Jul/090
Home
We landed at home yesterday after a day of very scenic driving that peaked with the dramatic views of Highway 99 near Lillooet. Violet was an angel but we are all glad to be home again. I just posted a whack of photos on flickr for your enjoyment. Thanks for reading, over and out.
Jul/090
Last leg
A hot day saw us hurtling towards home through the Peace River Valley, Chetwynd, and Prince George. At one sharp corner we came upon a female black bear with two cubs crossing the highway. A swim in Heart Lake at lunch cooled us down a little, though it was a little cool for Violet. We stopped around 5 at Ten Mile Lake Campground about 12 km short of Quesnel. Crazy to think tha Violet has been road tripping for almost a quarter of her life so far.
Jul/090
Ever Southward
After what felt like a long day’s drive, we are camping at Charlie Lake, near Ft. St. John. The morning started out with amazing views and wildlife from Muncho Lake to Stone Mountain. We saw some moose and caribou along the road. The afternoon’s drive was a tad boring however, as it is mostly a green tunnel between Ft. Nelson and Ft. St. John. Tomorrow we break from the Alaska Highway for Hwy 29. We’ll pass through the Peace River Valley and towns with names like Hudson’s Hope and Chetwynd.
Jul/090
Adieu Whitehorse
After a great weekend in Whitehorse enjoying the hospitality and company of Pete, Deb, Christine, Sylvie, and Reid, it is time to hit the road. We leave Whitehorse with the intention of taking the Stewart-Cassiar highway from Watson Lake to Hazelton but after twenty minutes of slow going behind a string of RVs and a disturbing metal on metal sound coming from a wheel well we decide to make an about face and take the Alaska Highway instead. We had driven the Stewart-Cassiar a few years ago and, though it is incredibly scenic, it can be a pain as there is a lot of roadwork and the narrow road makes it difficult to pass. So, the Alaska Highway it is, at least to Fort St. John.
Tonight finds us camping on Muncho Lake at a scenic provincial campground. It was raining when we passed through here on the way up but today was sunny and clear and we are enjoying the spectacular scenery.
Jul/090
Camping at Kusawa Lake
Just returned from a great three day sojourn at Kusawa Lake, about an hour north of Whitehorse. Pete procured the group camping site as we were a large-ish party and we had a lakeside oasis to ourselves-private outhouse, sandy beach, and firewood. Swam a lot, walked up one of the nearby ridges for some great views, and camped near the water. The perfect finishing note to a great week in Whitehorse with Deb, Pete, Sylvie, and Reid.
Jul/090
Good times in Whitehorse
Whitehorse has been sunny and we have had a great time staying at Pete and Deb’s new house with their two little ones. Some highlights from the week include hiking above Fish Lake, awesome barbecues in the back yard, and a triple crown lake swimming day – Bennett Lake, Emerald Lake, and Kookatsoon Lake. Violet is having a great time and went for her first underwater dunk yesterday and handled it like a pro.
Jul/090
Liard to Whitehorse
Saw a lot of wildlife on the stretch between Liard Hot Springs and Watson Lake. ~150 bison – a herd of 50 at one time. 4 bears too. The driving was good along the big wide Alaska Highway though I was feeling a bit burned out. It will be great to have a week in Whitehorse away from the car. We arrive at P and D’s house in Whitehorse tonight. Some other friends from Victoria are here visiting for a few days too, so it is bound to be a fun weekend.
Jul/090
Downtime at the hot springs
After a restful night at the Northern Rockies Lodge, we decided to take it easy and enjoy a full day at the Liard Hot Springs campground. We spend the day enjoying leisurely dips in the hot pools, lots of mosquito swatting, and creative meals with the remains of our food. Violet goes through the Canadian baptism of fire – swarms of vicious mosquitoes and flies.
Jul/090
The Forts, the rain, and the Northern Rockies
After breezing through Fort St. John (where we found the cheap gas pictured below) and Fort Nelson, the country becomes mountainous and beautiful again. Slabby, rocky mountains, emerald rivers, and deep blue lakes. The rain begins to fall hard and some road work along the way delays us and we decide to spend the night in the Northern Rockies Lodge on Muncho Lake. We saw lots of carobou, black bears, a mountain sheep, and some Wood Bison along the route today. Tomorrow we will be in striking distance of Whitehorse.
Jul/090
Kiskatinaw River
Camped along the banks of the Kiskatinaw River at km 28 of the Alaska Highway. Beautiful floodplain surrounded by cottonwoods and aspens. The mosquitoes and flies are out enough to warrant a bug net over Violet’s stroller but not too bad. Our camp host Alex says that he too lived in Vancouver but left in 1976 as there was a recession then. Sounds of the river and the light of a full moon.
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