North to Alaska #11–Watson Lake to Whitehorse

It’s been too long, I’m starting to forget things.  But here goes.

I did end up doing some small touristing at Watson Lake.  In the evening I went to the Northern Lights Center and saw a couple of short videos.  Then in the morning, while walking CJ, decided to at least take a look at the Signpost Forest.

Frankly it was a bit overwhelming–mostly stopped reading individual signs, but took a couple of shots, this one because of the number of years they’ve done the trip.  That’s a LOT of driving.  

Took two days to do the drive from Watson Lake to Whitehorse.  Stopped midway at Teslin Lake Provincial Park campground.  Yukon PP CGs are a deal–only $12, and at least some have free firewood.  Since I don’t do campfires–campfires are a social thing to me–that doesn’t matter to me, but still it’s nice.
Again my stretegy of not driving far and stopping early paid off–the CG was almost empty when I arrived and I got my pick of spots.  View won out over closer to the outhouse.

It was raining when we first got there, but after awhile it stopped and CJ needed a walk, and there appeared to be a path down to the lake from the campsite, so . . . .  Here’s a shot looking back up at the van.

Here are some taken down at the lake.  

Between the cloudscapes and the lake and the mountains, it was truly beautiful.

Met a couple there I’d chatted with before, up at Muncho Lake.  They remembered seeing me paddling out on the lake there.  Clearly our traveling preferences are compatible.  She wanted our picture, so I took theirs too.  They’re from Richland, WA.  They told me their names, but of course I don’t remember them.  

I don’t honestly remember whether the following came before or after Teslin, but my camera thinks I took these pictures before Teslin, so probably before.  Anyway, stopped at a roadside rest area for lunch, and it turned out to be at a Continental Divide.  A whole different one from the Atlantic vs. Pacific one I’ve crossed so many times and so many places before.  First, there’s the “selfie”of the van at the continental divide rest area.  I’ll let the signs speak for themselves in the following.  

Next stop, Whitehorse.  Where I was for the summer solstice, and which was better than (being a town of moderate size) I expected.