Heading south

We enjoyed today’s drive so much.  There is not much civilization between Tok and Haines Junction, which is near our campground.  But the scenery is gorgeous.  We had fall colors and the usual glorious mountains, lakes and rivers, along with a lot of really bumpy road in Canada.  

This in not a complaint and the road is much improved from June 2009.  There are huge stretches of new highway but the soil and frost heaving is really a challenge to the highway engineers.  We really enjoyed a stop for lunch at Lakeview Campground.  

We were the only folks there and we sat at picnic tables on the lake watching the birds.  We heard a thunder of birds and then saw a huge flock of geese overhead on their journey south.  

We saw three of these groups.  Very cool.  Not too much later we were over the border into Canada but it was 20 additional miles before Canadian Customs, which proved uneventful.  We just had to show our passports, and they didn’t even want our tomatoes.  

End Road Work--too true

The vast and grand scenery of eastern Yukon is gorgeous.  And there was termination dust on certain of the St Elias and Canadian Icefield mountains.   

The final noteworthy landmark was the great Kluane Lake—the largest lake in the Yukon, and except for the Great Lakes, the biggest lake I have seen.  So, here we are in Pine Lake Recreation area.  It is our first provincial park if this trip and it is lovely.  We can see the water and there is enough separation from the neighbors to experience nature, rather than the din of humanity.  It is raining so we may treat ourselves to a DVD this evening.

313 miles, Pine Lake Recreation Area (just east of Haines Junction), Yukon Territory N 60° 48.075’ W 137° 29.243’