I was up at 5am before the sun. Nestled beneath the bows of a spruce, the morning showers had yet to soak my bivy. I packed up and headed over to Tim's to update my blog and enjoy a cinnamon bun. Once the sky was bright and the rain gone, I took Bastian's advice to visit Mile's Canyon on my way out of town. The 5 and 6 sided basalt carried down from a plume cooked quickly leading to the distinct cracks. The Yukon River, which flows through here, narrows as a result of the sturdier lava rock. This once deep canyon was a deadly obstacle for early river travel. The 20th century dam downstream raised the water level and ended the era of ship traffic through this passage.
I stopped by Bastian's shop for a tour a snapped a pic of Olivia D. Bones out front.
The Klondike Hwy was a beautiful ride through changing scenery. The road curved alone many glacial lakes and beautiful streams flowing green from glacial silt.
The Carcross Desert holds the distinction as the world's smallest. Formed by settled glacial silt, this area provides a stark contrast to the green mountains and rock faces beyond. I hiked to the top of the highest dune for a picture.
The small town of Car(ibou)cross(ing) has a powerful connection to the native past. The influx of Klondike Gold Rushers and later the WWII construction of the ALCAN changed the town's character. Today, it is a hub on the inland tour circuit for cruise ships docking in Skagway.
Continuing into British Colombia, the road rises and scenery changes dramaticaly. I'm impressed by the land of lakes and glaciated terrain.
I'm down in Skagway now and look forward to meeting my parents tomorrow as their cruise comes in to port!