Yukon Sights by Sue Thomas

Muncho Lake to Summit Lake, Alaska Highway

10 September 2015 - Thursday

We left Muncho Lake at 9 a.m., continuing south on the Alaska Highway.

Leaving Muncho Lake
Brilliant fall colours and a steep downhill - km 684

Alaska Highway southbound
On the downhill slope to the valley bottom

Southbound on the Alaska Highway
Petersen Creek just ahead - km 679

Toad River
Toad River to the south

Caution on this corner
About km 658 southbound, not too far from Toad River

We turned north off the Alaska Highway at km 656 to drive up the Nando Radio Tower road. My dad worked on construction of the road in the early 1960s and I was curious. It was too rough and narrow for the fifth wheel so we drove to the Poplars RV Park and asked if we could leave it there. The park owner told us that was no problem. She also told us we should be able to make it all the way in to the tower with just the truck. And so off we went. It took about four hours total in and out.

Folded Mountain
Looking to the west as we came out of the Nando road - Folded Mountain

By 3:40 pm we had hooked up again, ate some food, and back on the highway.

Fall colours at Racing River - Alaska Highway
Approaching Racing River southbound

Stone Mountain park sign
Entering Stone Mountain provincial park - km 609

Climbing up from the valley on the Alaska Highway
Macdonald Creek in the valley below to the south of the highway - km 608

Long way down
Macdonald Creek heading south in Stone Mountain Park - km 604

See the stone sheep?
Stone sheep on the highway, no place to go, or so I thought. It jumped over the barrier!

Still climbing
It is a long climb up from the valley

Someone northbound in September
Still climbing

Thin horn sheep - stone sheep
More stone sheep!

Mom and baby stone sheep
A mom and baby Stone Sheep

Two more stone sheep
More stone sheep on the other side of the highway

Looking back
Looking back from where we came, with the stone sheep still visible

Summit Lake campground
Approaching Summit Lake campground, our planned overnight spot

Summit Lake campground
Campground sign for Summit Lake Campground

There was one other RV in the campground. I chuckled when I realized we knew the owner of that RV, so we parked right next door. We were the only two RVs in the campground.

Camp site at Stone Mountain - Summit Lake campground
Parked next to a friend from Whitehorse at Summit Lake

After some dinner, we headed out for a hike on the hill to the south of the campground.

View from the hill
Looking at the campground from the south side of the lake

It was very windy overnight, as it often is at this campground. The fifth wheel rocked and rolled most of the night and it was noisy too.

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