Haines to Tok

 

Our friends Bruce and Pam arrived in Haines the day after our arrival.  They are seeing the sights by RV along with mutual friends Jerry and Signie.  What great timing, we so much enjoyed going out to lunch with them and getting together for an RV group potluck dinner.  The park host provided fresh caught Dungeness Crab, a special treat appreciated by everyone who had come from various parts of the U.S. and Canada.  


Winding Roads through Yukon Territory

We said goodbye to our friends the following morning and headed northwest for an overland sightseeing trip, Java and gear included.  Shortly after leaving Haines, we crossed over the border into the Canadian Yukon territory, reaching 60 degrees Latitude. 


Peaks rise above the tundra-like landscape

The tundra-like scenery along the Alaska Highway between Haines and Tok is gorgeous, consisting of huge valleys with black spruce, pine, and aspens.  


Valleys filled with Black Spruce and Aspens

Kluane Lake

Alpine lakes are both large and small in addition to wide major rivers and small creeks winding through the meadows.  Gold was discovered in 1903 on Ruby Creek near Kluane Lake, the largest lake in the Yukon.  The discovery was made by Skookum Jim (Keish) and Dawson Charlie (Kaa Goox), Tagish-speaking men already famous for their roles in the discovery of Klondike gold.  

Old Log Store at Burwash Resort

A trading post was established in 1904 at Burwash Landing up the road, a trail in those days.  When gold was discovered in the 1920’s at Burwash Creek, the Kluane Wagon Road was extended around the lake and the community of Kluane (known as Silver City) was later abandoned.  Today, a portion of the Alaska Highway generally follows the route of the old Kluane Wagon Road.  We made a stop in Burwash to see the old buildings of a more recent history.  

Burwash Landing Resort (now closed)

Located along Kluane Lake is Burwash Landing Resort, one of the earliest lodges of the 1940’s on the Alaska Highway.  

Original Resort Lodge, Burwash

The original log lodge was built in 1944-45, owned and operated by Eugene Jacquot until his death in 1950.  He and his brother Louis were the Jacquot brothers who had established the trading post in 1904 as a supply centre for local miners.

Holy Rosary Mission, Burwash

Beached Resort Boats along Kluane Lake

The historic 1944 Log Holy Rosary Mission is near the Resort and village of Burwash, which is primarily a Native community.  From Burwash we continued to Tok, having crossed the border once again into Alaska at Port Alcan.



Scenery around Burwash