The Last Stretch to the Border

We left Whitehorse, YT on June 4th and headed for the Alaska border. After a brief overnight stop in Haines Junction, YT, we continued on the Alaska Highway as it paralleled the beautiful Kluane (Klu-WAN-ee) Mountain Range. The Kluane Range is the largest non-polar ice field in the world. We could see so many glaciers along the way.

There was one breath-taking scene after another!

After following the mountain range for many miles we came to the south end of Kluane Lake. 

The lake is enormous...45 miles long. We stopped to take a photo and were planning to stop at a visitor's center around the bend when we noticed something in the distance in a field at the edge of the lake. We couldn't make out what it was at first, but then it was clear....it was a grizzly!

Thank goodness for binoculars and telephoto lenses! We were able to get up close without getting up close!

When the grizzly wandered off, we continued on to the Tachel Dahl Visitor's Center which sits at the base of the Tachel Dahl (formerly known as Sheep Mountain). The southern slope of the mountain is the main winter and spring range and lambing area for the Dall sheep. The rams migrate out of the area in May, but females and lambs can be seen from May to early June. They spend the summer on the backside of the slope where it is greener. Then they return to the southern slope in August. Behind the visitor's center a telescope is set up for viewing. The top of the mountain is at 5,000 ft. 

Even with a telephoto lens, they're just white dots on top of the ridge.

Just beyond the visitor's center there was a trail that took us to Soldier's Summit where the original Alaska Canada Military Highway (the Alcan) was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November, 1942. This was the spot where the crews working from the north and south met.  Today the highway is simply called The Alaska Highway.

Road from the South

Road from the North (new road and lake in background)

Plaque commemorating the event

There was a great view of Kluane Lake from Soldier's Summit.

We stopped at a pull-off beside the lake to make some lunch.....one of the advantages of carrying your home with you! I had to take one last look back at the Kluane Mountain Range before continuing down the highway.

We thought we might make it to the border that day, but because of road conditions (that Lee mentioned on an earlier post) we made one last overnight stop in the Yukon in Beaver Creek. The next morning, we made it to the border! 

No, that's not our rig in the background.

One foot in each country!

 After all the photo ops, we passed through Customs with ease. Alaska here we come!