The Wolve Travels: Mile 13375

We leave Whitehorse, YT this morning and follow for a little while the ALCAN until we find the turn-off to Hwy-2 or better known as the Klondike Highway. We follow the mirror-smooth Fox Lake to Braeburry, YT and enjoy the tranquility this picture reflects on us.

Fox Lake, YT

Little Fox Lake, YT

The morning is just picture perfect, cumulus puffy clouds changing sight with dark rain clouds just to get disturbed by ribbons of blue sky, a constant change of light, so welcoming and turning the landscape in an ever changing picture. We cross the Yukon River at Carmacks, YT and follow it to our left for some miles before turning slightly East to Pelly Crossing, YT.

Yukon River Crossing and Yukon River

Here as the name suggests we cross the Pelly River and head North to Stewart Crossing, YT, crossing the same named river.

Klondike Hwy, Pelly River, YT

Stewart Crossing, Construction on Klondike Hwy

Over Moose Creek we follow the Klondike Hwy passing the turn-off to the Dempster Highway to head into Dawson City, YT. This town of 2000 something was once the pinnacle of the universe at the time of the great gold rush. Today it draws on a time long gone, but not ready yet to get absorbed in the modern world. Lots of the building are just the facade left, behind they are empty and deserted. A pity as there is so much to be told and learned from the history this town has to offer.

They have it all figured out, Holland America Line

Aurora Inn, our rest place, Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall

Only the shell still exists, ...

Downtown Hotel and Saloon

Today we head a little out of town into the mining area, better to the Bonanza Creek, the final resting place for the world's largest Dredge, Dredge #4 of the Canadian Klondike Mining Company. This dredge was constructed 1912-13 by the CKMC to mine the gravels of the Klondike River Valley. After it ran out of load in 1940, it was disassembled and reassembled in the Bonanza Creek to continue work from 1941 to 1958. It sank in 1959 and has since been preserved as National Historic Site.

CKMC Dredge #4

DC winch motor and sluice pump, trommel inlet chute

Bow gantry and bucket ladder, Controller for gear ratios

Pilot house lever arrg't, stacker with belt

Sluice boxes (where the gold was caught), bucket ladder and bow gantry

Bucket ladder housing and buckets (each can take 1 ton of gravel)

After having been educated on the operation of gold mining with a dredge we return to town for some lunch and a lazy afternoon exploring a little more this historic town.