An educational day....

Day 3:

We set out this morning from Whitehorse with the intention of making some ground, getting as far as Iskut, on the Cassiar Highway.  I snuck out of bed before anyone else was awake pulling in the slide and unplugging the electric and water, getting started for the first forty miles or so before anyone else even crept out of bed.  Those forty miles contained one of the most glorious sunrises I've ever experienced as I passed Marsh Lake in the Yukon.

We stopped at Jake's Corner to get coffee for Jenny when she woke up.   We stopped in Teslin for 70L of gas, crossed the longest bridge on the Alaska Highway, and kept going. 

Three of the Snethen children stop for a picture at the historic Milepost 804 in Teslin, YT.

In the Milepost, Jenny found a place where we stopped called Rancheria Falls Provincial Park.  We stopped and delved into a science lesson about the boreal forest.  At this particular place, the forest had burned over a hundred years ago and had almost completely filled in.  It was interesting to note the evidences of the fire and how it had helped develop the forest to its present state.  Also, we had just passed the continental divide, so we were able to note that the Rancheria River, instead of feeding the Yukon, as every other river we had passed so far, it actually feeds the Mackenzie River which dumps into the Arctic Ocean.

Ben stands at the overlook to Rancheria Falls.  The water from the Rancheria River flows into the Arctic Ocean.

Leaving the boreal forest, we drove on to the actual roadside camp of Rancheria, eating at the dining facility there.  We stopped at the historic mile-marker, 810, and learned how Rancheria was an early supply stop on the Alcan when they started conducting bus tours, when the highway had only formerly been navigable by military personnel. 

The architecture in Rancheria is unique and interesting.

Jonathan smiles for a picture in the Rancheria Restaurant.

 

When we got to the Cassiar Highway Junction, a large sign said "Road Closed."  A little frustrated by the news, we drove on to Watson Lake, deciding to stay the night at the Downtown RV park, across from the Northern Lights Centre.  Walking through the Signpost Forest, we eventually made our way to the Visitor's Centre, where they had a small museum and the attendants explained the situation with the Cassiar Highway.

Rebekah peeks around the corner at the Signpost Forest in Watson Lake.  This monument, begun by a single Soldier who missed home while constructing the Alaska Highway in 1942, now contains over 70,000 signs from around the world.

Apparently, the highway is open, but in a particular section of the road (and I can never exactly remember where it is) they have pilot cars leading people through every couple of hours.  We just need to make sure that we make it to the right place close to an even hour.

We were a little disappointed that we hadn't made it as far today even as our first day, when we set out in the afternoon, but we were happy to get to spend a few hours walking around Watson Lake and visiting the Signpost Forest.