Days 37 & 38 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!
8-28-23, early afternoon, Anchorage, Alaska – It had rained all morning, the mountains lost in fog. SPHP put down the iPhone.
Sorry, Loopster. Alaska is over for this Dingo Vacation. High probability of rain for at least the next 4 or 5 days everywhere I look.
No Kenai Peninsula, SPHP?
Afraid not, Loop.
Back to the Yukon then, SPHP?
Yeah. Weather is supposed to be much better there.
Sort of ironic. The smoke of the Arctic apocalypse had driven the Carolina Dog back to the Yukon during her first foray into Alaska this summer. Now rain was driving her out a second and final time.
The rest of the day was a long, scenic drive. A hitchhiker picked up near sundown made it somewhat interesting. A young woman from Slovenia, who had been all over the world, was quite a talker and optimist. She believed she would live forever. Well, why not? At 10:30 PM, SPHP dropped Miss Positive Thinking off in Tok, her destination for the night.
8-29-23, 12:33 PM – As usual, the American Dingo had breezed through Canadian customs late this morning. Happily, conditions actually were better here in the Yukon! Now on a high bank overlooking the silt-laden White River, Horsecamp Hill (4,600 ft.) was in sight.
Every year we say we’re going to climb Horsecamp Hill, SPHP, but we never do it. Why not today?
I know we could, Looper, and someday we will, but since we’re back in the Yukon this early in the season, there’s an even greater adventure we can get into position for if we keep going. I’m thinking this is our big chance to visit Observation Mountain (6,824 ft.) and see the Kaskawulsh Glacier in Kluane National Park.
That would be spectacular, SPHP! Been on my list of possibilities forever, too. But do you really think we can do it? What about Bullion Creek?
Might be now or never, Loopster. It’s a multi-day backpacking trip for us, and getting across Bullion Creek can be a problem, but this time of year it might be running low. Worth a shot, isn’t it?
I don’t know, SPHP. The White River seems to have plenty of water in it. Have to admit, I would love to see the Kaskawulsh Glacier, though. It’s huge, isn’t it?
Oh, yeah! Miles and miles long. The Kaskawulsh Glacier originates way up in the remote icefields of the St. Elias Mountains, Loop.
Horsecamp Hill was almost a sure thing, while Observation Mountain was a long shot. Bullion Creek had a bad reputation, although the rest of the two-day trek up the Slims River valley to the Kaskawulsh Glacier shouldn’t be difficult.
Not that convinced Horsecamp Hill isn’t the best choice, SPHP, especially when we’re already here, but if you promise you won’t let me drown in Bullion Creek, I guess I’m willing to try for Observation Mountain.
I’ll do everything possible to make sure you won’t regret it, Looper.
Abandoning Horsecamp Hill once again, the drive S continued.
8-29-23, 1:35 PM – The Donjek was the next big river along the Alaska Highway, and near the site of one of Lupe’s most dangerous adventures ever. SPHP parked the RAV4 at a favorite spot overlooking the river.
C’mon, Loopster! Let’s get out and have a look.
Wow! There’s a lot of water in the river, SPHP. I don’t think we’ve ever seen the Donjek with so much flow before. Look at how wide it is!
True! The Donjek River had always been wide, but on other occasions when Lupe had been here, most of the flow had been limited to a few braided channels among many exposed sand bars. Today, nearly all of the sand bars were submerged. Not a flood, or anything like that, but still quite impressive.
An awesome sight, but SPHP still didn’t think a thing of it beyond simply appreciating the view. Of course, any stop along the Donjek River these days required a stroll over toward the Alaska Highway bridge for a look at Donjek Crossing Mountain (5,774 ft.).
Remember being up there, SPHP? What a view! We could see miles along the Donjek River, both upstream and down, plus some of the snowy giants of the St. Elias Mountains.
Yes, it was incredible up there, alright, Loop. What I’ll always remember most, though, was the lynx that had its eye on you for breakfast!
That was a big kitty! Speaking of food, isn’t it about lunch time, SPHP?
Yup. Part of why we stopped here. Ritz crackers, cheese, and summer sausage. How does that sound, Looper?
Good, apparently. The Carolina Dog was soon back in the RAV4, up on her pink blanket, munching happily away.
After lunch, the drive continued. SPHP stopped at Burwash Creek so Lupe could get out for a few minutes at this possible site for the start of a future adventure, and again near the S end of Kluane Lake, only a mile or two before the turn to the Thechal Dahl visitor centre.
8-29-23, 3:54 PM, Kluane Lake – A big pullout here featured an unusual view. Looking SW toward the Slims River valley, Lupe could see a vast mud flat that had once been part of Kluane Lake. In 2016, meltwaters from the Kaskawulsh Glacier had been rerouted due to glacial retreat from the Slims River feeding Kluane Lake into the Alsek River instead, in a modern day example of stream capture. The loss of all that flow had resulted in a reduction in the level of Kluane Lake, exposing the mud.
8-29-23, 4:02 PM, SW end of Kluane Lake, Thechal Dahl visitor centre – Rather excited by the notion that Lupe might actually get to Observation Mountain and see the Kaskawulsh Glacier, SPHP approached the visitor centre hoping for additional information on the Bullion Creek crossing.
Locked! What? Already?
A lady said that there was a ranger around the corner of the building. SPHP went to talk to him. The short conversation was not so sweet.
The visitor centre is open 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We’re closed now.
With that, the young ranger climbed into his park vehicle and drove off. 15 minutes later, SPHP was chatting with a couple from Switzerland, when another young man appeared, evidently intent upon returning a large, black, clumsy-looking, bear-proof canister.
Excuse me, but by any chance, have you just been to Observation Mountain or the Kaskawulsh Glacier?
He had, but the news was not good. When SPHP asked about the Bullion Creek crossing, the young man lifted his trouser leg to reveal multiple bruises and a deeper wound. Bullion Creek was more than mid-thigh on him – fast, frigid, and rocky. He strongly advised against taking a dog.
Dang! Should have climbed Horsecamp Hill.
8-29-23, 6:35 PM, 72ºF, Slims West trailhead – Lupe trotted along the broad path leading SW up the Slims River valley. A former road, this first part of the trail was back in the trees, away from the open valley.
Isn’t this the same trail that goes to Sheep Mountain (6,400 ft.), SPHP?
That’s right, Looper. The Sheep Creek trail branches off this one not too far from here. This is the way to Bullion Creek, Observation Mountain, and the Kaskawulsh Glacier, too. We’re just going to Shepherd’s Knoll, though, this evening. It’s not far. You’ve been there before.
The single track dirt path to Shepherd’s Knoll was on the L, marked by a small white cairn only a few hundred feet beyond the well-signed R turn onto the Sheep Creek trail.
The Shepherd’s Knoll trail was short and easy. 115 feet of elevation gain total, and even from the parking lot, it was only 0.7 mile to the summit. Lupe enjoyed the stroll, and the scenery was already magnificent.
8-29-23, 7:10 PM, Shepherd’s Knoll – The true summit was a flat, bushy area tucked in among the trees. Snow-capped, and somewhat ominous sounding Vulcan Mountain (9,055 ft.) was in view directly S across the Slims River valley.
Going a little farther NE, Lupe had a terrific view of the mud flats at the SW end of Kluane Lake. Back in the opposite direction, the enormous Slims River valley disappeared around a curve S.
Sorry we didn’t climb Horsecamp Hill today, Loopster. Wish we had now.
No worries, SPHP. Shepherd’s Knoll is beautiful, too, even though it isn’t very big, and we knew Observation Mountain and the Kaskawulsh Glacier were a long shot. So, what are we going to do tomorrow? Any plans?
Yeah. Been thinking about it. I still want to check in at the Thechal Dhal visitor centre tomorrow morning. Who knows, maybe they can give us some ideas or encouragement on getting across Bullion Creek? If not, we could still take the Bullion Plateau trail. It doesn’t go to any peaks, but leads to a view of Red Castle Ridge (6,955 ft.).
Oh, I remember seeing Red Castle Ridge from Sheep Mountain, SPHP. That might be fun!
Little ole Shepherd’s Knoll was a terrific vantage point on this beautiful evening. Lupe lingered a while, enjoying this taste of what might be in store tomorrow before heading back to the RAV4.
8-29-23, 8:38 PM – The lovely evening ended at the S end of Kluane Lake, where the were-puppy made a sudden attack on SPHP.
Ow! Sheesh! Stop that! We really should have climbed Horsecamp Hill. Guess we better do something far more ambitious than Shepherd’s Knoll tomorrow. You’ve got way too much energy, Loopster!
Along the shore of the big lake, the were-puppy merely grinned.
Links:
Next Adventure Prior Adventure
Kluane National Park & Reserve
Kluane National Park & Reserve Trails & Routes Map
Donjek Crossing Mountain, Yukon Territory, Canada (9-9-19)
Sheep Mountain, Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-13-17)
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