Haines Junction to Beaver Creek, Yukon – 9 July 2024

The stretch of road from Haines Junction to Beaver Creek was along the Alaska highway was very pretty and probably the most scenic part of the journey so far. Roads were lined with magenta Fireweed with towering mountains and pale blue waters. Beaver Creek was our last stop in the Yukon and about 30 minutes from the Alaska border. I continuously scanned the sides of the road for “Elliot” Moose but he didn’t make an appearance – it was strange seeing there are more Moose in the Yukon then People! The only reminder of how many Moose there were, were bleached Antlers hanging on people’s houses and sheds.

While scenic, the Alaska Highway was full of potholes, dense clouds of sand and uneven gravel. This constant bouncing caused the leaf spring on one of the rear axles to break leaving us immobile in Beaver Creek, Yukon, which is as remote as you can get. In addition, the valve broke on our toilet so it overflowed and flooded the bathroom. It seemed like last year all over again.

The closest place to get the parts we needed was back in Whitehorse, a 10 hour round trip. I had work to do so Derek gritted his teeth and drove back. His only consolation was seeing a bunch of Dall sheep, Bears and a Moose (of course when I wasn’t there) along the way. That evening when he got back, our neighbour kindly assisted him in replacing the leaf spring (till 12 pm) so we were finally good to go over the border. The joys of RV travel!

It’s always interesting to pause for a while in a small town and find out a little about its history. The Discovery Yukon Lodgings where we stayed was situated at the base of the Kluane mountain range on what was once the bed of the White River, before it changed its course many years ago. It was originally developed by the US Military as a base camp and officers’ quarters in 1941 during the 9 months construction of the Alaska Highway. There were several abandoned military vehicles on the property.

The mail route from Southeast to Northwest Alaska during the early 19th century went through the hills on one side of the property and is still clearly visible from the air. Mail and furs were transported by dog sleds to the Hudson Bay Company outposts. The area was teaming with varied wildlife such as bears, moose, lynx, wolves, coyotes, swans, eagles etc. and offered several nearby trails. They even had a couple of light aircraft on site with their own landing strip.

Snag, a small town east of Beaver Creek holds the record for the lowest temperature in Canada in 1947. It was -63c. 🥶 it was so cold that breath turned to powder and fell to the ground.