Day 51 & Part 1 of Day 52 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!
9-11-23, 2:10 AM, 45ºF – Comfortably warm, SPHP had slept well for a few hours, but was now wide awake again.
Loopster! Want to go out and sniff the air?
She did. Strolling together down to the confluence, the night was starry, with an orange crescent moon hanging low over the Pelly River.
What an awesome spot, SPHP! Sad to think that it’s our last night in the Yukon.
Very sad, but September is already a third over, Loop. Nights are getting longer. Soon going to be a lot colder, so we’ve got to keep heading S.
While the American Dingo sniffed, SPHP gazed upon the moon’s rippling orange reflection. The Pelly River! A rare vision on this dark night, that spoke not only of this fleeting moment in time, but whispered of quiet, infinitely remote, and lonely ages gone by.
9-11-23, 7:15 AM, 41ºF – A gray morning. It began with a short stroll up to the Robert Campbell Hwy No. 4 bridge over the Hoole River. After crossing the bridge, Lupe explored a primitive side road going upstream into the forest. Surprisingly, it soon led to private property.
Huh. Imagine that! Private land, way out here. It’s a possibility I hardly ever even think about in the Yukon wilderness, Looper.
Great place for a hidden cabin, SPHP. Talk about seclusion!
World class! No doubt about it, Loopster. Even the highway scarcely has any traffic.
9-11-23, 9:19 AM – Trip journal’s caught up. We’ll be leaving soon, Loop. One more look before we head out?
The Carolina Dog was all for that notion. For half an hour, Lupe sniffed around amid the trees and bushes near the pullout where the RAV4 was parked, before visiting the confluence of the Hoole and Pelly rivers for the last time.
A scenic drive along Robert Campbell Hwy No. 4 consumed the rest of the morning and first half of the afternoon. This was all new territory Lupe had never seen before. SPHP stopped quite a few times to let her out for a few minutes and a closer look.
As far as the American Dingo was concerned, the highlight of the entire drive occurred shortly after it began, when she spotted 3 black bears, a mama with 2 cubs, crossing the highway. This provoked a brief, shrill, and extraordinarily enthusiastic reaction within the RAV4. Naturally, the bears fled before SPHP could get a photo.
And that was it for wildlife. Scenic mountains and lakes were the usual fare. An early stop near Finlayson Lake sported an observation deck. However, the forest had grown up so much that the lake was still mostly hidden from view. Displays contained information about the Finlayson woodland caribou herd. No caribou were in sight, either, although Lupe would have loved to see them.
Cruising generally SE, the Pelly Mountains were on the R (SW). Many of these mountains looked quite climbable, but difficult treks through the boreal forest wilderness would have been required just to get to them.
The Logan Mountains eventually came into view off to the L (NE). A romp up onto a low ridge that had burned some years ago provided a terrific viewpoint.
Near Frances Lake, the highway curved S, then turned to pavement shortly before reaching a junction with Nahanni Range Road No. 10. Continuing S, Lupe got a view of the last big mountains along Robert Campbell Hwy No. 4 from Simpson Lake.
On the way into Watson Lake, the sky turned an eerie orange-gray.
Oh, my gosh, SPHP! The Arctic Apocalypse is still here!
Hard to believe, but it was true.
9-11-23, 3:11 PM, 59°F – A gigantic plume of wildfire smoke rising from out of the SW hung over the town of Watson Lake when Lupe arrived. The TAGS gas bar was so busy that SPHP went into the store to purchase a few supplies while waiting for the lines at the pumps to dissipate.
Watson Lake was the end of Robert Campbell Hwy No. 4. From here, the journey SE continued along the beautifully paved Alaska Highway. The threatening wildfire smoke proved to be merely a local phenomena, and was soon fading from sight in the rear view mirror.
Cruising smoothly beneath blue skies, SPHP was mentally celebrating the RAV4’s successful completion of the last significant stretch of nearly 2,000 miles of incident-free gravel roads driven on this Dingo Vacation when, 20 minutes out of Watson Lake, a semi-truck coming the opposite direction threw a rock that cracked the windshield.
Deeply annoyed, SPHP instantly began playing an entirely futile mental game of what-if.
Are you kidding me? Our brand new windshield! Cracked again this year, shortly after we’re done with all the gravel and reached pavement? There is no justice in this world, Loopster!
No lack of irony, though, SPHP.
Same exact spot where the windshield got cracked last year, too, Loop! Right down in the lower L paw corner. If I’d been driving another 1.5″ to the R, all the RAV4 would have suffered was a chip in the paint.
You had no way of knowing that ahead of time, SPHP.
At least back in 2022, we really had no choice, stuck following a pilot car through a narrow, muddy, 16 mile long stretch of road construction way up on the Dalton Highway with one gravel truck after another spraying rocks at us. This time, though, if I’d had any inkling that truck was going to throw a rock, I could have easily stayed far enough to the R so that dang rock would have missed us entirely, Loop.
A little late now, SPHP. Might as well forget it. Just a freak accident. You say yourself that there’s about a 50/50 chance that the windshield will get broken every time we go to Alaska. Happened once to our old G6, too.
All true, yet truth and reason brought no comfort at all. For the next hour, SPHP fumed to no avail while the RAV4 sped through a region of heavily-forested hills and ridges. By the time SPHP’s black mood began to lift, the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood had left the Yukon for good in 2023.
The American Dingo suffered from no such funk. In fact, once back in British Columbia, Lupe had a grand time watching for wildlife along the Alaska Highway, spotting 5 black bears and many bison, all of which elicited hysterical barking fits. What could be more fun?
9-11-23, 6:22 PM – A traditional stop at Liard River Hot Springs was just the ticket, and still an unbelievable bargain at just $5.00 CAN admission, to help complete the healing of the damage the cracked windshield had done to SPHP’s disposition. After the usual short sniff around the picnic area, the Carolina Dog had to wait in the RAV4 while SPHP soaked for nearly 2 hours in the relaxing hot springs deep in the boreal forest.
It was already dark by the time SPHP returned.
Welcome back! So, how was it, SPHP?
It was a dull little crowd, but the hot springs were fabulous, Loop. Feels fantastic to be so warm and clean again! Too bad Dingoes aren’t allowed.
Wouldn’t matter if they were, SPHP. Hot springs aren’t a Carolina Dog favorite.
Chef Boyardee spaghetti for dinner a little later on was, though.
Hey! What are you doing? Leave some for me, Loopster.
You had your fun, SPHP. My turn now!
9-12-23, 7:02 AM, 49ºF – Another mild night. So nice to be warm! The sun wasn’t even on the hills quite yet when Lupe first went out to sniff the air, but that soon changed.
Another travel day, SPHP?
Afraid so, Loopster. Your Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacations are just about over. Don’t worry. We’ll still have some fun on the way home.
No more big adventures, though, SPHP?
Oh, I wouldn’t say that yet, Looper. We’ll see. Anyway, it’s time to hit the road. Muncho Lake Provincial Park is next. We’ll stop a few places along the lake, and you’ll get to see Mount Peterson (7,021 ft.) again!
The views from Mount Peterson were awesome last year, SPHP, but the biting gnats in the forest were ghastly, remember?
How could I forget? Your poor tummy was all swollen and bright red with bites by the time it was over and done with, and those horrid gnats nearly did me in, too. I almost ran out of antihistamine the next day.
No biting gnats today! At least, not during a romp along the gravelly shore of Muncho Lake. It really was fun seeing Mount Peterson again, and remembering its long N ridge snaking away toward Muncho Lake from on high. Returning to the RAV4 after her Muncho Lake tour, Lupe then got to see Peak 7669 and Mount Scott (8,000 ft.), one of the highest peaks in the entire region, during the Alaska Highway’s descent into the Toad River valley.
The scenery was gorgeous along the Toad River. Approaching one of the first pullouts near the river, SPHP slowed way down, then went on.
What was wrong with that spot, SPHP? The view was sublime!
Yeah. Complete with a porcupine, too! So, I thought better of it. I’d rather you didn’t make its acquaintance.
Not to worry! Plenty of spots to get out and sniff along the way.
9-12-23, 9:35 AM, 58ºF – The Toad River was splendid, but the next river, one of its main tributaries, was a long time favorite, and the site of many fond memories. In fact, exactly a year ago today, Lupe had climbed Racing Peak from along its stony floodplain.
The Racing River! We’ve got to spend some time here, SPHP!
Absolutely, Sweet Puppy! Let’s wander upstream for a while.
This jaunt along the Racing River, with Peak 7201 always beckoning in the distance, had become a more or less annual fall tradition.
As always, this was a happy outing, yet there was a touch of sadness about it, too. Golden trees spoke not only of all the glorious adventures the Summer of 2023 had brought Lupe, but of the fast approaching end of these never-to-return halcyon days.
Almost every year, Lupe went a little farther. This time, the turnaround point came along a channel being abandoned by the river.
Are we ever going to climb Peak 7201, SPHP?
I don’t know, Loop. I’ve thought about it many times. Looks like a terrific adventure, but may be beyond our capabilities.
Certainly not happening today. On the way back, Lupe explored part of the forest. Near the end, there was that magnificent view of the Alaska Highway bridge and Racing Peak (4,409 ft.). The Racing Peak dream had come true, maybe someday the Peak 7201 dream would, too?
9-12-23, 11:05 AM, 66ºF, back at the RAV4 –
It’s been fun, but for a travel day, we’ve enjoyed a mighty leisurely start, Loopster. We better get serious about making some highway tracks!
What about lunch, SPHP? We skipped breakfast, and I’m hungry!
Lunch? I suppose you’re right, Looper. We ought to eat something. How about we stop at the picnic ground at Summit Lake in Stone Mountain Provincial Park? We ought to get there right around noon.
Lunch with a view of Mount Saint George! Sounds great, SPHP. By the way, do we have any more Chef Boyardee spaghetti?
I’ll have to check when we get there, Chow Dingo!
Links:
Next Adventure Prior Adventure
Mount Peterson, Muskwa Ranges, Muncho Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada (9-10-22)
Racing Peak, Muskwa Ranges, British Columbia, Canada (9-12-22)
Mount Saint George, Stone Mountain Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada (8-5-17)
Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacations to Colorado, New Mexico, Canada & Alaska Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.
