Chicken, AK to Whitehorse, YT

Departed Fairbanks on July 22 and drove to Tok, AK (Pop. ~ 1250).  This is our 2nd visit to this town but we want to explore some of the surrounding area.  All highways to from Alaska go through Tok.  A highway which we decided not to travel with the Motorhome was "Top of World", it's 100% dirt/gravel (~80 miles) and joins Chicken, AK and Dawson City, YT.   We drove part of it with the Tahoe.  Hopefully you will see the "Highway" via the pics.

Morning start to Chicken going east on the Alcan Highway (2), view of the Tanana River and Mentasta Mountains  

Off the Alcan and now on the Taylor Hwy (5), still blacktop surface.  

 Chicken (pop. varies between 4 & 21) is a community founded on gold mining in the late 1800’s and is one of the few surviving gold rush towns in Alaska. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. In 1902 the local post office was established requiring a community name. Due to the prevalence of ptarmigan in the area that name was suggested as the official name for the new community. However, the spelling could not be agreed on and Chicken was used to avoid embarrassment.

View from Post Office

Top of the World Highway is in the background of this photo

A portion of Chicken, with buildings from the early 1900s and the F.E. Company Dredge No. 4 (Pedro Dredge) are listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Enough gold was mined here to make it worthwhile to haul huge gold dredges to this remote location. 

What Larry relaxing!!!!!

OK, this is the "Highway" with narrow turns and hills and valleys.

Did have spectacular views, of course the driver wasn't able to enjoy since they needed both eyes on the road and two hands on the wheel!   We did hear that a Motorhome flipped on this road because the driver got to close to the soft shoulder.

Two lanes?????  80 miles of this, No Thanks.

Chicken "International" Airport

Some interesting facts about the building of the Alaska Highway (Alcan) in the 40's

Original bridge (left side) was built in '43.  It was a 3-span cantilevered truss, only bridge of its kind in Alaska.  There were 133 bridges constructed on the Alcan.  The bridge could not support today's traffic (vehicle size and weight) and therefore  was replaced with concrete.  Steel from the original bridge was all recycled. 

Tok campground, one of the nicer facilities in Alaska

Left Tok on July 25 and headed to Whitehorse, YT. 

Looking for Sgt. Preston of  the Yukon!  Notice the road surface!!!

Trumpet Swans

Yukon road construction

Kluane Lake, beautiful aqua green color

OK, we made it to Whitehorse through the road construction.  Thank goodness I had protection over the front and windshield.  The campground had a good wash station, something you learn is very important!

Marsh Lake boat lock, northermost lock in the Western Hemisphere.  It is used by small craft navigating the upper Yukon River.   This all manually operated.

Difference in water level is 12 - 18"

Whitehorse has a Fish ladder which allows the salmon to navigate the Whitehorse Power Dam, except the salmon were not there yet.  This was the only salmon we could find at the ladder!  We also took in a local show "Frantic Follies" while in Whitehorse.