Adventures with Yogi and Boone

Top of the World and One Big chicken: A Journey from Dawson City to Alaska

Woke up July 1st in Dawson City-feeling patriotic (Canada Day!) and ready for the next leg of the journey: crossing the mighty Yukon river via ferry. Now, let me tell you, this ferry is not your average luxury liner. It's more of a "hold your breath and hope no one brought an RV the size of Walmart" kind of ferry.  We made it aboard without issue - Yogi (our van) got a cozy spot, and off we went across the river.  Just a short 20min ride.

Now, I really wanted to get out and take some artsy shots-you know, "windswept hair staring out at the horizon" kind of thing - but nope. gotta stay in your vehicle. So I settle for blurry window pics and a deep admiration of the fact that there is literally no bridge out of Dawson across the Yukon. You want out? You ferry.

Once across, we rolled onto the famous Top of the World Highway, which sounds like it should come with a theme song and maybe a bald eagle escort. It is a 187 mile dirt road that makes you feel like you're cruising along the spine of the planet. It's dusty, dramatic, and delivers the kind of views that make you say "Wow," stop the van, take five photos, and then say "Wow" again.  

The border crossing was about halfway, and let me just say - we were pumped. Back into the U.S. of A! Fireworks may or may not have gone off in our heads. The border agent? Less impressed. Let's just say he did not share in our high-level enthusiasm. But we got waved to go ahead and rolled on.

Next stop: Chicken Alaska. Yes, it's a real place. Yes, it has a giant metal chicken - apparently "Ptarmigan" was too hard to spell.  Fair. Well pulled into a lovely little RV park where the beer was cold, the vibes were good, and the locals did not seem fazed by a chicken taller than a moose.

And look - yes, reaching Alaska was always the goal, but as we parked in Chicken that night and looked back at our journey we realized the road to Alaska has filled our cup in so many ways.  Well, that and the beer.

July 2nd, we cruised into Tok (rhymes with "poke" in case you were wondering), fueled up both van and humans, and headed for Moon Lake which sounds like a magical fairyland and honestly, kind of was. Kayas and SUP came out, sun was shining not a mosquito in sight (okay maybe a few dozen, but they wreak havoc chill)

And then-Moose alert! A mama and her baby wandered into the water like they owned the place (which they kind of do). We kept our distance, but still- those big ears, those long legs! They eventually scampered off, but another solo moose stuck around and treated herself to an all-you-can-eat aquatic salad bar for like half an hour. She was eating with a purpose. Girl had goals.

Oh, and if moose weren't enough-Trumpeter Swans showed up! Because apparently Moon Lake is also a bird spa retreat? Not complaining.

The next morning in Tok, it was spa day for Yogi. He was Filthy-like, "dragged through a volcano" filthy. We gave him the best car wash a dusty van could dream of and made him look respectable again. Groceries: check, Laundry done: check, Water tanks: filled. Spirits: high. And then it was time to hit the road again- destination: McCarthy & Kennicott.

But more on that next time. Right now, we're just soaking in the glory of the Yukon River, the dusty Top of the World Highway, one very large chicken and a lake full of moose.

Alaska, we have arrived.