The final 4 days of the Yukon-Alaska RV journey
Day 14 (Friday, August 14th) of our trip saw us drive 375 km (233 mi) from Tok to the Congden Creek Campground on Kluane Lake. MJ and Jim had to drive home the next day to return their rental RV, but Cathy and I stayed to enjoy our favourite location for another 2 full days and a bit before making the final 267-km (166-mi) drive.
Before leaving Tok, we started the day off right with a very good breakfast at the Sourdough Campground. I had won mine in the previous night’s Pancake Toss, and with 3 breakfasts sold as a result, it worked out well for everyone 🙂
We re-entered the Yukon early Friday afternoon.
There was still a lot of gravel to navigate in several sections (this photo was shot near the White River), but the long bone-jarring section west of the Donjek River was in much better condition.
At Congdon Creek, all the lakefront sites were occupied, as expected, so we took a site at the top of the campground that was large enough for both rigs. The total cost was $0, including free firewood – ahhhhh, there’s no place like home! 🙂
The next morning, I discovered that the Tracker was dead – I’d forgotten to turn the key off when we got to the campground, and the radio was on. I towed it to a spot where Jim could get beside me with his rig, and jump-starting it solved that little problem.
Cathy and I watched as people left, and as soon as a lakefront site opened up, we grabbed it. It was a much nicer view from the new site (#6).
Walking along the beach, it was great to get a fairly close look at a golden eagle.
I was surprised to find that recent heavy rains had caused Congdon Creek to move again, further into the forest closer to the campground.
After we were settled and our friends were on their way home, Cathy and I drove a mile west to a beach that we could drive onto, to give Bella some more water time, in the spiffy new pfd I bought for her before our first canoe outing.
Monty just can’t figure out why any normal dog would go into the water! 🙂
Bella is still not completely sure than she likes the water, but she would follow me in a for a long way, walking and fully swimming, and was certainly proud of herself when she got back to the beach.
I decided that this was a perfect place to clean Goldie up – it worked great!
This is a sight that makes me very, very happy – Monty in his chair in front of the fire, just as contented as a dog can be.
We had hoped to get a lot more water time on Sunday, but the forecast fabulous weather didn’t appear – it was cloudy and the wind was chilly. With the Tracker as a wind-block, the beach was still wonderful, though.
Our final day, Monday, August 17th, began appropriately with a wonderful sunrise at 07:20. The weather was still not warm enough to get back into the water, and just after noon, we started the easy drive home.
It was an amazing trip with our best friends. Every day was good, but the highlights for me were:
- the cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park at Seward;
- the bus trip into Denali National Park; and
- the drive along the Denali Highway
The best commercial campground was the Talkeetna Camper Park (in fact the only one that I give top marks to);
- and we liked every one of the government campgrounds – Williwaw at Portage, Riley Creek at Denali, Tangle Lakes on the Denali Highway, and Congdon Creek.
What would we change?
- have more time (much more!);
- use fewer commercial and more government campgrounds.
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