In Skagway, Alaska!

Aug 6




Now we are in Skagway, Alaska, but first, let me fill you in on our last few days. I know I may repeat some of what Steve has said, but I’ll give you my perspective as well.


Let me tell you a bit about the Alaska Highway!



I was afraid that the view would be just trees, but we passed everything you can imagine; for instance, we drove through the prairies in Fort Nelson, British Columbia. Along the way, we learned some historical facts; for example, Fort Nelson expanded in the 1950s after the Alcan Highway was complete. Before that, it was still "Little House on the Prairie" with people lacking amenities such as power, phones, running water, refrigerators, and doctors. To me, this is astonishing because that was when I was a child! Fort Nelson was an unorganized territory until 1957 when I was nine years old. Wow.

At times on the Alcan Highway we were in the mighty Rockies. One mountain is called Folded Mountain. You can see the folds from the earth’s movement more than 175 million years ago. At one time, we traveled for miles and miles in a valley with mountains towering on both sides of us. We were pretty impressed with those days. Steve is in heaven here! On Aug 4th, we traveled over Summit Pass, the highest summit of the Alaska Highway.


On the evening of the 4th, we stayed at Mile 462, the Northern Rockies Lodge and RV Park which is owned and operated by a bush pilot and his family. (Right next to this new lodge sits the original lodge from 1951.)We ate dinner in the lodge that has a 45 foot fireplace in the cathedral ceiling dining room. Lynne and Carole would love this place; actually, I felt at home because it reminded me of their home – just a bigger house and with bigger mountains. The surrounding mountains are 7,000 ft. The bush pilot and his crew all from Switzerland have tree planes that take passengers to see the glaciers and the surrounding area.


The lodge is on Muncho Lake, a seven mile long lake that is one mile wide and is 730 ft deep. The copper oxide and depth give it its green/blue color. It’s cold – I know. I put my feet in. Before we had supper, we sat by the lake and enjoyed a drink and the view. I enjoyed Steve, too, but that is understood, isn’t it?


When Steve and I got up on Aug 5th, the temperature hovered at 48. Luckily, during the day the temperature climbed to the 70's and 80's. Each day in the morning I start off with corduroys and then I change clothes during the day!


Interesting day of driving on the 5th – after we left our lodge and we were driving in the Liard River area, we saw signs that said, " Active Fire." We drove for 35 miles of trees that were fire damaged and then through 15 miles of heavy smoke. We could see orange smoke in the distance, but never did we actually see flames. I have to admit I was a bit worried. What if we had car trouble? Luckily, all went well for us. Poor animals in the area. I hope they headed to the water.


Oh, we saw bison lapping up minerals on the road, too.


Steve and I left a Springer’s bumper sticker at the Watson Signpost Forest where now they have 61,000 signs, bumper stickers an license plates from all over the world. Wish we had a Lobster Pound bumper sticker with us! The history behind the Signpost Forest? An army soldier who worked on the Alcan Highway started it by leaving a single sign. Today, travelers continue to leave their signs. When we got out of the car, the first one I saw was from Glastonbury, CT. Those of you have driven on the Alaska highway know what we are talking about.


All this brings us up-to-date in Skagway, Alaska. Coming in to Skagway yesterday was breathtaking with the ice fields and more, larger mountains! Skagway is a town with one school that houses grades 1-12 and has 107 students and 12 teachers, but in the summer, it is booming. Right now five cruise ships are in the harbor. Picture all those tourists in this town! Make you think of Bar Harbor in summer?


Skagway’s phenomenal beauty and its Gold Rush history amazes, but after coming across the vast solitude and emptiness of British Columbia and the Yukon, it seems a little touristy here. ( That said – that is way WE are here, too!) This town reminds me a little of Rangley, Maine – if it were nestled in mountains that tower thousands of feet.


While Steve and I were in town this morning – getting cinnamon buns, coffee, and post cards – we stopped to watch salmon swimming up river to spawn. It is quite a show to see the fish actually jump out of the water and swim furiously! All of our life we have heard about this phenomenon; now we have the opportunity to witness it. Cool – just like "Brother Bear."


Want to hear a funny story? Our neighbors in this RV park are from Sebago, Maine! Steve taught their son Colby.


It seems odd to see people. Yesterday we drove more than 400 miles and saw one long guy fishing. Steve, being from Casco and being such a nice guy, waved to him as we drove by high up on a mountain pass. The fisherman waved back. I felt as if I were in Epcot’s "Soarin" where the lone guy on a pristine lake waves as the camera person flies overhead. One problem with us Edwards. No matter where we are in the natural world, somehow we can make a Walt Disney connection. Darn those Edwards boys for doing this to us! :-) Actually, we miss those Edwards boys just as we miss ya’ll. ( Wait a minute – wrong expression for this part of the word!)