Day 9, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009 - Whitehorse

We went on a city tour that stoped at the YUKON BERINGIA INTERPRETIVE CENTRE, where we saw the ice-age giant mammals that once ruled the ancient subcontinent. After that we stopped at the SS KLONDIKE RIVERBOAT and learned about its importance on the Yukon River in the Gold Rush days. Later, we headed to Whitehorse’s premier dogsled facility, UNCOMMON JOURNEYS, where we personally met the huskies and their trainers. Here, we learned about the training and care of Alaskan Huskies as well as the lifestyle required to race in world-famous competitions such as the Iditarod and Yukon Quest.  In the evening we went to see the Frantic Follies vaudeville act.

A replica of a Mammoth skeleton. Huge!

An actual aircraft used as a wind vane in Whitehorse, Yukon.

This poster on a building in Whitehorse.  Interesting!

Michelle with Moose the Mountie in Whitehorse.

UNCOMMON JOURNEYS, sled dog facility.  Some of us were dressed up in red overalls.

Maui the Alaskan Husky.

She was a little shy.

The SS Klondike, in Whitehorse.

At the Frantic Follies.

Day 8, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009 - Dawson to Whitehorse

Today, we traced the trail of the gold seekers on their way to the Klondike. We viewed the Five Finger Rapids, which once posed a major obstacle to the hordes of fortune seekers stampeding into the Yukon. We ended our day  in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon.

We walked to the fish ladder Gramp was impressed with when he and Grammie visited here 18 years ago.  The viewing and interpretive section was closed.

We stopped for a pee break and snack at the Moose Creek Lodge.  Lots of strange wooden creatures there.

Like the telephone up the tree.

and the giant wooden mosquito.

A huge Cinnamon Roll at the Braeburn Lodge.  Three of us ate on it; we still had some to take home with us for later!

Day 7, Monday, August 31, 2009 - Dawson City all day

Today, we stepped back in time at the site of CLAIM #1, where the first gold strike was made. We continued to an old GOLD DREDGE (Dredge #4) to learn how gold changed this land forever and to try our own hand at panning for gold! We each got some gold!

 Michelle had the gold we found added to a locket containing some gold her mom and dad had panned around the same place 18 years ago.

Next, we went to the DÄNOJÀ ZHO CULTURAL CENTRE for a tour on the First Nations’ traditions and culture over the past 100 years.

After that we walked to Pierre Burton's house, Robert Service's log cabin and to a replica of Jack London's cabin in the woods which was reproduced in Dawson City using half the logs from the original cabin and half new materials.

In the evening we went to DIAMOND TOOTH GERTIE’S, featuring ragtime music, can-can girls, and an old-fashioned casino. We had our evening meal there before the show started.

The girls

Ted with the girls!

After the show we went gambling.  We planned on not spending more than $20 on the slot machines.  A half an hour later we cashed in our tokens for $89,  therefore a quick profit of $69 in no time.  We figured it was time to quit while we were ahead.

Klondike Kate's, Dawson City, Yukon.

Pierre Burton's house in Dawson City.

Our hotel in Dawson City, Yukon.

Day 6, Sunday, Fairbanks to Dawson City

Continuing the journey into Gold Rush history our motorcoach motored over the Top of the World Highway and entered the Yukon. We passed through the village of Chicken and stopped there for a snack and bathroom break.  Breathtaking scenery. After driving all day, we had fish and chips at Sourdough Joe's on Front Street, Dawson City,This  and then to our room at the Downtown Hotel.  We had a long day.

This was a historic time in Dawson city - Front Street was being paved with asphalt!  We had no internet connection in Dawson City.

Day 5 - Fairbanks, Alaska

Saturday, August 29, 2009. This morning, we boarded the sternwheeler Discovery III, for a CRUISE on the Chena and Tanana Rivers with a stop at a recreated Chena Indian Village to learn about Athabascan native culture. Then to centre town Fairbanks for lunch and walking around town.  Later, we visited the UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA–FAIRBANKS MUSEUM.. We had our evening meal at the Alaska Salmon Bake and the all-you-can-eat buffet.  It was another great day.

From Denali to Fairbanks

Friday, Aug. 28, Day 4 of our tour, we traveled into the heart of Alaska to Fairbanks, where we enjoyed lunch at the historic Pump House restaurant on the banks of the Chena River and also stop at the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline.

A fish wheel in Nenana, Alaska. Nenana is a small native village.

Sandhill Cranes flying overhead in Fairbanks, Alaska, Aug. 28, 2009.

Sandhill Cranes and Canada Geese in a field near our hotel in Fairbanks, Alaska.  There were thousands of geese and cranes in the Fairbanks area.  All were very approachable.

A path in the woods near the field where the cranes and geese were feeding and resting.

Denali National Park - Aug. 27, 2009

We had a great day at the Denali National Park.  A beautiful day, one of the best 7 or 8 days of the whole tourist season weatherwise.  Only about 30% of the park visitors get to see Mount Denali (formerly Mount McKinley), the tallest peak on North America at over 20,000 ft.  We had a great sight of the mountain.

In this photo, snow covered Mount Denali appears in the clouds some 70 miles away.

Here, Mount Denali is still about 30 miles away.  This is as close to the mountain as we could get on our bus tour in the park.

Ted and Michelle at Mount Denali, Alaska.

We saw exciting wildlife including 8 Grizzly Bears, about 20 Dall Sheep, 2 Caribou, several Ptarmigans, a Golden Eagle, Falcons, and a number of Arctic Ground Squirrels, and I am sure some more species I cannot remember at this time.

Toklat Grizzly Bear

Caribou in Denali Park

Arctic Ground Squirrel in Denali Park

Michelle and Ted at a dinner theatre near the hotel.

A juvenile Golden Eagle in Denali Park.