Days 37-39 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!
9-4-22, 12:07 PM, 57ºF, Fairbanks, Alaska – Refueled and resupplied, but that was where the good news ended.
We’re leaving, SPHP? Why? I thought we had another week in Alaska!
So did I, Loopster. That was the plan. We’ve got the time and money, but I’ve checked and rechecked the forecast on the iPhone. No matter what part of Alaska I look at, there are at most only 1 or 2 relatively dry days in the next 5 or 6. Other than that, it’s rain, rain, and more rain. And you know how Alaska is! If there’s a reasonable chance of rain, it’s going to happen, and for most of the day, too.
Disappointing to say the least, but the forecast seemed to be accurate. Although it wasn’t raining as Lupe left Fairbanks, it soon started right in again, and rained all afternoon. It wasn’t until the American Dingo was already past Tetlin Junction SE of Tok that skies turned blue.
Wow! Actual brilliant sunshine, SPHP. I’d almost forgotten what it’s like. Doesn’t seem right!
Figures! That’s the way it’s been on this Dingo Vacation. Only really sunny place in Alaska is the road back to Canada.
Can’t complain too much, SPHP. We had some marvelous adventures in Alaska again this year!
True enough, but nevertheless, at 8:00 PM PDT, Lupe was once again crossing the Canadian border. Sadly, Alaska 2022 was already in the rearview mirror. By 8:47 PM, she’d made it to the White River, and the familiar view of Horsecamp Hill (4,600 ft.).
9-5-22, 8:25 AM, 44ºF, Donjek River – So much for blue skies! The clouds were back, along with light rain. Lupe was still glad to stop at this long favorite place, but others had beaten her to the punch. People were camping in all the best spots, and who could blame them? The Donjek River is awesome!
At least the American Dingo got to sniff around for 20 minutes before moving on. A lovely time, although it didn’t begin to compare with the day she’d climbed Donjek Crossing Mountain back in 2019.
9-5-22, 9:28 AM, 44ºF, Alaska Highway, Kluane River rest area – S of the Donjek River, the clouds began breaking up. Blue sky was reappearing! New snow was visible up on the mountains to the W.
So beautiful! The mountains always look better with snow on them, don’t they, SPHP?
They do, Looper! And you know what? These are the same mountains I was daydreaming about climbing someday when we were on our way to Alaska. Want to see what we can do?
Sure, SPHP, but how are we even going to get to them? They’re back pretty far from the highway, and it’s all forested territory. Might be a tough slog.
I know, Loop, but I remember we crossed a bridge over Burwash Creek where it looked like we might be able to follow the floodplain a long way toward the mountains. If we watch for it, I bet we’ll see it again before we get too much farther.
Let’s try that then, SPHP!
9-5-22, 10:14 AM, 45ºF – Sure enough, a few miles S of the rest area, the Alaska Highway crossed Burwash Creek. Fortunately, there was a nice, roomy flat spot to park on the W side of the highway. It was on the S side of the creek, which was the wrong side, but that was OK. Traffic was light. Lupe could just cross the bridge.
Excitement was in the air following this spur of the moment decision. These mountains weren’t even on the Carolina Dog’s list of possibilities, so SPHP didn’t have any maps of the area.
What mountain are we going to be climbing, SPHP? Does it have a name?
I have no idea, Loop. Was thinking we’d just call it Burwash Mountain, if we manage to get to the highest peak.
The highest one? You sure are optimistic, SPHP! Amazing what a little sunshine can do.
Maybe more like delusional, but we might as well think big, Looper. In any case, it’s an adventure! We’ll do what we can.
As soon as SPHP had the pack ready, the American Dingo was on her way. Crossing the Alaska Highway bridge to get over to the N side of Burwash Creek, she then scrambled down a bank to the floodplain.
Burwash Creek had decent flow, but occupied only a small portion of a huge floodplain that must have been 300 feet wide. Lupe could roam at will across a vast region of rounded stones as she headed upstream. Most of the time she preferred staying close to the scenic creek.
Even SPHP’s progress was excellent on this super easy terrain. Clouds had already reformed over the mountains, which was disappointing, but there was still plenty of blue sky around, and the clouds didn’t seem threatening at all. Maybe they would burn off again before too long?
It soon became evident that the floodplain wasn’t entirely natural. Giant Caterpillar tracks clearly demonstrated that the entire region had been extensively rearranged by heavy machinery. What had appeared to be moraines along each side were actually levees. Why anyone considered levees necessary wasn’t clear. What harm would a flood do here?
Loopster didn’t care. It was all still very beautiful, and she was rapidly closing in on the mountains. Really an excellent route!
After going a mile or more, the floodplain started to narrow down. The creek meandered from one side to the other. To avoid it, Lupe climbed 10 feet up onto some perfectly flat terrain above the N bank. Small trees, many of which were starting to turn yellow, dotted this region, along with countless little plants sporting white pom poms.
Burwash Creek had turned SSW, so Lupe kept going that way too. SPHP was surprised when she came to an ancient 2 track road. Even more surprising, this faint road soon led to a fairly decent gravel one.
Huh. This gravel road must leave the Alaska Highway somewhere, Loop. I’ve never noticed it, though.
Well, it’s going our way, SPHP. Makes life easy! We’re definitely going to get to the mountains now.
The gravel road continued SSW toward the same gap in the mountains that Burwash Creek was coming from. Lupe was getting to the foothills when a small clearing appeared on the R. Long-abandoned equipment sat rusting away here, a process that was going to take eons based on the size of it. A gigantic metal box with an attached framework was laying upside down.
What is this, SPHP?
Oh, that’s a metal contraption, Loopster.
A contraption? What does it do, SPHP?
Hard to say exactly, Looper, mostly because I don’t know. Don’t think it does much of anything any more, but I bet it had something to do with a mining operation somewhere around here.
A mine? What would they be mining for? Gold?
Quite likely, Loop. Sometimes there’s gold in mountain streams, or deep inside the mountains.
Oh, that’s right! There used to be gold rushes in the Yukon, SPHP!
Yes, that’s true, Looper. We’re personally running late as far as getting in on any gold rush action ourselves, though.
Keep an eye out all the same, SPHP. If you happen to see a big chunk of gold laying around, I want you to add it to my rock collection.
Rest assured I’ll do that, Loop. A big chunk of gold would certainly be a worthy addition. Your collection is sorely lacking in them at the moment.
Just past the small clearing, a tiny tributary of Burwash Creek crossed the road. SPHP easily stepped right over it. Lupe soon reached a larger clearing. She was getting close to the mountains now, and over on the S side of the creek, 2 white campers were parked up on a hill. An orange excavator was over there, too, next to a spot where a tremendous chunk of another hill had been dug out.
After passing this apparently abandoned small mining operation, the gravel road continued into the mountains, barely gaining any elevation at all, as it followed the course of Burwash Creek.
We’re never going to get to the top of anything this way, SPHP! Where do we leave the road?
Not sure, Loop. Start looking for a good place.
The sides of the valley were very steep and heavily forested. After going around a couple of bends, a small, but very rocky, hill appeared ahead.
Once past the hill, the back side appeared to be a feasible spot to start climbing. Turning N, Lupe scrambled up a steep bank into the forest.
Which way, SPHP? To the top of the rocky hill?
Oh, I don’t know that we need to do that, Loop. Let’s aim for the ridge W of it, and see what the situation is there.
The forest was thick, but not impassable, as Lupe sniffed her way N up a fairly steep slope. After gaining 150 feet, she managed to reach a narrow ridge W of the rocky hill. Steep-sided valleys were on both sides. It was hard to see much due to all the trees.
Let’s skip the hill, and just follow this ridge W, Loop. We’ll have to climb a long way to get above tree line. Onward! Puppy, ho!
Following the ridgeline, Lupe climbed and climbed while having a grand time playing ferocious wild Dingo in the mossy forest. Where the forest was thickest, the ridge was really slow going for SPHP. In a few places, the Carolina Dog came to small openings where it was possible to get a glimpse of what was out there beyond the forest.
Burwash Creek eventually came into view. Lupe was already far above it. Higher yet, the N end of Kluane Lake was in sight.
The ridge finally broadened out, becoming a gentler slope. This region was wet and more open. Low bushes, tussocks, and thick spongy tundra dominated, although there were still plenty of trees. All this vegetation remained soaking wet from earlier rains. Progress was slow, and both Lupe and SPHP got mighty wet, too.
At last, Lupe caught sight of a ridge to the W that was at least several hundred feet higher.
We’re heading right for it, SPHP!
Good! Keep going, Looper. Looks like there might be some much more open ground up there.
Beyond the tussocks, the slope steepened considerably. The tundra was incredibly thick and mossy, as Lupe battled her way through dense trees, tall bushes, and even some alders. The American Dingo started pawing the back of SPHP’s legs.
This is ridiculous, SPHP! We can scarcely move. It’s exhausting!
I know. Let’s take a short break, Loop. Once we get up to that ridge, I’m hoping we’ll find a much easier situation.
Cleverly taking the break at a spot where there were wild blueberries, SPHP sampled some. Past their prime this late in the season, but still mighty good! The break lasted a little longer than anticipated, but the Carolina Dog raised no objections.
Had enough yet, SPHP? You’re starting to turn purple!
Of wild blueberries, Loopster? Impossible! I never get enough, but we can keep going, if you’re ready.
Resuming the struggle higher, Lupe finally managed to reach firmer ground along a minor ridgeline. The ridge she was trying to get to was now in sight again, much closer than before, but still somewhat higher beyond a ravine chock full of colorful bushes.
Following game trails, the Carolina Dog circled around the N end of this drainage, before turning SW to gain the ridge that was her objective.
9-5-22, 1:45 PM – So much for this being open ground! That had been mere illusion. Although close to tree line, nearly the entire ridge was densely covered with bushes waist high on SPHP, the ground beneath them still covered with spongy tundra. Even on the game trails, it wasn’t easy to push through this tightly-packed thicket. Down among bushes beautifully decked out in red, gold, and orange, the American Dingo was sunk in an absolute jungle where she couldn’t see a thing.
Exploring the ridge, which wasn’t all that big, SPHP soon found a couple of places where Lupe could get a look around. One was a spot very close to the high point where the bushes weren’t so thick. Both the N end of Kluane Lake, and many snow-capped peaks far to the E across the vast Kluane River valley were in sight. Burwash Creek and its floodplain were in view, too.
Looking N, the Carolina Dog could see Peak 6158, as yet unattempted, but which actually was on her list of possibilities.
The most interesting and crucial view, as far as today’s adventure was concerned, though, was from a small clearing on the W side of the ridge. Here, Lupe had enough space to relax, and there was a view W toward the mountains she was attempting to climb.
At first glance, this view was encouraging. The mountains extended a lot higher, but looked like easy terrain, just big rounded hills.
Deceptively easy, I’m afraid, Loop. Hardly any trees up there, so we would have some fantastic views, but looks to me like those hills are one gigantic thicket of these same types of bushes for a long way.
What happened to all the snow we saw from the Kluane River rest area, SPHP? Did it all melt already?
No, I can’t imagine that’s the case. The snow is still up there, we just aren’t seeing the top of the range from here, Looper.
How much higher do we need to go, SPHP?
No telling, dear Dingo, but almost certainly quite a bit higher than what we can see from here.
If those hills really are covered with bushes, it will take us forever just to get to what we can see, SPHP.
Yeah. Maybe we better take a break while pondering our situation?
SPHP produced some beef jerky, which Lupe eagerly accepted, then sat munching on honey roasted peanuts. It had turned into a gorgeous day, but it was already nearly mid-afternoon, and there was a sizeable drop ahead just to get to the base of those hills to the W.
Checking the iPhone, SPHP was in for a surprise.
Hey, Loop! Guess what? We’ve got cell phone service here! Even though I don’t have any maps of this region uploaded, the Peakbagger app that’s recording your GPS track has generated a topo map.
Really? What does it say, SPHP? How far have we gone, and how high are we?
Says we’ve gone 5.8 miles, Looper, but that can’t be right. I checked the GPS track right before we left the road, and it said 2.7 miles then, which seemed reasonable. We haven’t gone any 3+ miles since leaving the road, though, not even close. As far as how high we are, we’re at about 3,925 feet, a gain of about 1,190 feet from where we started.
And how much farther is it to Burwash Mountain, SPHP?
It’s still a long way NW of us, Loopster. We aren’t even close to halfway to it, yet. I see a small 6,600 foot contour, so the summit must be somewhere around 2,700 feet higher than where we are now.
Sounds impossible, SPHP! We’ll never get that far or high today!
Oh, and there’s a long skinny lake hidden in the valley just W of this ridge, Loop. We could go around the N end of it easily enough, if we want to keep climbing.
Not going to happen, SPHP!
I know it. Guess this was just a reconnaissance mission, Looper.
If Lupe had continued up to the top of the big hills already in sight to the W, there was a Peak 6342 up there less than 3 miles away, but even that seemed beyond reason.
Now that I’ve got a topo map to look at, it seems clear that our best course of action would have been to follow Burwash Creek to Tatamagouche Creek, then up the back side of the range to where we could make a much closer attempt on Burwash Mountain. That’s a backpacking trip for us.
Maybe someday, SPHP. It does sound like fun!
9-5-22, 2:23 PM – Live and learn! Maybe Lupe actually would return some fine day to climb Burwash Mountain via Tatamagouche Creek? In any case, today’s reconnaissance mission up Burwash Creek had served its purpose. Might as well head back. After a last glance at those big hills she was never going to get to climb, Lupe was on her way.
The return was beautiful, and much easier going downhill. With the help of the GPS track, Lupe kept to the same general route back through the forest, although she did do some more exploring along the way.
The steepest part of the descent began once Burwash Creek came back into view again. It all went well. Soon Lupe was scrambling down the embankment leading to the gravel road. Once there, the rest was cake.
9-5-22, 5:21 PM, 55ºF – The Carolina Dog arrived back at the RAV4 happy with her Burwash Creek reconnaissance mission, despite the lack of any peakbagging success. It had been quite the romp, neither too short, nor too long, on the sunniest, most beautiful day in weeks. Furthermore, the possibility yet remained of returning some day to complete the mission to climb Burwash Mountain.
The rest of the evening was spent continuing S on the Alaska Highway. Various stops along magnificent Kluane Lake were featured on the way. Decoeli was visible from the first stop, and mud flats extending up the Slims River valley were in view from the next.
The mud flats were much more extensive now than before the level of Kluane Lake dropped in 2016. That was the year meltwaters from the Kaskawulsh Glacier broke through an ancient ice dam, causing a change in course that directed flow from the glacier down the Kaskawulsh River instead of into Kluane Lake via the Slims River.
9-5-22, 6:34 PM – By the time Lupe reached the big pullout along the Alaska Highway at the S end of Kluane Lake, SPHP was ready to call it a day. This had been a favorite spot for years. Lupe could spend the rest of the evening right here! The Slims River valley, Sheep Mountain, and a long line of peaks marching away to the N were all in view.
Dinner and barepaw walks along the beach as the sun sank in the W were all part of the plan.
9-6-22, 7:04 AM, 30ºF – Nights were fast getting longer and colder. In the wee hours, Lupe had seen both Polaris and the Big Dipper N over Kluane Lake. Orion, too, off to the SE. Light out now, but the sun wasn’t up yet. This was going to be mostly a driving and resupply day, but Lupe could enjoy a last romp along Kluane Lake while the morning alpenglow was still on the mountains.
The drive S along the Alaska Highway was beautiful, but SPHP became sleepy and pulled over at a rest stop for a 2 hour nap. At Whitehorse, SPHP fueled up the RAV4, and bought a roasted chicken, orange juice, and crackers. By mid-afternoon, Lupe was standing on Highway No. 7 with the W subpeak of massive Mount White (5,016 ft.) in view.
Highway No. 7! Are we going back to Atlin, SPHP?
Yes, we are, Loop, but first we’ll stop for lunch at our favorite ridge with the grand view of Mount Minto (6,913 ft.) and the N end of Atlin Lake.
The roasted chicken and Ritz crackers for lunch were tasty. Twice, Lupe got to roam through the forest on the ridge with the big view looking for squirrels. She even went on another reconnaissance mission to discover whether or not there was an easy way to get to Mount Minto, with strange and disappointing results.
9-6-22, 8:36 AM – Back in Atlin again, Lupe stood next to the Tarahne. Birch Mountain (6,765 ft.) and Atlin Mountain (6.722 ft.) and were stirring sights across the lake, but the sky was gloomily overcast now, and the little town seemed practically dead.
Birch Mountain wasn’t that long ago! Wish we were going there again, SPHP!
Me too, Loop! Birch was fantastic!
The sky isn’t very encouraging, SPHP. What are we going to do here? What’s the next big thing? Atlin Mountain?
Atlin Mountain would be awesome, Loop, but your next big adventure awaits down Warm Bay Road. Weather permitting, of course.
Shortly thereafter, as dusk continued to deepen, the American Dingo headed S out of town.
Links:
Next Adventure Prior Adventure
Donjek Crossing Mountain, Yukon Territory, Canada (9-9-19)
Decoeli, Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-9-16)
Sheep Mountain, Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-13-17)
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