Journey to the North-Yukon!
With
a full day of rest and two great nights of sleep, the decision was made
that I would leave for the Yukon from Vancouver a day earlier than
originally planned. With a wide spread storm expected in most parts of
the northern BC interior on Monday, leaving on Saturday and having two
full days of clear driving weather was the best decision I made. Well
actually, Opa (Phil-my sisters father-in-law) made good sense of it for
me;) He also offered an extended vacation in West Van at the end of my
trip so it wasn’t hard to agree to that one! When
planning my stops, timing for flights, and weather (having never
attempted the drive before) I trusted the people who lived here. Smart
move.
I set out Saturday morning at 7:30 sharp with a full breakfast and a packed lunch (for 2 days thanks to Opa!) that kept me on the roads and ahead of the storm...until Monday.
What was to follow were some of the most incredible days of driving I’ve ever done!
Here’s a few shots of my travels to the Yukon that I was safety able to take while on the long haul to the north.
Day 1
Vancouver to Prince George 800km 9hrs
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| On my way out of West Vancouver, I saw the sign for Cypress Mountain and remembered when my sister took me up to the lookout last year. I didn't hesitate to take a little detour. Low and behold, the sun rose over the mountains just as I arrived. Perfect timing;) |
Fraser Valley was one of my favourite parts of the drive up to this point. Passing through multiple tunnels cut out through the mountains, hovering over cliffs, sharp bends and turns in the road, the views were more beautiful than I could have imagined.
Day 2
Prince George to Muncho Lake, BC 1050 km 11hrs
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| An early start with beautiful mountain views. |
Long and flat from Fort St John to Fort Nelson. One could really fly here! Luckily this time of year the roads were fairly wide open so you could make up a little time. Hit the 6000km mark on this day!
When I rolled into Fort Nelson around 2pm after driving 800km already that day, I took a small brake on the outskirt of town before attempting the final 240km to Muncho Lake. I considered washing the car but a) nothing was open except the Tim Hortons and Gas station on Sunday and b) the storm coming the next day would likely ruin all my attempts at keeping a clean car. Turns out I was right...
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| Now entering the Alaska Highway with views of the Rockies all around! |
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| Finally made it to my destination after an very long day of driving. The Great Northern Lodge was a real treat after 2 full days of driving and I couldn't wait to hunker down for the night before preparing for the final leg of my journey. The difference from when I arrived that evening around 6pm and the next morning at 6am was about 10-15cm of snow. This should make for an interesting day of driving! | |
Day 3 Muncho Lake to Whitehorse, Yukon. 750km 9hrs   |
| Figured I should take a walk down to the Lake before setting off on my journey, only to find it nearly impossible to see the Lake and surrounding vistas through the blizzard. Instead I got snow in my eyeballs and only saw the waves on the lake. |
Driving to the Yukon from Muncho Lake was slow and nerve wrecking. By the time I reached Whitehorse, I'd been through a blizzard, freezing rain, rain, high winds (not fun when roads are covered in ice), snow covered roads, icy roads, slushy roads, one lane cleared roads, no lanes cleared roads, no visibility and full visibility. Needless to say, I was EXAUSTED. Nine hours of trying to stay as alert and careful as I possible could really wore me down. Not sure most people in their right mind would have attempted it, but I was on a mission and two things kept going through my head; "Slow and steady (back to the barn)" and "Jesus go with you to the Yukon." The latter referring to Nancy from Marathons comment back in my post from the Ontario Lake Superior drive, and meeting Nancy just after the dead bird in my grill-I shall never forget as long as I live! And the former, the advice my cousin gave as I was leaving Saskatchewan, referring to our times of riding the horses at her parents farm growing up. When the horses saw the barn after a long ride, in excitement they would want to RUN back to the barn. The advice was always, slow and steady, so no one got hurt on the final stretch. A great metaphor as we approach the finish line of many journeys in life as to not rush it as we near the end.
Lots of wildlife spotting on the way to the Yukon. Herds of Buffalo and mountain goats hanging at the side of the road and on the road. AND, my first moose spotting ever!
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| I made it!!! |
Whitehorse - The end of the Road
Flying from Whitehorse over the Rockies on my way back to Vancouver for a few days of rest. What an incredible (and very different view from the air). Looking down, I'm pretty sure I could see some of the roads I'd driven. I got a new perspective on my journey looking at it from both sides...
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