Looking at life at the Yukon Quest Dawson City checkpoint
Yesterday was one of our main Yukon Quest days. We met more mushers as they arrived in Dawson City, and drove the ice road across the Yukon River to the dog camp.
On the walk over to the checkpoint at 08:30, I made a detour to get a photo of the Commissioner’s Residence, which was designed by Thomas Fuller, and built in 1901.
At 09:03 (32 minutes before sunrise), Torsten Kohnert arrived. He was in 8th place, with 12 dogs in harness of the 14 he started the race with.
After the check of his equipment by race officials, Torsten went inside the race headquarters for a couple of minutes. Within seconds of his arrival, handlers were caring for the dogs, giving them love and treats.
Some of the dogs quickly settled down.
Torsten’s team heads for the Yukon River Campground on the other side of the river, to settle in for the mandatory 24-hour layover.
At 10:00, I took the group on a tour around Dawson City, and then up Bonanza Creek Road into the goldfields. We don’t usually get very far due to snow and/or ice conditions, but we made it to Dredge No. 4, just before 11:00. Seeing the world’s largest wooden-hulled bucket-line gold dredge covered with snow was something not often seen. It was very much a one-lane road by that point, but a couple of other vehicles had turned around there and their tracks made it easier for me to get turned.
Back in town, getting to the dog camp in West Dawson was high priority. Usually, an ice road is plowed directly across the Yukon River between the two ferry landings, but a couple of kilometers of open water has made that impossible this year. A lengthy, winding road had been plowed going far up the river and then across, but it’s not certified by the government engineers. We found one of the entrances to it, had a look on foot at the narrow and icy road, and down we went. Once down on the river, the ice road was much better.
This ice road is actually a great deal more fun and interesting than the usual one. This view is looking downriver on the west side of the river.
Now that’s a fine view on an ice road!
This is the home of “Caveman Bill” Donaldson, in the cliff just above the river. “Caveman Bill” has become one of the most well-known of Dawson’s characters because of his housing choice. I’d only seen it through the telephoto lens of my camera until taking this drive. In 2014, Lisa Jackson did an interview with Bill, which you can see on her blog, Eat Drink Travel.
From up on shore, looking back across the open water to Dawson City, with the bonus of a sun dog (the rainbow in the sky to the left).
The Yukon River Campground, home of the dog camp.
One of Ed Hopkins’ dogs getting a well-earned rest in the team tent.
Michelle Phillips taking care of Ed’s dogs. Michelle and Ed have been friends of mine for many years, so I take liberties at their camps (getting this close to the dogs) that I’d never do at another musher’s camp.
More of Ed’s dogs looking particularly cozy.
We spent a long time at Matt Hall’s camp, watching his handlers feed the dogs. They’re extremely well organized, and it was great to be able to watch the process.
Hank DeBruin hasn’t reached Dawson City yet, but his camp was being set up. This is one of the 4 dogs he’d dropped so far. I expect that Hank will scratch at Dawson – the trail ahead is too hard to start with 10 dogs (in my opinion).
As we reached the Dawson City side of the river again, Ryne Olson was just heading over to the dog camp. She’s currently in 9th place in the race, with 12 dogs.
At 2:00, we got a tour of the Masonic Lodge, which was built as the Carnegie Library. This is the upper-floor room that’s used for special ceremonies – the meeting room on the lower floor is much more plain.
The tin ceiling and upper walls, especially the curved top corners, are quite remarkable. The tinwork is all original, sandblasted during the Masonic Lodge’s restoration of the building.
I find the light bulbs with Masonic-emblem filaments fascinating.
A portrait of Queen Victoria hangs on a wall.
I went for a wander at 4:00, killing time before meeting the woman who adopted the foster puppy that I called Peanut. The Yukon River dyke always has a great vibe, in any season.
The Yukon Quest checkpoint was quiet – the next musher due in was about 3 hours out.
Looking down the Yukon River along the steaming open water.
This fellow was feeding ravens on the dyke, and they obviously know him.
At 4:30 Karli arrived with Peanut (whose name is now Zhurpee). It was a joyous reunion for both Peanut and I. Well, not completely – I still regret not being able to keep that very special boy.
But, he has a great life now with a family who loves him, and that was the point of helping him for a few weeks.
For dinner, we all went to what many people consider to the the best restaurant in Dawson City, the Drunken Goat Taverna.
What’s Dawson City without giving people a chance to experience the world-famous Sourtoe Cocktail. Three brave members of our group let a real severed human toe touch their lips!! And, writing this the next day, nobody is showing any signs of “Toemane” poisoning, so I guess soaking it in Yukon Jack works 🙂
In an hour, I’ll be taking the group for a look at the Dempster Highway, then when we get back, we’ll be going over to the Yukon Quest dog camp again, and watching a few mushers leave for Fairbanks.
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