rough, washboard gravel, and at times narrow. We did see a big bull caribou with a nice rack, so that was exciting. By the time we reached Chicken Alaska the smoke was so bad we couldn’t see much. We had planned to camp along this stretch of road but it was too smoky, so we drove on to the junction with the Alaska Highway and turned toward Tok. We camped at the Tok River State Recreation Area, a small campground just outside of Tok.

Pelly Crossing, Yukon - Dawson City, Yukon

Day 15 – Saturday, August 13 2005
Pelly Crossing, Yukon – Dawson City, Yukon
Miles Driven: 172

As we left the Pelly Crossing campground the sun was an orange glow covered with an eerie haze, caused by the fire burning in Alaska. Approaching Dawson City, the terrain looked as if a bomb had exploded, the result of every inch of land being turned over and over during the gold rush. After renting a room at the Bonanza Gold Motel we drove into main street where we found ourselves right in the middle of a festival. Tim managed to find a parking spot and we walked around visiting the over-priced tourist shops. We stopped in a bar and had some lunch before returning to our motel. There was a car wash next to the motel so we did our best to wash the dust of the Campbell Highway off the van.

Little Salmon Lake, Yukon - Pelly Crossing, Yukon

Day 14 – Friday, August 12 2005
Little Salmon Lake, Yukon – Pelly Crossing, Yukon
Miles Driven: 124

Leaving Little Salmon Lake, we continued on the Campbell Highway, a good portion of it paved. As we got closer to the Klondike Highway junction the Yukon River came into view. We stopped several times for photos including one spot (near this photo) where a steamboat blew up and burned in 1906 after a crew member accidentally fired a shot into a cargo of gunpowder, killing six men. We reached Carmacks feeling very proud that we had survived the Campbell Highway. After re-fueling we traveled the Klondike Highway north to Pelly Crossing. We camped for the night at a campground along the Pelly River. This was a strange campground because it looked almost deserted, and there was no place to pay a fee. For a while we thought we would be the only ones there, but as the evening grew older, other campers joined us. I felt a little uncomfortable about the surroundings, but the night passed without incident.

Faro, Yukon - Little Salmon Lake, Yukon

Day 13 – Thursday, August 11 2005
Faro, Yukon – Little Salmon Lake, Yukon
Miles Driven: 64

All refreshed with a shower and clean clothes we left Faro at 8:00 AM and continued on the Campbell Highway. We were pleased to see the road at this point was mostly paved, a welcome sight after driving on gravel for the past three days. We stopped for the night at Little Salmon Lake, another beautiful Yukon Government campground. They sure know how to build and maintain campgrounds in the Yukon. Tim tried fishing one more time but no luck. If we ever come this way again, we will at least have a canoe to get out on these great lakes. It was a warm day, maybe close to 80 degrees, but cool at night for sleeping. Fall is coming to the Yukon, as the trees are starting to turn color. We noticed a haze in the sky and wondered what it was. We later found out it was from a wildfire burning in Alaska.

Frances Lake, Yukon - Faro, Yukon

Day 12 – Wednesday, August 10 2005
Frances Lake, Yukon – Faro, Yukon
Miles Driven: 181

We left Frances Lake knowing we had to travel faster and farther than we had been for the past two days. We were getting low on supplies and the next town was over 120 miles and no campgrounds in between. The road was rougher and very dusty, but other than a few trucks, there was no traffic. Tim spotted a wolverine crossing the road, an unusual sighting, and also a moose crossed in front of us. This was right after our friend the ranger had told us we probably wouldn’t see any wildlife on this stretch of road, I guess you never know. After driving 125 miles we came to the road leading to the town of Ross River, which is seven miles off the highway. Since the Milepost and another travel guide we were using both said there were services including gas and groceries, we headed toward Ross River. If there is one piece of advice I could give anyone traveling the Campbell Highway it would be DO NOT go to Ross River. After driving the seven miles out of the way to get there, we found the only gas station “closed for lunch” and the only store in town did not sell beer or ice. Don’t waste your time going to this town! Back on the Campbell Highway we drove another 35 miles to the town of Faro where we found everything we needed, including gas, groceries, booze, and ice. We camped at the municipal-operated John Connelly RV park where the camp fee is only $5.00, the best deal ever. Although we usually like something more remote, we were happy to camp at a place that had a shower, a laundry, and plenty of water to clean the dust out of our camping box. The photo is of Finlayson Lake along the Campbell Highway between France Lake and Faro. There was no access to this lake, just an overlook with a sign that said the lake separates the watersheds of the Mackenzie and Yukon rivers.

At Frances Lake, Yukon

Simpson Lake, Yukon - Frances Lake, Yukon

Day 11 – Tuesday, August 9 2005
Simpson Lake, Yukon – Frances Lake, Yukon
Miles Driven: 60

Leaving Simpson Lake, we drove 60 miles down the road to Frances Lake, another great Yukon Government campground on a beautiful lake. We had a wonderful campsite next to the water and there was only a couple other campers around. Tim tried fishing again, but no luck. We were really wishing we had our boat to do some real fishing. We had an interesting conversation with the park ranger. He was from West Germany and had moved to the Yukon 20 year ago, living off the land near Simpson Lake. He told us about living in the bush with no electricity, running water, or other conveniences we can’t live without. He said it gets to 45 degrees below zero with up to nine feet of snow in the winter. You can only imagine what it must be like. The nights are getting cooler, it was 45 above when we woke up the next morning.

Along the Campbell Highway

Along the Campbell Highway where there had been a forest fire the previous year that burned over 100,000 acres.

Watson Lake, Yukon - Simpson Lake, Yukon

Day 10 – Monday, August 8 2005
Watson Lake, Yukon – Simpson Lake, Yukon
Miles Driven: 53

From Watson Lake we decided to leave the Alaska Highway for a while and take the road less traveled into the Yukon. The Campbell Highway is 373 miles long, mostly gravel, beginning in Watson Lake, and ending at the Klondike Highway near Carmacks, Yukon. We didn’t know what to expect, starting out on a 370 mile gravel road, but were pleased to find the road surprisingly smooth for gravel. Since we had decided to take our time and camp several times along the highway, we only traveled 53 miles to Simpson Lake Yukon Government campground. Tim had purchased a four day Yukon fishing license in Watson Lake so he tried his luck, which wasn’t very good. The campground was very nice with lots of available firewood and we were the only ones camped there so it was quiet. This is what we liked most about traveling the back road, very few people.

Welcome To The Yukon

Wild Buffalo

Muncho Lake, BC - Watson Lake, Yukon

Day 9 – Sunday, August 7 2005
Muncho Lake PP, BC – Watson Lake, Yukon
Miles Driven: 180

It was overcast with scattered rain showers as we left Muncho Lake. The highway follows the lake for several miles and then the Laird River, a very pretty glacier river. We spotted a wolf on the edge of the woods but he was too far away to get a picture. About 50 miles before Watson Lake there were wild buffalo along the highway; some of them were really big! We arrived in Watson Lake, Yukon home of the famous sign post forest. Tim had made a sign that said "Donnelly Id, 1,726 mi", but after taking pictures with it at the forest we decided to take it home with us. It is now proudly displayed on our back porch. We spent the night in an overpriced motel room but had a good meal in their restaurant. I am going to post pictures of the sign post forest, entering the Yukon, and the buffalo.

The Tetsa River

Stone Sheep near Stone Mountain, BC

Andy Bailey PP, BC - Muncho Lake PP, BC

Day 8 – Saturday, August 6 2005
Andy Bailey PP, BC – Muncho Lake PP, BC
Miles Driven: 182

We had only driven a few miles down the highway toward Fort Nelson when I spotted a small black bear standing at the edge of a clearing. We tried to get a picture of him, but he darted across the road and into the woods before we could get the camera out. We stopped in Fort Nelson to re-stock our supplies and continued down the road. Just past the turn off to Fort Laird and the Northwest Territory Tim spotted a big black bear crossing the road, again we were too late to get a picture. This section of the highway is quite pretty and we stopped several times to take photos and video, including at the top of Steamboat Mountain and along the Tetsa River. Near Stone Mountain there were Stone sheep and caribou on the highway. We were able to find a safe place to pull over and get good pictures. This turned out to be one of the best days for wildlife sightings. About 1:30 we stopped for the night at Muncho Lake Provincial Park Strawberry Flats campground. This is a beautiful lake and since it was Saturday, the park filled up by early afternoon. It rained fairly hard during the night and was overcast when we left in the morning. This is a picture at the lake, and since it was such a great day for photo ops I will add a few more for you to enjoy.

Fort St John, BC - Andy Bailey PP

Day 7 – Friday, August 5 2005
Fort St John, BC – Andy Bailey Provincial Park (near Fort Nelson BC)
Miles Driven: 236

Leaving Fort St John the terrain changed from farm land to forest. The only thing of interest along this stretch of road was a tree that someone had decorated with Christmas decorations, it was cute. We camped for the night at Andy Bailey Provincial Park, a quiet park next to a lake seven miles off the highway on a narrow gravel road. I don’t think I have mentioned yet how important it is to have a copy of The Milepost when you take a trip like this. It is know as the bible of North Country travel and will give you all the information you need to find campgrounds, gas stations, and motels along all of the highways of the North.

Beaver Statue

I just couldn't go on with the story without showing you a picture of the huge beaver statue mentioned in the previous posting. This was in the town of Beaverlodge, British Columbia.

Musreau Lake Alberta - Fort St John BC

Day 6 – Thursday, August 4 2005
Musreau Lake, Alberta – Fort St John, BC
Miles Driven: 180

After jump-starting the van with the power pack, we left the campground and continued on the Bighorn Highway to Grande Prairie, about 42 miles. At Grande Prairie we took Hwy 43 toward Dawson Creek passing through the community of Beaverlodge, home of what must be the largest beaver statue anywhere. We reached Dawson Creek, British Columbia, the official start of the Alaska Highway and of course took pictures of the sign. About 17 miles out of Dawson Creek we took a short loop road to Kiskatinaw Provincial Park. The road follows the “original old” Alaska Highway and you cross the historic curved wooden Kiskatinaw River Bridge. Back on the “new” Alaska Highway at mile marker 21 we continued on to Fort St John, British Columbia and spent the night at the Roost Motel.

Jarvis Lake Alberta - Musreau Lake Alberta

Day 5 – Wednesday, August 3 2005
Jarvis Lake, Alberta – Musreau Lake, Alberta
Miles Driven: 183

We traveled along the Bighorn Highway lined with huge aspen groves. After stopping in Grande Cache for a few more supplies we continued on to Musreau Lake campground located about four miles east of the highway on a pretty good gravel road. We had a great campsite with a view of the lake and were relieved to see our neighbors were an older couple (like us) who did not party all night. When we awoke the next morning the battery on our van was dead because we had made the mistake of leaving a 12 volt cooler plugged in too long. No worries, Tim had purchased a battery pack just for such an occasion. He hooked it up and the van fired right up. Lesson learned here; don’t leave the cooler plugged in all night.

Banff National Park - Jarvis Lake Alberta

Day 4 – Tuesday, August 2 2005
Banff National Park – Jarvis Lake, Alberta
Miles Driven: 199

Leaving Banff National Park we continued on Hwy 93 through Jasper National Park along the Icefields Highway stopping many times for pictures. Some of the stops were along the Saskatchewan River, at the Columbia Icefields, and Horseshoe Lake. (A little photo-shop work on this picture to show us together) We stopped in Jasper to browse the gift shops before heading northeast on Hwy 16, The Yellowhead Highway, to Hinton where we re-stocked our supplies. From Hinton we took Hwy 40, The Bighorn Highway, a paved highway that goes from Hinton to Grande Prairie. At 1:30 PM we stopped for the night at Jarvis Lake campground (about 10 miles from Hinton) where we enjoyed a nice quiet afternoon. Unfortunately our quiet time ended around 6:00 PM when a large group of people with two fifth-wheels and a big motor home camped next to us and proceeded to party with their music blasting until 2:00 AM. I don’t know why some people are so inconsiderate, thinking only of themselves.

Radium Hot Springs, BC – Banff National Park, Alberta

Day 3 – Monday, August 1 2005
Radium Hot Springs, BC – Banff National Park, Alberta
Miles Driven: 87

Following Hwy 93 out of Radium Hot Springs we entered Kootenay National Park and then into Banff National Park. The scenery is spectacular and we stopped many times to take photos. Some of the spots of interest were Stanley Glacier, Hector Lake, and Bow Lake. We bypassed Lake Louise because we had been there before and the parking lot was packed with vehicles, but if you have never seen it, you must stop. At about 11:30 we stopped for the night at Waterfowl Lakes campground, one of many beautiful campgrounds in the parks.

Naples, Idaho - Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia

Day 2 - Sunday, July 31 2005

Naples, Idaho - Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia

Miles Driven: 230

After a sleepless night we fired up the van and headed for the Canadian border, crossing at Eastport/Kingsgate into British Columbia. We followed Hwy 95 then 95/93 to Radium Hot Springs where we checked into a motel to re-group after our crazy night before. One of the stops along the way was at Columbia Lake, the headwaters of the Columbia River.

Donnelly, Idaho - Naples, Idaho

Day 1 - Saturday, July 30 2005
Miles Driven: 479
Leaving our home in Donnelly Idaho we traveled north on ID55 and then US95 to northern Idaho. Due to poor planning our first night was spent camped behind a bar near Naples Idaho, not exactly the start we had envisioned. It was very hot and there were flies every where. In addition there was a fire near by and a helicopter was picking up buckets of water from the river next to us. As if that wasn't enough, there were trains that passed by at least once an hour and blew their whistles keeping us awake most of the night. (Tip: always have a reservation if you plan to spend a Saturday night in the summer any where near Sandpoint Idaho!)

Getting Started

We had been to Alaska twice before. The first time we flew into Cordova and then by float plane to a floating cabin in Prince William Sound. On the second trip we flew into Anchorage, rented a car and explored the Kenai Peninsula, driving to Seward and Homer. Both trips were amazing, but we wanted to enjoy the experience of driving to Alaska while we were still young enough to do it. So on July 30, 2005 we set out in our GMC one ton extended van on a 33 day 5,700 mile trip that we will never forget.

You hear all of the horror stories about driving the Alaska Highway and you have visions in your head of flat tires and broken windshields. But once you get out there and actually do it, you will see it really is a great trip and the highway is, for the most part, like any other highway in North America (except for the scenery of course).

Our trip took us from our home in Donnelly Idaho to British Columbia, Banff and Jasper National Parks, north through Grande Prairie, Alberta to Dawson Creek, the official start of the Alaska Highway. At Watson Lake, Yukon we got real adventurous and followed the Campbell Highway north through the Yukon to Dawson City. We continued on to Fairbanks, Denali National Park, the Denali Highway, Valdez, and finally to Haines Alaska. In Haines we boarded the Alaska Marine Ferry and traveled the Inside Passage to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, then on the road again back to Idaho. Sit back and enjoy the adventure, including part of our photo log.