Day 50 (Wednesday): August 28, 2019
I really did not want to miss the Northern Lights (Aurora borealis) yesterday night, stayed up and I was alert at my long lasting campfire. Today, around 12:45 AM, a green bend showed up on the dark sky, like a huge rainbow arched, then formed a condensed region which started to move slowly, increased the light intensity, fingers grew out, like a formation of rain cloud, then formed double and triple layers. It was so unusual and strange and supernatural. The Inuit of Alaska believed that the lights were the spirits of the animals they hunted, others believed that the lights were the spirits of their people. This was the first time when we experienced, watched, enjoyed the light show by the Northern Lights. We aslept around 2 AM, and dreamed about the night magic. After a short sleep, I woke up at 6 AM, freezing cold, 28 oF. Made a campfire and sipping my hot coffee, I enjoyed the play of light of the rising sun, the light was glowing on the colorful fall colored leaves. Went down to Yukon River and washed my face in the ice cold, clean water, just the old timers during the gold rush. After a good breakfast, killed the fire and packed our gear, left the camp at 10 AM. Drove on Klondike Highway to Stewart crossing and Stewart River, then passing heavy road constructions and driving in deep gravels finally arrived to Dawson City. We enjoyed the intense fall colors of the leaves. Arrived safely to Dawson City, Gold Rush Camp, where we set up our tiny house, ate a yesterday’s left over for dinner, and walked around the charming historic city.
Day 51 (Thursday): August 29, 2019
Got up at 6:30 AM on a cloudy, overcast morning, the Sun somehow did not want to come out behind the clouds. After a a 6 minutes hot shower, straight razor shaving seance, (…what a treat even a dirty sink or bathroom), fixed loosened things on the trailer. The remote, bumpy, muddy, dusty environment made some wear on our rig. After a good breakfast, coffee, tea, Lexi washed our dirty clothes, then walked on the streets of the historic city, where time stopped at the gold rush area. We are happy next to the mountains and the Yukon River, recuperating, relaxing, reading, planning. Bought, gas, propane, few groceries, charged batteries, exchanged mountain road experiences with neighbor campers, had WiFi access at Visitor Center, ate good dinner at Drunken Goat Greek restaurant, we had lot of fun.
Day 52 (Friday): August 30, 2019
The Aurora was weak, but well visible at 2 AM, but we had overcast sky, the conditions were not the best. I was sleepy, aslept and woke up at 5:30 AM, hot shower than coffee, tea, started to pack and we were ready to hit the Dempster Hwy. After 30 miles on Klondike Hwy we continued 60 miles on bumpy, soft, dusty dirt road driving on the Dempster Hwy to Tombstone Mountain camp, set up our base camp, next to the gurgling Klondike River. The bumpy road caused pipe connection loosening in the trailer, we got water leakage, but I took a part then fixed it. After dinner we walked around, the colors were amazing, yellows were glowing and the colorful mountains contrasted in the red and yellowish tundra. Photographed a lot. At evening, I made a long lasting good campfire, and waited for the appearance of the Northern Light.
Day 53 (Saturday): August 31, 2019
We walked to the trailhead at 12:30 AM and enjoyed the Northern Lights. The whole sky started to be active and the Northern Lights were everywhere, fingers moved down from the body of the massive body, patches and strips borne. Took few pictures, and we were very impressed, we were out there even when we aslept. Woke up at 7 AM, 33oF, cold, after coffee and tea, I washed myself in the refreshing cold running river. After breakfast we drove on Dempster to the overlook where we got nice view to Tombstone and surrounding mountains and to the colorful valley, with finger like spread river swamps. Drove to Two Moose Lake, where nearby we saw a moose cow and Lexi photographed a nice flock of Harlequin ducks, I got nice landscapes. Drove back on Dempster to Goldensides Mountain trail, we made it halfway and enjoyed the colorful tundra and the fantastic views. Back to camp, I made a hike on the Klondike River nature trail and photographed the beauty of nature on 4×5. After a good dinner, stormed clouds arrived, we warmed up at my long lasting campfire and hoped we will have clear sky at night.
Day 54 (Sunday): September 1, 2019
After midnight I walked around and the Northern Lights started to appear, then became stronger and more active and moved, changed to greenish, yellowish purplish around 12:45 AM, then became stronger and the light chased each other and like waterfalls dropped and speeded like blew by the wind and changed its color. We enjoyed the spectacular play of lights till 1:30 AM. Storm clouds came and we got light rain during late night. I woke up at 7:30 AM, 33 oF, after a pit toilet and cold river water face wash, made coffee, tea, Lexi made good breakfast. Drove to Beaver Ponds and photographed there about 2 hours, then drove to Grizzly Lake trailhead and hiked about 1 mile till the Cairnes creek where the forest line changed to tundra and the trail started to be very steep. Back to parking then back to camp. I photographed around the river rapids, beautiful area. Ate a good home cooked dinner, made camp fire, talked to neighbor hikers, campers, enjoyed the evening. Storm clouds came and covered the sky, even at midnight the clouds were strong only a small part of the Northern Lights was visible, but we noticed and felt the energy. We were tired after the hike, slept very well.
Day 55 (Monday): September 2, 2019
Today is Labor Day holiday, the camp is full with travelers. Woke up at 6:30 AM, after my morning routines, fresh river water face wash, coffee, tea and breakfast… the rain just started, but about an hour later stopped and the clouds started to break up. Plan to hike and photograph. Stopped at the Visitor center where we got electricity and comfortable place to work on the journal and our images.
Day 56 (Tuesday): September 3, 2019
Woke up at 2 AM, still raining… then at 4 AM, no rain, but cloudy, but a strip of Northern Lights was visible. Got up at 6 AM, made double dose of coffee and tea, started to pack, Lexi made sandwiches for the road, then closed our camp and pulled out from Tombstone Mountain camp at 9 AM. Drove on Dempster Hwy to Two Moose Lake, then to Engineer Creek camp, where we ate our sandwiches and walked around, enjoyed the rock wall and the mineral rich, yellowish colored running Engineer creek. Continued north on Dempster Hwy, stopped at few viewpoints and rest areas, look around there and photographed the changing beautiful landscape. The boreal forest changed to tundra, then to Taiga, the mountains had only lichens or just the bald rocks. Passed the mountains and drove on hilly plains seeing Tundra and Taiga vegetations, then in the valley birch and “drunken” pines. All the time we used 4×4 on the muddy many places soft, slippery dirt road. Finally we arrived safely from 13 miles the Arctic Circle to Eagle Plains lodge and camp, where we staid one night. Ate a good dinner there, drank a beer and uploaded my travel journal updates. Started to rain again and non stop rained all evening, made everything soft, slippery and muddy. We were tired, after the long, all day dirt road driving, but free and happy. Warmed up our tiny house and had a good night sleep.
