To Dawson City & Whitehorse

  Dawson City, Yukon, Canada
Thursday, June 19, 2008

The flight up to Dawson City from Beaver Creek followed the White River northeast to the Yukon River North. About 300 nm of spectacular river valley with nary a soul around. We did see a cabin or two, but cannot fathom how the occupants arrive or depart as there are few to no roads. We dodged a few rain showers but were gifted with rainbows. That little corner of the mind that is always looking for the place where you can put down in case of emergency had more than a few moments of infinite regress. Most of the river banks are steeply cut by the water. Sections of river exhibit sandbar and islands.

Dawson City is unique. The airport is 10 miles east of town and the route is up a river valley totaled by placer mines. Which look pretty cool, actually, like the excrement from some giant worm. The City buildings from the 19th century are so precisely restored, the general feeling is movie set. Our cabbie, easily mistaken for Dane Cook and the only official cabbie in Dawson City, filled in lots of blanks. Drunkest city in Canada, midnight golf tournament on the solstice (day after we were there), sunset 12:05 am, sunrise 2:35 am, through shared rides we got a bit of a flare for his "clientele." Odd mix of locals, drunks, tourists. Lots of guys on motorcycle tours.

We departed Dawson City at 9pm, followed the Klondike Highway and landed Whitehorse at midnight. Contacted approach 30 miles out, got "report Lake Laberge south". At Laberge south, received a 20 mile straight in clearance to land into Whitehorse. Dave actually caught the sunset after we landed.