Day 30 - July 13th, 2010 Skagway, AK to Watson Lake Turn-off, YT

Today was back into Canada and to the Alaska Highway's intersection with Highway 37, the Cassiar Hwy, that would take us south thru British Columbia.  We would stay in the same Watson Lake campground we had on the way up that advertised the cleanest bathrooms in the Yukon.  What a transition from Skagway's urinal pit.

The early gold rush prospectors were dropped off the boats in Skagway and made their way north to the gold fields near Dawson, YT and beyond.  The trail they used for this trip was called the Chilkoot Trail and had essentially become this road out of Skagway.

Terrain at the top became very barren with few trees.

We took a highway cut-off (Hwy 8) thru Carcross (originally Caribou Crossing) that took us to the Alaska Highway.  This cut-off highway was not much more than a paved trail with no shoulders, no centerline stripping, and no signage.  Helped the confidence when we'd get to a river crossing or village on the map to confirm we were on the right path.  Lunch was pretty meager but the best we could find.

We retraced our previous path on the Alaska Hwy back to Watson Lake's turn-off and called it a day.  Tomorrow promises to be a long day (669 km's) on the Cassier Highway with the plan to make it into Hyder, AK.  This would prove to be a very remote roadway that was only paved in the last few years.

Did a couple loads of laundry, got on the intenet, and then to bed.   Lights out folks.