ALASKA HIGHWAY
Dawson Creek, BC
to Delta, Alaska
YUKON
Map with
Hwy links
Kluane Lake area
Campbell Hwy
Dempster Hwy
Dawson City
Klondike Hwy-North
Klondike Hwy-South
Haines Road
Nahanni Range Rd
Silver Trail
South Canol Road
Top of the World
Hwy
BEARS
Grizzly
/ Black
WILDLIFE
BIRDS
NORTHERN LIGHTS
ALASKA
Taylor Hwy
Denali National Park
McCarthy Road
Richardson Hwy
and more
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Cassiar Highway
Liard Hot
Springs
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Planning Links
Campgrounds/POIs
YUKON sights
2020
2019
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
RV BLOGS
Vancouver Island
to Yukon & Alaska
2010 Aug & Sept
2009 September
2008 June
2007 September
2001 December
2000 August
1998 December
1997 September
1993 September
Whitehorse to Mayo, North Klondike Highway, Yukon
We arrived in Whitehorse on the 26th and did some city chores.
27 June 2008
We could not wait to get out of the city! Our destination today was the Klondike Highway and Silver Trail to Mayo. Five Finger Rapids oozes history on the Yukon River. From the highway, it looks like any old bend in the river with a few rocky islands in the middle.
However, this passage presented a challenge for river pilots as they navigated their large sternwheelers between Dawson City and Whitehorse. In the 1900s blasting work began and continued for many years to widen the channel more than 20 feet. A cable was attached to the sternwheeler to help guide the boats through the area.
View of Five Finger Rapids from the Klondike Highway
Many stairs and a path takes you to an observation platform for a closer view. It is a nice hike on a packed dirt path. Wear some decent shoes as there is a bit of scrambling up and down rocks.
The rapids and rocks, up close
Looking north along the Yukon River at Fiver Finger Rapids
The very adventurous can stand out on the river's edge to get a good look; NOT
for the faint-at-heart!
What goes down must go up. I tried counting the number of steps as we climbed back to the highway. The Milepost (a guide of northern highways) said there were 219, but I counted 222.
The second flight of stairs leading back to the highway; a test of endurance!
There were tour bus people at the top oozing their congratulations as we bounced back up. Jake, our dog, was not exuberant but he did it too! After catching our breath and having lunch at the rest area beside Five Finger Rapids, we continued north.
The Pelly River and Pelly Crossing
On the north side of the Stewart River bridge, travelers can turn left to
continue to
Dawson City on Hwy 2, or turn right on Hwy 11 for the Silver Trail and the
communities of Mayo and Keno City.
We turned right, towards Mayo and Keno
City.
Our destination for the night was Five Mile Lake Yukon Government campground; an ideal starting point for our next day's drive to Keno City.
Five Mile Lake on the Silver Trail
There is a good hiking trail around Five Mile Lake. Other campers told us the fishing was not worthwhile. We enjoyed some nice Arctic Grayling for supper! Not many bugs here, so we had the fire going and enjoyed a pleasant evening outside.
The evenings are long this time of year so necessary to have good curtains in the RV! Our dog was not feeling well so we are often strolling with him at 3 a.m. and it was light outside! Thankfully other campers are sound asleep or they might have wondered about the wild woman in fuzzy slippers and bathrobe stumbling along behind a big red dog.