On June 15 we are underway again. About 20 miles out of Liard Hot Springs, we drove by the sign commemorating the Smith River Airport. While we didn’t stop, I very much enjoyed the story related in the Milepost, regarding early aviation. “In the early days of the Northwest Staging Route — the system of airfields used to ferry supplies and aircraft to Alaska and on to Russia during WWII — there were no aeronautical maps to guide pilots flying between Edmonton and Whitehorse. The young and relatively inexperienced pilots were given hand-drawn maps showing rivers and lakes and sent on their way with a cheery ‘you can’t miss it!’ according to the book, Wings Over the Alaska Highway: A Photographic History of Aviation on the Alaska Highway.” Yikes!!
Black Bear
We finally got our picture of the black bear browsing in the grass by the highway. Woo hoo!
This Is the Bear You Just Saw
This is what we are looking at to see him in the first place. Do you see that tiny black spot back by the trees. That is pretty much what we are looking for. In real life that black spot is only slightly bigger.
The Liard River
The Milepost recommended this particular pull-out at Allen’s Lookout. Down a short path through the trees is a point that looks up and down the Liard River.
The Liard River
Allen's Lookout
The trick is the point is a bit dicey. This precarious piece of real estate is causing my innards to do all sorts of weird things to tell me I could die here. The path in front of me goes straight down as far as I could tell, only to be negotiated with a rope!
Unofficial Welcome to the Yukon
The Alaskan Highway crosses the BC-YT border six times before finally ending up in the Yukon Territory for good. This is the first crossing and all that marks it is this unofficial sign.
Contact Creek
We didn’t stop at the interpretive panel that told of Contact Creek because we have already learned all about it in the movie about the building of the highway. This is the spot where the soldiers of the 35th Regiment from the south and the 140th Regiment from the north met in September 1942, completing the southern sector of the Alaska Highway. The two bulldozers drove down the completed road — one from the south, the other from the north — and touched their blades to celebrate the completion of a job well done.
Still Unofficial Welcome to the Yukon
Here is yet another unofficial welcome to the Yukon.
Another Black Bear
Today is our lucky day. We have happened upon another black bear along the highway.
Cooperative Black Bear
This one has proved to be a very cooperative — or curious — black bear. He is definitely giving us an opportunity for a face shot.
Very Cooperative Black Bear
I’m thinking he is curious!
Official Welcome to the Yukon
Here at last is the official welcome to the Yukon. We are now in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Wow! Being this far north is very special. It is also the first place we have encountered the dust that we have heard so much about. The picture is not as sharp as it might be because there is a large amount of dust in the air from the traffic going by the other direction. It is thick enough in some places for visibility to go to almost zero for very brief periods. Nothing to worry about at this point, but. . .
The Signpost Forest Story
One of the things everyone who comes to Watson Lake has to do is see the Signpost Forest.
Signpost Forest
Signposts are being added all the time, but they number over 70,000 at last count. Anyone may bring their sign — one they have made or one they have stolen apparently — and hang it in the signpost forest.
Signpost Forest
It winds around and around. I’m not sure how you would ever find a sign that you had left here in the past.
More Signpost Forest
This Signpost Forest Goes On Forever
Something Caught My Eye
We never found a Chandler, Arizona, sign. I guess we must return and bring it with us.
A different Signpost
The other attraction in Watson Lake that is well worth taking in is the Northern Lights Centre. It is the only planetarium in North America featuring the myth and science of the northern lights.
In a two-part show we first saw a review of what we learned last year about the space program. Following that we enjoyed a presentation about the northern lights including footage of the curtain of lights in the sky. Since we are here in the endless daylight phase of the north, we will not get to witness this phenomenon first hand. We would have to come back in the early spring or late fall or, of course, winter.
Not only did we get to see quite a bit of footage of the lights in motion, but we also heard the First Nation beliefs regarding the lights. One of my favorite stories is the young girls and old women may gaze upon the lights, but the women of child-bearing years must look away from the lights lest they cause harm.
Northern Lights
The northern lights are magical and they are mysterious. I would love to have an opportunity to witness them firsthand. Just sitting and watching the wonder across the sky would have to be magical. Life is good.