Day 78 (Wednesday): September 25, 2019
Got up early as usually every day, then after my coffee, tee, continued to work on our trip, organized and checked the campsite options for the next few days. The rain started… After breakfast, we packed and closed our camp, then drove in rain and slippery road to Eagle River, Eklutna, then to Palmet. Luckily when we arrived to the curly and steep mountain road sections, the rain stopped. Passed King and Sheep mountains, looked at the breathtakingly beautiful Chugach Mountains and enjoyed the huge Matanuska and Nelchina glaciers. After Mendelta, passed Tazlina Lake, then Tolsona, finally arrived to Glennallen. Loaded with gas and got few more missing groceries, then set up our Titan at Northern Nights camp in Glennallen. Well, the rain started again and just does not want to stop… I was tired after the long mountain road drive, we ate yesterdays leftover and worked on images, journal and read book, learned life lessons from the native. We had a beautiful day.
Day 79 (Thursday): September 26, 2019
Got up early, the rain stopped, partially cloudy, cold, 35 oF, but we have a good chance to have good weather for today. After breakfast, coffee, tea, we left the camp around 10 AM, continued to drive on Glenn Hwy (Hwy 1), but when we turned north, immediately had to stop to see and photograph, the freshly snow-covered mountains of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Drove through Gulkana, Garsona, stopped many times to photograph. After Chistochina on Glenn Hwy Tok Cutoff road, when we arrived in Slana, we drove off from the Hwy and drove on the Wangel Mountains National Park Nabesna Road about 18 miles, photographed Wrangell Mountains from the south side and Mentasta mountains from the north. Drove back to Slana then continued to Tok direction, stopped at Mentasta Lake, next to the pullout at Milepost 77.8 on Glenn Hwy. The scenery was outstanding the snow-covered mountains reflected in the water surface with gray clouds. After photographing we continued to drive to Tok, where we luckily found a camp that did not close yet. Setup our camper trailer, warmed up our home, ate good dinner, then worked on files, journal, read, set up for the possibility to see and photograph the aurora borealis, Tonight is a clear very cold, 21 oF, starry night. At 1 AM, the Northern Lights made a nice big green arch, just under the Big Dipper. At 3 AM, the Northern Lights were higher, and made some changes from the arch. That was very nice. We were chilly and sleepy after photography in the 15 oF cold…
Day 80 (Thursday): September 27, 2019
At 7:30, clear sky, cold, 16 oF. After the morning routines, started to pack and left Sourdough Camp at 10:30 AM. Drove on Alaska Hwy 2 to Teslin Junction then stopped many nice photography spots and overlooks. We got a nice view of the snow-covered Wrangell Mountain range at Midway Lake. Continued on Hwy 2, stopped and photographed many places along the Teslin National Wildlife Refuge, including the nice Deadman Lake. We drove on dirt road again to the campground at the lake and walked the 1-mile interpretive boardwalk. We were alone there, and enjoyed the quiet time, learned a lot about the taiga, tundra, raised beds, plants, and wildlife on the trail. Drove back to Hwy 2, cross the US/Canada border, passed many burned and still burning areas, at Beaver Creek, then arrived at Discovery Yukon Camp at White River, milepost 1818 km on Alaska Hwy. Set up our tiny house, warmed it up, Lexi cooked good food for dinner and I walked around with my camera. Very nice place, surrounded by mountains. We had a clear sky, starry, cold night, 29oF at 10 PM Yukon time. Set up our cameras for night photography and checked the appearance of the Northern lights hourly. At 11 PM, the Northern Lights started to make a large, wide, green arch on the northeast sky, then started to move, danced, made skirts, and spread to the north, dropped fingers, like fireworks. We enjoyed and photograph this powerful play of light. The yellowish-green colored light, dropped some pinkish edges few times and made multiple waterfalls-like formations. Photographed about an hour, then started to be pale, but she just rested and continued to dance later, showing herself as a giant, powerful ghost. Today Arora Borealis was exceptional, special, and exquisite. Many thanks to Mother Nature for all of the special gifts that we received, felt, heard, and saw.
Day 81 (Saturday): September 28, 2019
Got up at 5:30 AM, dark, 28 oF, cold enough, sunrise at 9 AM, but the Sun moved very slowly, looked like a tired old man. After a hot shower at the camp office building, worked on files, journal, packed and after breakfast, we left our camp. Continued on Alaska Hwy 1 through Quill Creek, where we got a nice view of the high, remote, huge deep icefields containing, rigid St. Elias Mountains. Stopped at Duke River, where photographed the mountain-scape with pine forest and cotton grass field on the foreground slope. Slowly arrived in the huge Kluane Lake, drove along, and stopped at the Visitor Center (closed for the season) at the east end of the Lake, where we saw (counted 109 animals) and photographed Dall sheep on the side of the Sheep mountain. Continued to Haines Junction, having a continuous nice view to the mountain range of the Kluane National Park. We got nice exhibitions, info, and WiFi connection at the Visitor Center of the Kluane National Park, located just the other side of the road where we camped at Fas Gas RV camp for two nights. Tried to see the Northern Lights, but because of the nearby light contaminations we just saw a faded yellowish-green strip. Asleep at 11:30 PM, 28 oF, starry, cold night.
Day 82 (Sunday): September 29, 2019
Woke up early, 28 oF, dark, slept, then got up at 7:30 AM, still dark, but the light slowly started to come up and the dawn painted pinkish-orange the gray clouds on the east side. The light magic gradually paled out about 15 minutes. Coffee, tea for the morning and for the day trip, to Haines, AK. Left our Camper Trailer at the RV park and drove on Hwy 3 through the beautiful Kluane National Park to Kathleen Lake, then stopped at almost all viewpoints and enjoyed the beauty of the untouched wilderness of the Kluane National Park. Saw a large grizzly, several trumpeter swans on the lakes, then after the Yukon / British Columbia border, entered Talseshini Elsec Park, photographed the majestic snow-capped mountain ranges with colorful tundra and small lakes in the foreground and close to the Canada / US Alaska border, enjoyed the view to many large glaciers. At mile 21, we arrived to the Chilkat River Bald Eagle Preserve and saw about 20 bald eagles and few golden eagles, we were there a month earlier than the huge bald eagle congregation happens in every year from November. Drove to Haines, looked around in the harbor and Main Street, then drove back on the gorgeous scenic road to The Kluane National Par, stopped at Million Dollar falls and Kluane Lake, then back to Haines Junction. Ate a good dinner in the local pub and eatery then, worked on my journal and images in the camp. Cloudy night, 45 oF at 11 PM.
Day 83 (Monday): September 30, 2019
Woke up early again, 40 oF, after a hot shower, bathroom routines, coffee, tea, breakfast, we started to pack and left the camp around 10 AM. Drove on Alaska Hwy 1 from Haines Junction to Canyon, Champaign Landing, through the First Nations tribes territories to Whitehorse, where we got some supplies and gas. Drove through the city on the outer Alaska Highway 1 loop, then arrived at Caribou RV camp, where we planned to stay, but we arrived early, so decided to go farther. Drove on Hwy 1 and checked several forest camps at Marsh Lake, at the scenic Squanga Lake, and along Teslin Lake, but those were closed for the season, then we finally decided to drive to Teslin and at the end of Teslin Lake, we stayed at Nisutlin Bay’s Yukon Motel / RV Park, where we got gas, propane, electricity, hot showers, laundry and WiFi at the restaurant building, which is open all night. Unfortunately, the weather turned rainy, and we almost have no chance to see the Northern Lights tonight. Lexi cooked, finished the laundry, checked the banking, and downloaded more maps and locations for our trip. The rain stopped, but started again, overcast, 46 oF.
Day 84 (Tuesday): October 1, 2019
The rain still sprinkling in the early morning, but stopped at 7 AM, 46 oF. After a hot shower, shaving, coffee, tea, breakfast, and packing, left our camp at 9:30 AM and drove on Alaska Hwy 1, through the slippery metal bridge over Nisutlin Bay to Swift River. Stopped all scenic viewpoints and pullouts, stopped at Swan Lake and after Rancheria River bridge, at Rancheria Falls trailhead, where we took a hike on a boardwalk through the Boreal forest to the falls, where we photographed on large format and enjoyed the sound of the falls. Continued to Junction 37, where we filled up our trusted Beast with gas, then continued on the scenic, narrow, up and down, but solid surfaced Cassiar Hwy 37, surrounded by the Cassiar mountains. Stopped and photographed at Blue Lakes, where the burned pine tree sticks contrasted in the green algae painted and dark brown patched shallow water. Stopped at several other spots, like the Beaver dam rest area, which was even OK for an overnight stay, then at Mud Lake, and we were happy to see the hundreds of small lakes around us. Jade City was interesting, then continued our long drive, the rain started again and made the road slippery. Rabid Grizzly rest stop was not good and continued to Dease Lake, where all camps were closed, finally only boondocking was an option. Got permit to park and stay in our camper in a Motel’s parking. All afternoon and evening rained and continued as a quiet, long-lasting rain. Rained all night, but we were safe and warm in our tiny house.
