The Alcan & Beyond
Sea to Sky
Once we successfully crossed the border, less our contraband, we headed through Vancouver and along the Sea to Sky Highway into Squamish. British Columbia was immediately stunning as we drove toward the mountains and beside the ocean. Howe Sound cuts inland from the Pacific Ocean just north of Vancouver. From there, a series of channels, islands, and fjords extend north. Squamish Harbor, a glacially carved fjord, is the northern terminus of Howe Sound. Towering over the water sits the Stawamus Chief (often referred to, simply, as the Chief). Beyond the Chief are mountain ranges in every direction, climbing inland through and erupting from the coastline throughout British Columbia.
We stayed two nights at Mamquam River Campground, a small non-profit and volunteer run campground in close proximity to both downtown amenities and beautiful biking and hiking spots. The campground had mixed reviews online from folks who perhaps don't understand the dirtbag culture. Needless to say, we were right at home with the simple accommodations. We spent our nights at the campground and our days exploring Squamish. We hiked the Chief, walked along the Squamish River (and saw a harbor seal playing in a culvert), took a stroll through the farmers market, and stopped in at the visitor center.
Chuckles heading back down
Woodland stairway up and up to the Chief
I'm a very serious hiker
Mile 0 - Alaska Highway (The Alcan)
From Squamish, we drove north through Whistler and spent a night wild camping near Cache Creek. The next day we made the 800+ kilometer (over 500 mile) drive to the Mile 0 Campground in Dawson Creek, BC. The scenery was absolutely stunning. I don't have the poetic aptitude to put into words how magical the landscape is through this part of North America; photographs don't seem to do it justice either. So, you will just have to trust me when I say it is breathtaking.
Along with the majestic mountain ranges and lush forests, the roadside wildlife was bountiful and nonplussed by the passing cars. I, of course, insisted on stopping at any sign of a furry-friend by the highway. Chuck (understandably, safely, and rationally) was more prudent when in the driver seat.
After spending the night in Dawson Creek, we headed to the Mile 0 sign to take the obligatory photo next to the Alcan sign and headed on our way. Somewhere along this route we got our first cracked windshield, which seems to be a right of passage for Canadian and Alaskan drivers.
journey through BC before getting to the Alcan
✌
MILE 0 - woo!
The first of many black bears along the Alcan
We spotted a moose as we left the campsite in the morning
yeay!
Waiting for buns.
They hath arrived! Literally the size of my head. And delicious.
Caribou!
Muncho Lake
PORCUPINE! or, as I call them, mini-grizzlies
a blurry shot of some swans and ducks
Cinnamon Bun Center of the Galactic Cluster
We woke with one thing on our minds: cinnamon buns. We packed-up early and headed west toward Tetsa River Lodge for some of their famed cinnamon buns. We were early, the buns were not yet out of the oven, so we enjoyed a strong French press of coffee and hung out with the resident cat until it was time to indulge. The buns were big enough for a small family to share a single bun. Of course, we each got our own (even though that meant some considerable GI upset on my end due to the gluten consumption - worth it). If ever you are passing through the middle of nowhere from the US to Canada and need breakfast, lunch, and dinner in one order, you must stop here - it's an institution.
After our cinnamon bun delights, we headed onward to the next lodge and our stopping point for the night.
We quickly adapted to carrying our bear spray everywhere we went (and the binoculars, "just in case")
Beaver paradise - no beavers found
Toad River, a Pair of Swans, & Spotty Wifi
My goal for this stopover was wifi for my Spanish class. I assumed (correctly) that wifi and cell service after this point would be extremely hard to come by. The migratory and seasonal bird population was really popping off around here, an added bonus. We saw a mated, nesting pair of swans and so many ducks. We started identifying all of the different species of ducks and water foul and hardly scratched the surface of what was there. A true birders' paradise! We had a cozy night's sleep and rose in the morning to continue our journey beyond Muncho Lake with our sights set on Liard Hot Springs.
Liard Hot Springs
We spent two nights at Liard Hot Springs. We enjoyed a a layover day full of mellow activities and plenty of soaking in the springs. The walk to the springs was a lovely boardwalk through the forest. The main pool area was thoughtfully designed with a deck and changing rooms and a few seats inside the pool. The lower area is a brook that gets gradually cooler, though still warm, and more narrow until it reaches a dead end in the forest. We explored this narrow and winding stream to the end. I felt like a forest fairy creature with nothing but the sounds of trickling water, wind through the leaves, and the lapping of warm stream water against my body. It was magical and primal and so satisfying.
While dipping in the main pool during the day, we were chatting with some others about bears visiting the springs. As we were talking about it, Chuck looked up and saw a bear at the edge of the embankment. There were plenty of people around and the bear seemed to think better of hopping in. He meandered away without incident.
After visiting the springs four or five times over the couple of days, it was time to move on. As we continued our drive, the wildlife and scenery changed, but remained consistently beautiful and lively. We saw many caribou and bison (including some babies!) and some sheep and more bears. Amazing!
don't ask me what mountain that is....
Yukon Territory
Into Yukon territory. Shockingly, our wildlife sightings were much reduced in this area. I guess it makes sense when there are millions of acres of land uninhabited or interrupted by humans. As a wild animal, I would probably stay away from roads as well. We made the obligatory stop at the sign-post forest (where I added a Becky's Diner sticker to an existing Maine sign). Legend has it that the first sign was placed during the construction of the Alcan Highway and it has continued to grow ever since. We saw signs from folks who have driven the route many times over different years. We also saw a lot of non-signs like flip-flops, frying pans, and other items people have used to mark their passage through the area.
We stayed a couple of nights at a campground on Kluane Lake near Destruction Bay. The lake was trying to thaw, but a layer of ice formed each morning between the ice chunks that were blowing around the lake. I took this opportunity to do a cold dip - I think this is the coldest water I have dunked in... although at a certain point it is impossible to tell. It was obviously lingering near freezing as it was still partially frozen. This was our last stop before heading into Alaska (and returning to the USA).
Alaska
We arrived to Alaska with very little fanfare. The border agents made some jokes about New England accents, poked around our food looking for produce, and sent us on our way. We stood straddled at the border with a foot in each country: Canada and the US and took some pictures with the camper. When we got to the junction to either head south toward our destination or west to the end of the Alcan Highway, I made the last minute decision to go all the way to the end of the highway. It added a few hours to our trip, but I felt like we had to finish it - if for no other reason than to say we did. I do not regret this decision. We spent our final night of the journey in a quiet, riverside pull off/free-campground. The next day we drove the final stretch of the trip. Along the way I bought some roadside salmon jerky and made plenty of stops to look out at the glaciers and mountain ranges.
After just a few short hours of driving, we made it to the NOLS branch where Chuck will spend his summer and the Lil' Home will get some rest. I spent a few days with Chuck eating ice cream, playing disc golf, exploring Anchorage and the northern part of the Kenai Peninsula, and going to Yael Wilcox's film screening before heading off for the summer.
At the border :)
Last campsite
End of the Alcan Highway
Cruising toward Palmer
A photo a day and some keepsakes from Yael's record breaking ride around the world
Exploring south of Anchorage on the northern part of the Kenai Peninsula
Playing disc golf in Palmer
All packed for camp!
Up next: A visit to New England & summer camp nursing in Minnesota
Until soon, groovy people
xoxo
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