31st August.
We crossed back into Canada courtesy of a very nice border official who didn’t require us to take our helmets off. …which we appreciated as it was very cold again. The scenery was fantastic on the White pass but too cold (again) to stop for photos.
Time was getting on a bit and we needed to find some food and accomodation quite quickly before the light faded and it got colder still. We arrived at Carcross and were hoping to find a motel or Bed and Breakfast but the only one we did find didn’t inspire us at all so we had to press on. We managed to pick up some groceries from a Gas station and finally found a state camp site. We just about managed to get our tents up and some fire wood together before it was too dark to see anything. These State camp sites are great as they are very natural but there is no electricity or running water so you need to be prepared.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273197.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
View from Carcross
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273176.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
The results of me working on my "accelerated wood heat absorbtion/combustion time ratio technique"...it was getting late and cold.
On the back of a conversation we had with a couple we met at Haines junction, we decided to head for Laird springs on the Alaska highway. John had seen that there was a Teslin First Nation museum on the way and so we decided to pop in and see that. It was a cold day but we were in good spirits and looking forward to seeing some of Canada’s older history. The display was minimal and only consisted of immaculate face mask recreations by a local artist. All in all, a dissapointment,……. barring the free coffee which we appreciated before going back out in the cold again.
At the museum we met an extrovert American woman (Yes we did discover many other kinds !) who delighted in the thought of our trip and was a great encouragement. We had lunch at a cafe, Rancheros, where we got some questionable advice over a great number of things with the exception of not eating at the Fireside cafe further down the Alaskan Highway….which turned out to be correct.(We actually forgot by the time we got there and were met by a Rotweiller which had taken the form of a..... woman...yes, I think that's what she was, and a huge dog at the end of a chain as well.)
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273142.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
Wood carvings outside the Teslin First Nations museum. Each statue represents a First Nations tribe.
We arrived at Watson lake which was on the way to see huge display of Town & city road signs. 22,000 in all. A peculiar display-It turns out that men working on the Alaskan highway (during the second World War) started putting up these signs when they were home sick, as they’d been away for so long, and it’s been going on ever since. We pressed on towards Laird Springs but finally it started raining and we got very cold and wet and decided to stay at a Motel. We stayed at Donnas, who did like to talk. She was quite likeable but the accomodation was the most basic we’d had to date and we think she may have hiked the price due to our circumstances-wet, cold and a long way from anywhere else to stay.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273123.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
The sign display at Watson lake.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273102.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
...closer-up.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274664.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
The only British one we could see......and as you'd expect, there were loads of Germans !!
In the morning we visited Smith falls, where John’s chain jumped off the rear sprocket(again) and jammed behind the front sprocket cover as he was just about to exit a very large puddle in a muddy lane. After some jiggery-pockery, we got the chain free and back on the sprockets. Saw the falls and finnally arrived at Laird but no campsite space was available until the following day. We were offered the opportunity to camp in an overflow area which was a car-park, but it was too grim, and right by the road.
Smith Waterfalls near Laird hot springs.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274831.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274803.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
So after about an hour of mental agony we decided to experience the springs, have dinner & push onto Mucho Lake. The Springs were natural and good fun-they were separated into three primary areas. Very very hot, hot and comfortably warm. John first tried the hot area and got out again pretty quickly as he felt his legs burning. I thought he was being a bit of a woose and so went boldly in, only to come boldly out -It was HOT !
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274767.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
John basking in the much sought after Laird hot springs.
We got to Mucho lake just in time to pitch our tents before it got dark. The camp site and area was very beautiful but also very cold……. and started raining in the morning. We decided to do some washing and a bit of housekeeping before setting off back up to Watson lake to prepare for the Cassier Highway.
Mike
Muncho Lake
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274713.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119275539.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
We crossed back into Canada courtesy of a very nice border official who didn’t require us to take our helmets off. …which we appreciated as it was very cold again. The scenery was fantastic on the White pass but too cold (again) to stop for photos.
Time was getting on a bit and we needed to find some food and accomodation quite quickly before the light faded and it got colder still. We arrived at Carcross and were hoping to find a motel or Bed and Breakfast but the only one we did find didn’t inspire us at all so we had to press on. We managed to pick up some groceries from a Gas station and finally found a state camp site. We just about managed to get our tents up and some fire wood together before it was too dark to see anything. These State camp sites are great as they are very natural but there is no electricity or running water so you need to be prepared.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273197.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
View from Carcross
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273176.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
The results of me working on my "accelerated wood heat absorbtion/combustion time ratio technique"...it was getting late and cold.
On the back of a conversation we had with a couple we met at Haines junction, we decided to head for Laird springs on the Alaska highway. John had seen that there was a Teslin First Nation museum on the way and so we decided to pop in and see that. It was a cold day but we were in good spirits and looking forward to seeing some of Canada’s older history. The display was minimal and only consisted of immaculate face mask recreations by a local artist. All in all, a dissapointment,……. barring the free coffee which we appreciated before going back out in the cold again.
At the museum we met an extrovert American woman (Yes we did discover many other kinds !) who delighted in the thought of our trip and was a great encouragement. We had lunch at a cafe, Rancheros, where we got some questionable advice over a great number of things with the exception of not eating at the Fireside cafe further down the Alaskan Highway….which turned out to be correct.(We actually forgot by the time we got there and were met by a Rotweiller which had taken the form of a..... woman...yes, I think that's what she was, and a huge dog at the end of a chain as well.) <IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273142.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
Wood carvings outside the Teslin First Nations museum. Each statue represents a First Nations tribe.
We arrived at Watson lake which was on the way to see huge display of Town & city road signs. 22,000 in all. A peculiar display-It turns out that men working on the Alaskan highway (during the second World War) started putting up these signs when they were home sick, as they’d been away for so long, and it’s been going on ever since. We pressed on towards Laird Springs but finally it started raining and we got very cold and wet and decided to stay at a Motel. We stayed at Donnas, who did like to talk. She was quite likeable but the accomodation was the most basic we’d had to date and we think she may have hiked the price due to our circumstances-wet, cold and a long way from anywhere else to stay.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273123.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
The sign display at Watson lake.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119273102.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
...closer-up.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274664.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
The only British one we could see......and as you'd expect, there were loads of Germans !!
In the morning we visited Smith falls, where John’s chain jumped off the rear sprocket(again) and jammed behind the front sprocket cover as he was just about to exit a very large puddle in a muddy lane. After some jiggery-pockery, we got the chain free and back on the sprockets. Saw the falls and finnally arrived at Laird but no campsite space was available until the following day. We were offered the opportunity to camp in an overflow area which was a car-park, but it was too grim, and right by the road.
Smith Waterfalls near Laird hot springs.
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274831.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274803.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
So after about an hour of mental agony we decided to experience the springs, have dinner & push onto Mucho Lake. The Springs were natural and good fun-they were separated into three primary areas. Very very hot, hot and comfortably warm. John first tried the hot area and got out again pretty quickly as he felt his legs burning. I thought he was being a bit of a woose and so went boldly in, only to come boldly out -It was HOT !
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274767.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
John basking in the much sought after Laird hot springs.
We got to Mucho lake just in time to pitch our tents before it got dark. The camp site and area was very beautiful but also very cold……. and started raining in the morning. We decided to do some washing and a bit of housekeeping before setting off back up to Watson lake to prepare for the Cassier Highway.
Mike
Muncho Lake
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119274713.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
<IMG SRC="http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL784/4062504/8448420/119275539.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosting by PictureTrail.com">
Last edited:
