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Wednesday, May 18, 2016

A few days down by Fraser, the BC Alaska border crossing

To get to Alaska from Carcross you have to go through BC. The American and Canadian border crossings are 20 kms apart. Fraser is the BC side - some good skiing around there. Went up by Fraser Lake - yet another one - in late spring - not the greatest visibility. It is possible to get to the Chilkoot Trail from the lake by hiking over a low pass.

From an earlier trip to Skagway, just north of boarder control - The White Pass rail line snakes along the lake - same atmospherics, lol


Skiing just south of the border control - still in BC mind you.


The same day back towards Carcross / Tagish Lake / Conrad Historical site and by some of the old mine workings from Montana Mountain / Venus Mine - remains of a tramway that was used to bring ore from the mine site down to the lake for shipping. Of course no one thought to check about the quality of the ore and the whole thing went belly up after a while due to poor returns. A lot of this is underwater when lake levels rise in the summer. http://www.env.gov.yk.ca/camping-parks/conrad-campground.php


Copious willows around the area responding to spring




Monday, May 16, 2016

Catch up post from March - trip to Aishihik Lake Yukon

Snowmobile trip from Mount Nansen near Carmacks via the mine road to Champagne Aishihik Frist Nation territory on the very old "road" that used to run to the mine site from Haines. you pass the Buffalo Paddock Cabin en route that is now deeded to the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, repairs are being undertaken - easier to do in winter due to boggy ground. Stopped at the old WW II airport site that is now under the ownership of the Champagne Aishihik First Nation. Very low snow year - lots of wolf and bison tracks on the snowmobile trail, medium length day about 120 kms round trip.

Buffalo Paddock on the way out

Part of the Northwest Staging Route, a series of air strip built all the way up to Alaska for the war effort - this site was built in 1941 by the gov of Canada


on the trail back to Mount Nansen, cabin and overflow back at the parking lot