| We camped about 12 miles
south of Whitehorse and drove in to explore. The road into the town is an
offshoot of the Alaska Highway and runs along the Yukon riverbank as it
approaches the city. It is the capital city of the Yukon, and most of the
state's population of 30.000 lives here. |  |
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We thought this must be the government building but there is another one by
the visitor centre. It was locked so we couldn't find out more. |
| This statue is dedicated
to all those who follow their dreams. Seemed very poetic to us. |  |
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The paddle-steamer SS Klondike is now beached on the riverbank and a
national heritage site. From 1937 to 1952 it was used to carry passengers and
freight on the Yukon between Whitehorse and Dawson City. With only a 4ft
draught it could carry 300 tons. |
| It replaced its almost
identical predecessor built in 1929 which was lost when it ran aground in
1936. Earlier smaller vessels were used to provide transportation to the
Klondike from 1866. |  |
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It has been beautifully restored and became redundant when a road was
constructed up to Mayo and road transport
replaced it. |
| We walked along the
riverside path past this water park. The kids seem to enjoy the buckets
which turn and empty when they are full. We have now seen several such parks. |  |
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We have seen a number of towns with lampposts adorned by various decorative
designs, but usually cut out sheets. This
was just a signpost for the visitor centre. |
| We also visited the
railway station for the Yukon and White Pass railway. This used to haul
goods and passengers from Skagway on the coast to Whitehorse. Today it is a
tourist railroad but no longer runs as far as Whitehorse. Perhaps one
day..... |  |
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Most of he buildings are timber with fronts that are much larger than the
actual buildings. They are also often flat roofed and appear to have very
little insulation which seems odd. Also visible is an array of
communications aerials although communication outside the big towns is
virtually non-existent. |
| Two large hotels, again
all wooden and relatively low rise. The internet must have made a huge
impact out here. |  |
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Heading south back to the campground reminds us that the views on a road
should be seen travelling both ways. We missed this coming up. |
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