When Laura Jean and I drove out in June we entered YT from Tok, Alaska. Seeing vast swaths of caribou in migration is on my bucket list. It's the right time of year so we decided to veer north through Chicken, and drive the Top of the World Highway into Dawson City this time. Maybe, just maybe, we'd see those critters.
The road was socked in so we let Taylor sleep while Greg & I played cards. Woke the man/child, started schoolwork, then drove in and out of clouds peeking at occasional glimpses of grandeur. Animal count: three moose, numerous squirrels & ptarmigans & rabbits, a beautiful salt & pepper fox, and two caribou. Caribou migration is just going to have to be an intentional trip.
Rode the ferry across the Yukon River, scoped out this old gold mining town, ate at Jack London's Grill, walked the trail along the river, drove to "the dome"--an end-of-the-road jewel that rewarded us with sweeping views of the Yukon in both directions, then pointed the truck towards Whitehorse.
Found a gravel pit wayside and called it a day. Taylor has a memory foam mattress topper & sleeping bag for the back of the truck. That's so we can all have a break from the 24/7-for-5-weeks-in-a-truck. About 2 a.m. he came in the camper. He said a MOUSE had gotten in & was crawling all over him! We made the bed and all fell back asleep.
The next morning we didn't find the mouse but found plenty of evidence. Let Taylor sleep til we got to Moose Creek Provincial Park. Hot breakfast then a cool hike to the confluence of Moose Creek & Stewart River. Drive, drive, drive to Whitehorse. Restock provisions (including sticky traps) then pulled in at Wolf Creek Campground.
Greg placed sticky traps & we all went to bed. After the FOURTH mouse was caught, Taylor tired of bopping them on the head and came back into the camper. We must've camped on a nest and they decided to catch a ride to warmer climes.
Back into town this morning for more sticky pads. We're considering hanging around Whitehorse for a day. Aurora forecast is predicting activity Sunday night. If we keep driving, we'll be out of range. And you KNOW I love those Northern Lights.
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