Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

Read (Part 1) North Pole to Haines
Read (Part 2) Haines
Read (Part 3) Skagway

SKAGWAY TO DAWSON CITY - Sunday, August 16, 2009

We were up very early - 5am. The drive from Skagway to Dawson City would be the longest of our trip at 430 miles. First we’d drive the entire length of the South Klondike Highway to just south of Whitehorse, where we would get on the Alaska Highway (AlCan) for a short distance before getting on the North Klondike Hwy to Dawson City. The route we’d be driving somewhat parallels the route used by prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898.

We only stopped for brief moments during our drive, to stretch our legs and walk Sedona. I took some photos out the window of the moving truck, when I could.

The road out of Skagway is a steady uphill climb for almost 12 miles. At an 11% grade, the truck was straining to pull the camper. We watched the temperature gauges closely, as the heat in the engine climbed. Fortunately, we had no mishaps. The views as we climbed this stretch of road were nonexistent. For the most part, we were in the low hanging clouds. Intermittent rain fell at times.  I was disappointed that I couldn’t see the passing scenery, as I know it was stunning. We had the same views from the train (but on the other side of the valley), so I knew what we were missing.  I’m glad we had good weather for the train ride.

We passed Tutshi (pronounced too-shy) Lake near White Pass Summit. The clouds were starting to lift a little bit, but it was still very overcast. This deep lake was part of the Klondike Gold Rush route. Upon reaching the lakes on foot after crossing White Pass out of Skagway, the prospectors would cut trees along the beaches and build boats or rafts to carry their goods farther north, on their way to the Klondike Goldfields north of Dawson City.

This is the remnant of a tram that went from “Old Conrad City” and up Montana Mountain. Conrad was a once thriving silver mining “camp” built in 1905-6 to supply the Venus, Montana and other nearby silver mines being developed at the time by mining man “Colonel” John Howard Conrad. Conrad City’s “heyday” was rather brief however, and within a few short years the place was all but abandoned.

The only town between Skagway and Whitehorse is Carcross. Carcross was originally known as Caribou Crossing. Caribou Crossing was a fishing and hunting camp for Inland Tlingit and Tagish people. 4,500-year-old artifacts from aboriginal people living in the area have been found in the region.

Caribou Crossing was named after the migration of huge numbers of caribou across the natural land bridge between Lake Bennett and Nares Lake. That caribou herd was decimated during the Klondike Gold Rush, but a recovery program raised the number of animals to about 450.

The modern village began in 1896, during the Klondike Gold Rush. At the time, Caribou Crossing was a popular stopping place for prospectors going to and from the gold fields of Dawson City.

Just outside of Carcross is Carcross Desert. It is often considered the smallest desert in the world, measuring approximately 1 square mile. Carcross Desert is actually a series of northern sand dunes; the areas’ climate is too humid to be considered a true desert. The sand was formed during the last ice age, when large glacial lakes formed and deposited silt. When the lakes dried, the dunes were left behind. Today, sand comes mainly from nearby Bennett Lake, carried by wind.

The skies began to clear, and bits of blue sky began to show through puffy clouds.  The Milepost (the bible for traveling the roads of AK and western Canada) showed that there was an upcoming pull out overlooking Emerald Lake (aka Rainbow Lake to Yukoners). We decided it would be the perfect place to stop and stretch our legs.

The lake was an amazing shade of deep blue, edged with a turquoise green color. Photographs don’t do it justice. I could only imagine how beautiful the lake is when the sun is shining. The rainbow-like colors of the lake result from blue-green light waves reflecting off the white sediment, called marl, on the lake bottom. Marl consists of fragments of decomposed shell mixed with clay.

Our next stop didn’t come for 80 miles, when we pulled off to see the remains of the Montague House. Montague House is located close to The Whitehorse to Dawson Overland Trail. I found this information online about the Overland Trail:

During the Klondike Gold Rush and for years after, the quickest way to get from Whitehorse to Dawson City was by boat along the Yukon River. Once winter set in and the river froze, only experienced mushers and dog teams braved the journey. The cold reduced travel to a minimum.

During the winter of 1899-1900 the Canadian Development Company used dog teams to carry mail and light freight along the river between Whitehorse and Dawson. It gradually replaced the dogs with horses the following year. In 1901 the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway bought out the company in order to get the lucrative government mail contract for its sternwheelers.

In 1902 the Yukon government contracted the White Pass & Yukon Route to build the first winter road between the two communities. Construction began that summer and the road was completed in November. It was 330 miles long - shorter than the river route by about 70 miles - and was built at a cost of $129,000.

This winter road between Whitehorse and Dawson became known as The Overland Trail.  For Dawson residents, it created a much-needed winter link to civilization. For the first time they were not cut off from the rest of the world for almost eight months of the year.

As soon as the snow was deep enough the wheeled stages were replaced by sleighs, which were drawn by teams of four to six horses. And with bells on their harnesses, they jingled all the way. The sleighs made better time than the stages because their runners glided easily over the snow-covered trail. As a result, fares were considerably cheaper in the winter.

The trip between Whitehorse and Dawson took anywhere from three to 10 days depending on the season, the trail and weather conditions. The average journey took five days. Each day, three or four scheduled stops were made at outposts, which were about 20 to 25 miles apart. At each stop passengers ate and rested while the teams of horses were changed. Meals cost $1.50 and beds were $1.00 a night. Private rooms, if available, were $2.00 a night or more.

These stops were a welcome respite for drivers, passengers and horses. Each post generally consisted of a roadhouse, stables, storehouses, cabins, separate outhouses for men and women, and huge stacks of firewood. Roadhouses were fairly uniform, which was largely due to government regulations. They were one or two-storey log buildings chinked with moss. Their roofs were covered with moss and dirt for insulation. Their furniture was homemade and rustic. Kerosene lamps and candles provided light. Some even had bathtubs, although water had to be hauled and heated.

Roadhouses that had liquor licenses - and most of them did - were required to have at least six comfortable bedrooms, a sitting room and dining room all separate from the bar, where a shot of Seagram’s rye whiskey cost 50 cents and a 26-ounce bottle cost $1.50. These and other regulations were strictly enforced by the North-West Mounted Police.

But while they were havens to all for the food, rest and warmth that they offered, they were also firetraps. The Montague Roadhouse near Carmacks was first built about 1900 and was destroyed by fire. The second Montague, built at a different site, also went up in flames. It was rebuilt a third time in 1915 and remained in service until the 1950s. In 1993 the Yukon government’s Heritage Branch decided to stabilize the remaining four walls rather than restore the entire building. The Montague is the only remaining Overland Trail roadhouse directly on the modern Klondike Highway, and it’s still a popular roadside photo-stop for travelers.

The overland journey from Whitehorse to Dawson City used to take days. Today the drive takes about six hours along the paved North Klondike Highway. While this modern means offers speed and comfort, nothing compares to the romance or the rich history of the Yukon’s first highway - The Overland Trail.

Here are the photos I took of what’s left of the Montague Roadhouse:

Something interesting that we saw along the way, was a layer of volcanic ash that was visible for several miles. According to the Milepost:

“About 1250 years ago, a layer of white volcanic ash coated a third of the southern Yukon, or 125,000 square miles, and it is easily visible along several road cuts. This distinct line conveniently provides a division used by archaeologists for dating artifacts: Materials found below this major stratigraphic marker are considered to have been deposited before A.D. 700, while those above are postdated A.D. 700. One theory is that the ash could have spewn forth from a single violent volcanic eruption.  The source may be buried under the Klutlan Glacier in the St. Elias Mountains in eastern Alaska.”

The rest of the trip was uneventful. The weather was starting to change (rain, cloudy, chilly) and all we cared about was finally reaching our destination - Dawson City.

And then finally!:

We found our campground easily (Bonanza Gold RV Park), and had the camper set up quickly. It is located just outside of town, so we hadn’t seen any of Dawson City yet. WiFi was available, and it was the first time since leaving home that we were able to access our email. While I was too busy to spend time online in Haines and Skagway, it was nice to be able to check in with friends and family.

We didn’t even have to discuss staying in for the evening. We were both tired of driving/riding, and just wanted to relax. We had a nice dinner in the camper, plugged a movie in, and were asleep by 10pm.

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DAWSON CITY - Monday, August 17, 2009

The next morning we were up fairly early, and decided to have breakfast at the restaurant on site at the RV Park. It’s quite rustic in feel, and nothing extraordinary as far as atmosphere, but it seemed to draw locals as well as travelers. We were pleased with the service and the food. While waiting for our food, we conversed with a couple at the next table. They were from BC, and it was their first trip to Dawson City in 10 years. They decided to come up for a long weekend and do some gambling at Gerties.

The park host recommended a drive to the top of Midnight Dome. There is a five-mile-long road to the top of Midnight Dome, which overlooks Dawson City, the Yukon River and gold fields. The road takes you 2900 feet above sea level, allowing a panoramic view of the Klondike Valley, the Sixty Mile country, and the Yukon River. From the Dome you can see the “midnight sun” on June 21st barely dipping down behind the Ogilvie Mountain range in the North. The northern lights are also enjoyed from the Dome.

We decided we’d drive to the top of the Dome first, and then continue into Dawson City to explore. There were low hanging clouds blowing across the tops of the mountains, so we weren’t sure what kind of views we’d have from the top.

Oh. my. goodness!! Even before reaching the very top, I caught a glimpse of the Yukon River from the truck. The mountains on either side of the river were bathed in a bright, but filtered light. The clouds were keeping the sunlight from washing out the colors of the mountains, but not obliterating the light. It was absolutely stunning. It was such a perfect combination of light and color, that it could have been a hand-painted backdrop on a movie set.

With a street map in hand, we decided to just drive up and down the streets in town, since we only had one full day to check out Dawson City. One of the first places we came to was Jack London’s Cabin.

Jack London’s original log cabin was built on the North Fork of Henderson Creek, about 75 miles south of Dawson City, just prior to the gold rush of 1898. London entered the Yukon in September of 1897 as a 21-year-old prospector looking for gold. While he didn’t strike it rich, he later turned his Klondike adventures into fame and fortune with his legendary short stories and books.

London’s cabin was abandoned after the Gold Rush. It was re-discovered by trappers in 1936 who noted London’s signature on the back wall. Yukon author Dick North organized a search in 1965 and eventually had the cabin dismantled and shipped out.

Two replicas were made from the original logs. One is at the interpretive site in Dawson City, while the other was re-assembled at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA., London’s hometown. The Dawson site contains photos, documents, newspaper articles and other London memorabilia.

Next, we came to Rober Service’s cabin. Here, Robert W. Service, bard of the Klondike, lived from November 1909 to June 1912. During this time he wrote his melodramatic novel, The Trail of Ninety-Eight, and composed his third and final volume of Yukon verse, Songs of a Rolling Stone.

Nestled up against a hill and trees, we came upon a cemetery. The tall wooden cemetery arch had the letters Y.O.O.P. painted on it.  I had to do some research to discover that Y.O.O.P stands for “Yukon Order of Pioneers”.

The Yukon Order of Pioneers began when the earlier prospectors arrived to stake their claims at the town site of Forty Mile on the Yukon River near the Alaska border. At that time it was a trading center where people could purchase some food, clothing and tools of the trade to locate the elusive gold.

Many of the transients were not too truthful and might over-stake someone else’s claim. This caused many a disagreement. A group got together to form some sort of law and order as there was no police force here of any sort. And that is how the “Order of Pioneers” came into being.

In the late 1890’s, Skagway and Dyea, Alaska were hotbeds of violent crime. The Arctic Brotherhood was the Alaskan equivalent of the Yukon Order of Pioneers (whose motto was “do as you would be done by”). It was formed during the Gold Rush era to ensure stampeders’ rights were protected. (I took a photo of the Arctic Brotherhood building in Skagway. It’s the one with all the driftwood nailed to it.)

When a person was apprehended for his misdemeanor there was a short court session and if proven guilty the culprit was immediately ordered out of the Territory.

After driving up and down every street (it’s not a large town), we parked near the riverfront and began walking around town. There were so many interesting things to see and photograph. Dawson City is truly a ‘frontier town’ with its clapboard buildings, false front stores, and original buildings from the turn of the century which are still standing (even when they shouldn’t be!)

The S.S. Keno was one of a fleet of riverboats that played a major part in the history of the Yukon Territory and the Klondike Gold Rush. Without the riverboats, the gold of the Klondike and the silver, lead, and zinc of the Mayo district would have remained in the hills for at least another half century, and the development of the Canadian West and North would have suffered in consequence. The S.S. Keno is an example of the riverboats used on the lakes and rivers of the Yukon and displays the design and application of steam powered sternwheeler technology.

Steve and I stopped by the visitor center and picked up a walking tour brochure and went off in search of some of the more significant buildings of early Dawson City. From the brochure:

The architectural history of Dawson City includes many different styles. Log cabins and canvas tents built by stampeders early in the gold rush characterized the period from 1896 until 1899. Simple in design and economic to construct, log buildings were quickly built and provided ample protection from the sub-zero temperatures. There are still many historic and contemporary log buildings in Dawson City today.

From 1900 to 1903, the prosperity of the gold rush was reflected in more elaborate designs with decorative detailing in both residential and commercial structures. Dawson City’s “boomtown” days are evident in the false fronts often erected to give simple wooden buildings the illusion of affluence and importance. These façades also allowed for advertising and large store-front windows.

The Classical Revival style was predominately used for government buildings during the construction boom from 1900 to 1902. Examples are the Territorial Administration Building and houses like the Black Residence. The columns, capitals, pediments, symmetry, and advancing façade are common features of Classical Revival architecture.

The two churches on Mission Street are Gothic Revival, a style preferred for churches in the last century. The pointed arches, buttresses, tracery in windows, gable roof, and tower help identify the Gothic Revival style.

The Black Residence was one of the more elaborate homes constructed in Dawson City in 1900 and reflects the period of prosperity after the gold rush. It was an upper middle class residence occupied at different times by a barrister, bank manager, and the resident manager of the Yukon Gold Company from 1908 to 1929. It is named after its most illustrious residents, George and Martha Black.

The Dawson City Museum has operated in the Old Territorial Administration Building since 1962. A fire in 1960 had destroyed the original facility and collection that was located in the former Fire Hall on Front Street. Constructed in 1901, the Administration Building was designed by federal architect, Thomas W. Fuller who also designed the Court House, the Telegraph Office, the Old Post Office, a school and the Commissioner’s Residence. The Administration Building housed 60 federal officials working in the Mining Recorder’s office, the Gold Commissioner’s office and the Yukon Territorial Council Chamber. Fuller designed the Administration Building to be the most impressive federal building west of Winnipeg to emphasize Ottawa’s presence and symbolize Canadian sovereignty in the northwest. This magnificent heritage building covers nearly nine thousand square feet and cost $100,000 to construct. It was the most expensive of all federal buildings in Western Canada and its costly construction was somewhat controversial. The Administration Building was the hub of government when Dawson City was the capital of the Yukon.

St. Andrew’s Church was built in 1901 by Dr. Andrew S. Grant who was resident minister from 1898 until 1930. The church and the manse were designed by Skilling, an American architect. The new church had an oak interior, a seating capacity of 600 and a massive pipe organ. The construction cost was $16,250 for both buildings.

The Commissioner’s Residence on Front Street was once the residence of Hon. George Black, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, and his famous wife, Martha Louise, who walked to Dawson City via the Trail of ’98 and stayed to become the First Lady of the Yukon. During their stay, they welcomed all levels of society from humble miners to foreign dignitaries. From lavish furnishings to the formal gardens, Martha’s special interest in the residence represented a cultural oasis in the wilderness. Dawsonites were proud to show visitors a level of hospitality comparable to southern centers and so much contrast with the mud, gravel and simple cabins found in the goldfields.

Frederick Flewelling was the first Anglican mininter to arrive in the Klondike. He settled at Klondike City in 1896 and then moved to Moosehide village north of Dawson City with his First Nation parishioners. In 1897 Rev. R.J. Bowen was sent to Dawson City to hold services for the gold miners. Bowen came to the Yukon in 1895 and already had considerable experience in northern parishes. He erected a canvas tent church that was replaced by a new house of worship 5 years later. St Paul’s Anglican Church was built in 1902 on the same site as the old canvas tent. The new church cost $9,000 and had a seating capacity of 150 people.

The Yukon Hotel is one of the oldest remaining buildings in Dawson City. This two-story log building was constructed in 1898 by J.E. Binet and was known as the Binet Block. It was rented as office space for the Crown timber and land agents for $1,000 per month to Commissioner Ogilvie. The Binet Block continued its use as government offices and also as a residence until it was sold in 1909 to Henry Freeman who changed the business from office space to the Miner’s Rest Hotel. In 1913 it was renamed the Freeman Hotel. The Freeman was purchased by Miss Emma Wilson in 1934 after her adjacent hotel burned. She renamed the Freeman the Yukon Hotel and operated the business until 1957. The miners and woodsmen who lodged here, enjoyed this location because it was quiet and provided more privacy than other downtown hotels. The Heritage Canada Foundation purchased the building and converted it to bachelor suites in the late 1970s. The building was sold again in 1984 and continues to operate as a rental property.

These buildings on Third Avenue (the “Third Avenue Complex”), dating from 1901 illustrate what can happen when heated buildings are placed on frozen ground; the frost melts, mixing water with the soil to form a very fluid muck into which the different footings settle at different rates. No restoration methods have been taken with these buildings. If these buildings didn’t lean into each other they probably would have collapsed decades ago.

Strait’s Auction House and Second Hand Store was a “boomtown” structure built by Strait in 1901. Its simple wood frame construction with falsefront façade is typical of many of the commercial buildings in Dawson City that date from the turn of the century. Mr. Strait transferred the property to Dawson Trading Company Limited, a business he managed. He operated from this location for many years selling groceries, hardware, tobacco, furniture, clothing, guns and ammunition. The business became known locally as the Guns & Ammo Building because of signs on the exterior that advertised these products. The store had two paid employees during 1902 when the incorporation of the City of Dawson caused taxes to increase from $150 to $500. Mr. Strait was one of the 41 merchants that kept their business open after this tax increase. Strait’s Second Hand was abandoned for several years and slated for demolition in 1971. Albert Fuhre, a local artist, headed a citizen’s group to save it and they raised the $600 purchase price. The building was donated to the Klondike Visitor’s Association who added temporary bracing. In 1998, Strait’s Second Hand was sold to a Yukon businessman who installed additional bracing and hopes to restore it.

In 1899, the federal government installed a telegraph line that linked Dawson City to the outside world through Quesnel, where the southern government telegraph line ended. This building was originally located just east of the Court House and operated here for 15 months before telegraph operations were relocated to the telegraph annex of the Post Office, a more central place in town. The building cost $14,000 and initially housed the telegraph facilities, battery room, drafting offices, storehouse, architect’s office, and sleeping apartments for Dept of Public Works staff. There were at least six people living in the building, 3 telegraph operators, one telegraph clerk, and one member of the architect’s office. The original office continued to be used by Fuller as the architect’s office, construction headquarters, and residence. In 1908, the McLaren family bought and moved the structure from the Government Reserve to its present location. The property is now owned by the Yukon Government and is undergoing stabilization and rehabilitation.

There were also plenty of other interesting homes worthy of a photo. The colors on these three homes was very festive and I wondered if the home owners talked to each other before deciding to paint their homes in different, rich shades. A lot of homes had white picket fences too. Very cute:

This B&B is a cheerful shade of ’salmon’:

And just in case you need bright colors to wake you up in the morning:

And a purple trimmed restaurant too:

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Steve and I returned to the camper for a few hours, relaxing a little bit before going out again. Our evening plans included a visit to the Sourdough Saloon (home of the Sourtoe Cocktail), but we would not be joining the sourtoe club. We just wanted to grab a bite to eat before heading to Diamond Tooth Gerties.

We both had a beer and sandwiches, and watched an obvious drunk try to make friends with the two gentlemen sitting at the next table.  They politely told him they wanted to be alone when he invited himself to their table by pulling up a neighboring chair. A little while later, he started giving the bartender (petite female) a hard time.  I worried for her, but she seemed accustomed to this sort of behavior and flagged him. It wasn’t even 8pm.

We headed over to Diamond Tooth Gerties, and were glad we got there when we did, as it began getting crowded only 15 minutes after we were seated.

From the website:

Replete with cancan dancers and a singing master of ceremonies named Gertie, Canada’s oldest gambling hall gives you a chance to re-live the heady days of Dawson’s Gold Rush era. With three nightly shows by Gertie and her Gertie Girls, Diamond Tooth Gertie’s is today a fixture of fun-filled entertainment where patrons can enjoy a beverage while playing blackjack, roulette, Texas Hold’em poker and an array of glittering slot machines.

From where we were sitting up on the balcony floor, we could see the gambling below. Just below our table, we watched a couple playing blackjack, while other patrons put bets on black and red numbers at the roulette table.

As the place filled up, the cocktail waitress asked us if we minded sharing our table with another couple. We didn’t mind at all. Our table mates were from Alberta, but their kids (grown) live across the US border in Montana. We enjoyed chatting while waiting for the show to start. There are three shows nightly, and we came for the earliest one at 8:30pm. Also… if you’re from Fairbanks - admission is free! Just tell them you’re from Fairbanks at the box office, and they’ll direct you to the ticket taker. He was supposed to ask to see our drivers license but didn’t.

The show was entertaining and lasted about 30-40 minutes. Since we were able to take photos, I did.

Our time in Dawson City had come to an end. Tomorrow, we’d be taking the free ferry across the Yukon River, driving the “Top of the World Highway” and landing in Chicken, AK for the evening. We couldn’t believe that our vacation was almost over.

Read (Part 5): Chicken and Home