The smell of Spring on a drive to Skagway!
The best of my Skagway trips each year is the one when the smell of Spring is in the air. Today I made that trip – oh how I love the smell of a coastal forest in the Spring! After the welcome Cathy and I got two weeks ago I really hadn’t expected this, making it even better.
The weather forecast was decent but not great so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. This sort of cloud layering is always interesting – this was shot down the South Klondike Highway at Rat Lake.
I stopped briefly at Carcross to check on things. It was nice to see several guys working on the Caribou Hotel – it just may open this summer. The photo below shows the view up Lake Bennett from the new viewing deck. A warning to those of you who, like me, used to fuel up in Carcross because it was the same price as Whitehorse – regular is now 10 cents a litre higher than even the Macrae PetroCan, the most expensive place in Whitehorse.
Heading south again, this view of Lime Mountain often stops me for a photo or two.
Monty and Kayla checking out “the sniffs” at the Bove Island viewpoint.
I thought there must be open water somewhere to cause this low fog, but never did see any. The temperature was -8°C (+18°F) at this point.
Climbing the divide between Windy Arm and Tutshi Lake.
Dropping down to Tutshi Lake.
Along Tutshi Lake at Km 58.8
Looking north along the deeply-buried WP&YR rail line at Log Cabin.
This mining truck seen just north of the White Pass summit has come up to Skagway by barge.
At Skagway, this barge was being loaded with hundreds of tons of scrap metal that’s been accumulating in Skagway for several years.
There’s a fair bit of action at the White Pass Shops now, getting things ready for the first ship arrivals. The track clearing crews will be out soon – I must remember to find out when, as that’s interesting to watch at some spots.
After passing Shops I made a bit of a detour down the Liarsville Road along the Skagway River – the cottonwood forest down there always has the best Spring smells!
Heading north again, there were clouds building up on the sea side of the Sawtooth Range.
There were 3 snowboarders and some backcountry skiers enjoying a few inches of fresh snow at the Summit.
Looking back towards Skagway from the summit.
Clearing the parking lot at the Fraser border crossing. In hundreds of border crossings, I’ve only been asked for the dogs’ health records once, but I keep carrying them anyway – today I got asked for them 🙂
Proceeding north through “Tormented Valley,” there are a few pullouts where you can stop to take in your spectacular surroundings.
Looking back towards Skagway from Km 78.9, just south of the BC/Yukon border.
Leaving British Columbia, and Welcome Back to the Yukon 🙂
Looking up at the 1906 workings of the Venus Mine, remarkably intact after 104 years!
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