Getting into Whitehorse, YT at first was very exciting. This is the capitol of Yukon, and the largest city for many, many miles. 30,000 people live here, and to put that into perspective the entire Yukon only has 45,000 residents. My Milepost bible tells me of many campgrounds with showers, restaurants, and places to get coffee with WiFi. On top of this, I’ll finally have cell service!
I pull into town, and find a campground with showers and a laundromat. It’s been way too long since I’ve been clean (the shower I had with my underwear on didn’t count), so this was priority #1. After running some laundry and properly washing the grime off of myself, I head into town. I start off at the town’s very cool, sleek visitor center. I wait around for about 10 minutes trying to talk to someone about hiking trails, but the old people in line in front of me are asking these poor employees to look up flight information for them. I left when they started the booking process…. I’m pretty sure the visitor center employees here are not supposed to be your private travel guides, but they were way too nice to say no.
I find a trail outside of the visitor center that parallels the town and the Yukon River, and stroll along that for a good amount of time. I even found a cool little tiny library! Score! Except all the books are in French… Sacre bleu.
After walking a bit, I decide to go to the Yukon Brewery which is on the outskirts of town. I’m excited for the opportunity to interact with people, sit at a bar, chill in public for a bit. That kind of stuff. But when I get there, the space is so small it’s just a small serving counter and a bunch of tables shoved into something the size of a bedroom. What a let down. The beer wasn’t even that great. I can handle shitty spaces for great beer, but if you’re going to be mediocre you better win me over with ambiance. I had one beer and left, headed back to the campground. Kind of felt like a waste really…
Wait, before leaving I decided to try some of the whiskey that is distilled at the same site of the beer. Ok this stuff is legit! Called Two Brewers Whiskey… I decide to buy a few bottles for dad’s birthday and father’s day. Perfect! We have a rule in our family, gifts should be consumable. Liquor, cigars, food, that kind of thing. So whiskey and gin fits right in.
The next day was rainy and grey, but I went walking again on my river trail, and through town as much as I could. It wasn’t really “town” but a small section of downtown, adjoined to tons of big box stores. Wal Mart, Save On foods, Canada Tire… All the name brand crap that doesn’t belong in tiny ass towns. I walk for many miles, then finally find myself at the restaurant inside a Best Western Hotel. Don’t judge me, the reviews online were fantastic.
I walk in, and find the bar. Start chatting with the bar keep and watch some hockey. THIS feels like Canada. Finally! I hung around for awhile, and eventually made friends with the kitchen staff. Got to sample some amazing food while having great conversation with the head chef, who was very jealous of my trip. He’s planning on doing something similar in South America apparently. Sounds dangerous as shit, but you do you!
After a few beers and food, I finally say goodbye to my friends and find my way back to the campground. Ok, I don’t normally judge people in campgrounds but a couple moved in next to my spot and they were hilarious. The guy had a massive pick up truck and was hauling a legit home made, 30 foot double axle trailer with so much shit on it I thought it was going to capsize if I sneezed near it. The girl was driving a Malibu, and had “I’m a girl, but I still like tits” written in the dirt on the back window. Big. She had leopard tights and large furry boots on, a 3 year old on her hip, and was smoking a cigarette while watching dad erect the biggest tent I’ve ever seen. I would’ve taken a pic but I definitely would have been shot.
So I hop into the truck, lock everything, and hope for the best. Besides some snoring that bordered on sleep apnea, all was well. I woke up the next morning and decided to cross back into the U. S of A and stay at a free campground just over the border. The drive was scenic and fairly empty. It would have been a fairly relaxing day, but the roads were complete shit. Frost heaves everywhere, potholes the size of your wheel well, and many sections that were just gravel. You really had to pay attention hard to avoid all of the obstacles.
At least there were a few cool stops along the way. One was Kluane National Park, and Soldier’s Summit. This is where the Alcan Highway was officially opened in 1943. USA military personnel spent 10 months bulldozing the roadway so that personnel and machinery could get to Alaska to protect it during WWII. Not that there was like, stuff to protect up there, but it could have been a way for the Japanese to infiltrate the lower 48. This hike offered some pretty amazing views, and the educational signage was excellent.
At the border, the officer didn’t really give a shit. Asked if I had any guns, and I said yes. “Any pets? No (I wish). Handed him my passport card that he scanned and handed back. “Have a nice trip” was all that was said back. Well that was easy! I’m assuming it’s because I’m an American citizen, but I guess I thought it would be a little more thorough? Oh well, not complaining at all.
A few minutes later I hit Deadman’s Lake Campground inside the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is beautiful and really well run. Everything was clean, well marked, and had tons of educational signage. Plus it was free camping on the lake! They even had free canoes and life jackets available so you could paddle out. I was a fan. A mile down the road was another campsite inside the refuge with a photo blind set up so you could spy on loons and swans… I may have watched loons muff around the lake for way too long…
Everyone was nice and the weather was perfect. The next day takes me into Wrangell St. Elias National Park, which I’m excited for. Hope the nice weather holds out.
