16/17JUN15 - Watson Lake, YT (some roadside wildlife pics)

Tuesday morning, 16JUN, we started our drive to Watson Lake, YT, via the Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park in BC.  It was a beautiful drive including Muncho Lake.  On the drive we saw one black bear (no pics), stone sheep on the road (good pics), & past Muncho Lake we spotted several endangered woodland Bison (poor pics).

 

We also drove by -

-Summit, highest point on the AlCan

-Lower Liard River Bridge (1943) only remaining suspension bridge on AlCan

The RV park has changed ownership & new management is making many improvements, including having loads of gravel for their roads delivered briefly trapping RVs inside the campground.  After resting from the drive & washing some of the mud off the Toad we headed to Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park.  Where we soaked in the natural hot springs for awhile, very relaxing!  Although we had been driving in on-again/off-again rain, the sun & weather was great at Liard Hot Springs.  As we were leaving, we ran into two married Coasties in the parking lot.  They are moving from Anchorage, AK, to Elizabeth City, NC.
   

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/liard_rv_hs/

Wednesday morning we headed for Watson Lake, YT.  They say on a good weather day in the Yukon you can see the mountains a hundred miles away on the horizon – today was such a day!  On the drive we saw numerous woodland Bison on the road (remember – animals have the right-of-way on the AlCan).  We also saw what we think was a small grizzly because it appeared to have a “hump” on it shoulders, not sure from photo though?

We also drove by -

-Smith River Airport

-Contact Creek

-Irons Creek - had largest culvert on AlCan installed 1998, collapsed 2001

-the AlCan crosses BC/YT border six times, official border crossing is at mile 627 but no sign announces this

First stop upon arrival at Watson Lake was the info centre.  Then to the RV park where we were the first arrivals.  After setting up camp it was off to the bank, grocery store & photos at the world famous Sign Post Forest.

After lunch Dan went back to info centre to view the film & exhibits.  Meanwhile Corrie decided to make a sign for the Sign Post Forest.  We then headed to the Sign Forest to hang it.  Dan got as high as he could on out ladder to make it difficult for anyone to mess with it! 

 

Before dinner Dan headed to a hotel called the Air Force Lodge.  This is the only remaining WWII building on the AlCan used to house military personnel.  This was an officer’s lodge for pilots moving aircraft from the USA to Russia.  Interestingly half the building was for female pilots, & half for male pilots; since many females were trained as pilots & used on many “non-combat” missions by the USA.  Because there was almost no large, dried lumber in the Yukon, the building was built in Seattle & shipped to Watson Lake.  The Lodge has been owned by a German for about 20 years; he is very proud of the building’s history & will share it with anyone that walks in the door!

Dinner was at the RV park BBQ burger stand (Dan went with Bison), excellent meal.  Then it was off to the Northern Lights Space & Science Centre for their 360 surround theater films.  First one was on black holes & super novas; next was a film on the Northern Lights.  The first film was alright but a little too much science.  The Northern Lights film was very good (probably not as spectacular as the real thing, but very beautiful for those of us who will never see it for real)!

http://www.northernlightscentre.ca/