Kluane Wilderness, Yukon

After picking up supplies in Tok, we drive southeast on the Alaskan Highway towards the Canadian border. Before reaching the border, we pass by an overlook of the Athabascan village of Northway. This village was named after a great chief, Walter Northway, who lived to the age of 117. Winter temperatures in this area are extreme, regularly dipping to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (record of -72 F). Maybe surviving these cold winters help retard the aging process...?

Valley View toward Nothway

Not far from the turnoff to Northway, we come to the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge Ranger Station. The two rangers there are very helpful in identifying some of the plants and berries I've taken photos of. We also learn one ranger is the grandson of Chief Northway. He verifies his grandfather's long life and adds his grandmother lived to be 115. He attributes their long life to good genes and a healthy outdoor lifestyle.

Tetlin Wildlife Refuge Ranger Station

Humm - wild swans must be common here

After an easy crossing back into Canada's Yukon Territory, we stop and camp at Discovery Yukon Lodgings RV Park. The owner has a vintage 6 wheel drive army truck in which he takes people bear viewing by the nearby White River. Unfortunately, the salmon have just finished their run and the bears have moved on, so we content ourselves with his bear stories.  He points out that they have one small dog on the property. Apparently a few weeks ago there where two small dogs, but one of them got excited about a bear across the highway and ran after it.  Unfortunately, the bear made short work of the dog once the it had invaded his territory.  But not to worry, he tells us, the bears don't wander into the RV Park as they know it's human territory. Whew - glad he told us so I can sleep better.

Yukon Discovery RV Park

Our campsite

Classic Yukoners live here

The next morning dawns to a cool but beautiful day and we enjoy the drive south.

Pickhandle Lake makes a nice rest stop

In passing a small lake, we spy swans preening and sunning themselves. Fortunately the lake has a large parking lot for maintenance vehicles where we park to get better photos of them. The Trumpeter Swans put on a good show.

Small lake with Trumpeter Swans

Wow - they're big

and beautiful birds.

The clear day finally gives us a good view of the St. Elias Range.

St. Elias Mountain Range

As we near Kluane (clue-an-E) Lake, we pass through the small town of Burwash Landing and stop at the Kluane Museum. Although it's a small museum, it has some excellent dioramas of native wildlife.

Welcome to Budwash Landing

Mountain Sheep

Mountain Goat

As we follow along the coast line of Kluane Lake we see a large grizzly browsing along the shore. Of course we have stop and take photos. Peter's able to capture close ups of a large healthy grizzly. Sure glad we're able to take photos at a safe distance. Later on we stop at Cottonwood RV Park and score a great campsite right next to the lake.

Kluane Lake

A good sized grizzly busy munching away

Our campsite on Kluane Lake

That evening we take a walk along the shoreline to pick up driftwood for a campfire. We pass by a large camp of Germans just as a nude man rushes out yelling for a polar bear dip in the cold lake (it's formed by glacier melt water). We all cheer him on even though he doesn't stay for a very long swim. Nope - you won't catch me going for a dip in that cold water.

Evening on the shore of Kluane Lake

That night cold winds from the East whip up surprisingly large waves in the lake and rock the IQ back and forth. We are glad to have electricity and a small heater to keep us warm. It makes us wonder what the winters are like here and helps explain why a town in the area is named Destruction Bay.  In the morning we ask the RV park owner if the wind regularly comes up and night and she admitted they often do. Storms are powerful in this country.

As beautiful as the campground is we decide to move on to the Kluane National Park to do some hiking. We pick up a hitchhiker on the way to the Ranger Station. He has been hiking for several days in the wilderness, but has injured himself and needs a ride back to civilization. He's from Israel and we remark on how far way from home he is. Turns out he lives around Shasta, California and we happen to know some of the same people. He tells us the trails in this wilderness area are the most beautiful he's ever seen and recommends a trail out of the Ranger Station for a day hike.  

Area around Ranger Station at Kluane National Park

The ranger gives us a map and directions how to drive to the trail head. It's a narrow bumpy road which Peter negotiates well and we are both thankful of not encountering any other vehicles ... although the parking lot is surprisingly full. The good weather brings out both Yukoners and tourists alike. So we head up the steep trail to Sheep Mountain (yup - another Sheep Mountain). As is typical in Canada and in the Yukon in particular, there are few if any trail makers. Fortunately, we meet a family from Whitehorse who point out the 5 km marker on the trail.

Peter forging ahead on the trail

A Yukon trail maker

The trail goes this way and that way

The views from the overlooks are magnificent.

View from Sheep Mountain Trail

On our way back down the trail, we stop for lunch at one of the lower outlooks.

Close up of a surrounding mountain

Peter unpacks lunch

Glaciers tumble out of the mountains

View from our lunch stop

After the hike we decide to drive to Kathleen Lake Campground which is further south but still in the Kluane National Park. On the way we are treated to clear views of the St. Elias Range.

St. Elias Mountains

Although it's later in the day, we find a nice campsite and take a short hike down to Kathleen Lake after dinner for a nice end to a great day.

Kathleen Lake