Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon Territory sits in a valley astride the Yukon River. Two thirds of the Yukon's population live in or around Whitehorse The city is noted as having the least air pollution in the world.
The busy downtown area is attractive and well laid out.
We got in late and decided to have dinner in town. We asked for a recommendation from some fellow RV'ers and were directed to a pub in town. As luck would have it we found the street and location but went in the wrong door and ended up in a pizza/beer joint. We wanted burgers but lucked into Yukon Brewing Co. (Whitehorse) beer and a bison chorizo, grilled onion and pepperocini pizza. Yum! Some wrong turns work out for the best.
At the top of Two Mile Hill, the western exit of town, is a sculpture of a horse collaborated on by a local sculptor and local welder. It's made up of scrap wires, cables, tools, appliances, wheels, gears, etc., etc. At right, below, the lower leg is a 12" sizing plane.
The horse sculpture is behind the fire department headquarters along with this unique "Fireman" complete with turnout gear and hose. All the components of the "fireman" are used fire extinguishing gear, extinguishers, spray heads, regulators, etc. It even has footprints on the concrete base!
Later in the day we took a ride to Miles Canyon to see where the Whitehorse Rapids had once terrorized river travelers trying to get to the Klondike gold fields. The rapids were so dangerous that eventually only qualified boatmen were allowed to transport passengers and cargo. The Yukon was later dammed for hydroelectric power so the rapids no longer exist but the remaining canyon is beautiful.
These bridges are not Lynda's favorite places to be but...
...she was OK as long as I didn't make the bridge sway.
The next day we took a ride toward Skagway and stopped in Carcross. Carcross' claims to fame are The Carcross Desert, also known as "The World's Smallest Desert", and the narrow gauge White Pass and Yukon Railroad. It was also a trade center for the Tlingit and Tagish Nations as well as a terminus of the Chilkoot Trail which brought gold seekers from Skagway.
The Carcross Desert is actually a series of dunes deposited in the area after the last Ice Age. Presently, prevailing winds off of Bennett Lake blow sand into the dunes replenishing them.
The locals use the dunes for sandboarding and, unfortunately, ATVing.
This Caribou welcomes you to Carcross, originally known as Caribou Crossing, until a Post Office screw up.
The Matthew Watson General Store is one of the original businesses/stores in town.
The train station serves passengers riding on the White Pass and Yukon Railroad going to Skagway or Whitehorse.
The old steel girder bridge takes the train over the river between Bennett Lake and Tagish Lake.
Emerald Lake is one of the incredibly green lakes along the road to Carcross.
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