Day 35 0 July 09, 2011 Tok AK Across the border

Day 35 - Sat. July 09, 2011- Over the border into Alaska!

1. Wildflowers at Kluane Cottonwood RV Park YT

2.The frontal range of the St Elias Mtns. in Kluane Park and Preserve

3.A form of Dryas in bloom.

4. View from the trailer window at Kluane Lake. YT

Well, after 34 days of traveling the North American Continent, we passed through CUSTOMS at the American side and had no problems there. A few basic questions, “Where to, where from? Carrying firearms, food, goods”? ”You are good to go”! Gee, that was easy. It is interesting to note that the border between Yukon (Canada) and Alaska (USA) was established between the Russians and the English in 1825, and the US accepted the border when we bought Alaska from the Russians. What a deal that was! Today there is a 600 mile long, 20 feet wide, swath cut between 1905 and 1920 (maintained by the International Commission) from the Arctic Ocean to Mt. St.Elias in the Wrangell Mtns. all along the 141st Meridian. It is a pretty sight and perhaps the longest unpatrolled border in the world ?

But that was later in the day, and to start out we had to overcome the FROST HEAVES for some 120 miles on portions of the Alaska Highway. The crews were out of course in the summer, and we had two “follow lead car” times , one with a 20 minute wait for traffic to clear southbound. There were many sections of “loose gravel” and “construction ahead”, as they were applying the pitch and gravel in many places . One section was 6 miles long with escort. But the scenery, especially as we travelled along Kluane Lake was magnificent. The 15,000 foot plus MOUNTAINS of the St.Elias range were in view and even the front range had a lot to offer. We saw no mammals at all throughout the day. No Moose! But we did see some Tundra SWANS and three young cygnets who had a small lake all to themselves. (They like that!). Ruth was excited to see some GOLDEN EAGLES albeit from a distance. Near the mountains in Kluane Park and Preserve they are seen often. Some villages along the way:

Burwash Landing (YT) was established as a trappers and traders post in 1904 and the Lodge there now was built in 1944 after the road came through. A Catholic church, Our Lady of the Rosary, was built n 1944 and ran a school until 1952, when it closed, The church still holds masses today as a mission church. I is one of three Catholic churches on the Alaska Highway.

Destruction Bay (YT) was named , when, as an army post during road construction, a terrible storm practically destroyed everything there. LIke many of the relay stations along the road in 1942, it gave relief to the truck drivers and many of then were also repeater, telegraph and telephone stops.

Beaver Creek (YT) was the original customs stop, but it was moved north after too many people tried to go through without stopping, creating sirens in the middle of the night. It is one of two places where the crews building the highway met in 1942 allowing passage all the way from Dawson Creek.

Tok (AK) is a town of 1300, and is the place you must pass through coming or going into or out of Alaska. When the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands, a priority was given to the road to Fairbanks (Air bases), and the proposed Tok Road to the west (the Tok cutoff) was put on hold. We will take this road to Anchorage.

Now a few words about the ‘tiaga’ or the “land of little sticks” as the Russian words denotes. All along the road from mid Yukon into Alaska it is the tiaga. It consists of short (20’-30’ tall) spruce trees that are only 2” in diameter that may very well be 100 years old. Talk about slow growth! That is why the trees are never cut this far north. (Commercially at least.) A large problem in Alaska’s vast land is that each year lightning strikes can start a fire in the dry tundra and tiaga very quickly. FACT: In one day more than 6,000 lightning strikes can hit the ground in Alaska. Fires in remote places can burn for days without fire suppressant reaching it.

In 1990 JIm was returning from Alaska when the great Tok fire surrounded the town . Total destruction was prevented when a sudden wind shift took the flames the other way.

Crossing the Tanana River before Tok felt like we were finally at ”home” .The Tanana joins the Yukon River at Fairbanks where the two rivers joining are called “nutchalaweya” or “ the joining of the waters”.

Maybe a mention just one time of the INSECTS that Alaskans put up with. First there are the mosquitos that are 30 different types. Then there re the ‘no see ums’, the saw flies, larval caterpillars, black flies, silver winged gnats and deer flies. It is known that mosquitos can take a pint of blood from a Moose in a day!

It has been a long 34 days, but a most beautiful and enjoyable trip along the way.We are blessed to be able to do this and like to think that we are taking you all along with us as we go.

The Tok RV campground has 181 sites and it is really a clean one. There is nightly entertainment (local Alaskan music) with a five piece band, all the amenities you would want including a huge RV wash. We will wait until Anchorage as there are still more roads under repair on the Glenn Highway into Anchorage. A short rain came through as we started to set up the site, but ended in 10 minutes and now the sun is shining again. See you Anchorage.