Our border crossing safely behind us, Vernon and I continued on into the remote Yukon Territory. We were getting a little low on fuel, but the map showed the town of Beaver Creek ahead about 40 miles away from the Troll booth we had just left. The dim glow of a few lights along the road ahead boosted our spirits. Beaver Creek had to be a better place than the border guard gulag we had escaped from. I soon saw a sign that read "Welcome to Beaver Creek Closed for the Winter."
The whole town was closed for the winter! Not one drop of fuel was available for the land train, and we were getting low. I looked at the map, and the next town on the road was the rather pleasant sounding Destruction Bay. A little fuel use calculation lead to the conclusion that we might almost make it there on fumes, if we were blessed. I wondered if that town might be closed as well. The thought of having a sleep-over on the road, out of fuel, in the Yukon was not a happy one. I wondered if they would find our frozen bodies in the spring along side of a dog sled team with the lead dog frozen to a tree. We were really, really in the boondocks.
I drove along trough the darkness, dodging moose, and wondering how to save fuel to make it to safety. I came over a little rise in the road and , thank you Lord, there was a fuel station that was not on our map. The Tulane Wilderness Village! A load of fuel, a cup of very bad coffee, and a souvenir t-shirt, and we were on our way again, We had enough fuel now to make it to Whitehorse. I hoped it would be light again by then. I had enough darkness for a while.
Whitehorse was a very welcome sight indeed! It was the biggest town I had seen since leaving Palmer Alaska. It even had a Cafe. I pulled in and parked. We had a real breakfast, the first food (Other than jerky and snack bars) in 18 hours. I was almost feeling human again after my 6th cup of black coffee. We then looked for a fuel station to buy some more litres of diesel with Canadian dollars. To this day I have no idea how much fuel cost up there.
While Vernon was filling up the tanks I went into the station to buy a map of the Yukon. I had a culture shock. I asked on of the three young Canadians at the counter what was the best way to get to Ft. Nelson B.C. I had not been to Canada before, but I was pretty sure the people up there didn't really talk like the MacKenzie Brothers in the Great White North kind of show but I was wrong.
They started arguing about the best way to head south. "Going south Eh? Oh, lots of snow down that way don't you know." His friend looked at him and said "Hey hoser, take off! That way is good way Eh." And so on and so on, They soon forgot about me entirely and just went on talking like a bad late night comedy skit. It was hilarious. I went out to get Vernon so he could hear the fun, but by the time we got back in the threesome were in a hockey fight, so we just left. I still laugh about those guys.
The road ahead looked a little better, just ice and the sun was up at last. We hoped to make it all the way to Ft. Nelson B.C. before stopping for a rest. If all went well that would be about 1800. We drove along enjoying the drive and kidding around. It looked like an easy trip.
[attachment 10302 yukonroad.jpg]
The road conditions got better the further south we went. This all began to change after we left Watson Lake. The map showed a high mountain pass ahead, and the sky darkened and snow began to fall as we started into the mountains.
[attachment 10303 Roadtoftnelson.jpg]
Ahead of us lay the some of the worst driving I had ever faced. Stay tuned for the white knuckled terror story. "The road to Ft. Nelson, Hey Vernon, try to land this thing rubber side down." HH DC
The whole town was closed for the winter! Not one drop of fuel was available for the land train, and we were getting low. I looked at the map, and the next town on the road was the rather pleasant sounding Destruction Bay. A little fuel use calculation lead to the conclusion that we might almost make it there on fumes, if we were blessed. I wondered if that town might be closed as well. The thought of having a sleep-over on the road, out of fuel, in the Yukon was not a happy one. I wondered if they would find our frozen bodies in the spring along side of a dog sled team with the lead dog frozen to a tree. We were really, really in the boondocks.
I drove along trough the darkness, dodging moose, and wondering how to save fuel to make it to safety. I came over a little rise in the road and , thank you Lord, there was a fuel station that was not on our map. The Tulane Wilderness Village! A load of fuel, a cup of very bad coffee, and a souvenir t-shirt, and we were on our way again, We had enough fuel now to make it to Whitehorse. I hoped it would be light again by then. I had enough darkness for a while.
Whitehorse was a very welcome sight indeed! It was the biggest town I had seen since leaving Palmer Alaska. It even had a Cafe. I pulled in and parked. We had a real breakfast, the first food (Other than jerky and snack bars) in 18 hours. I was almost feeling human again after my 6th cup of black coffee. We then looked for a fuel station to buy some more litres of diesel with Canadian dollars. To this day I have no idea how much fuel cost up there.
While Vernon was filling up the tanks I went into the station to buy a map of the Yukon. I had a culture shock. I asked on of the three young Canadians at the counter what was the best way to get to Ft. Nelson B.C. I had not been to Canada before, but I was pretty sure the people up there didn't really talk like the MacKenzie Brothers in the Great White North kind of show but I was wrong.
They started arguing about the best way to head south. "Going south Eh? Oh, lots of snow down that way don't you know." His friend looked at him and said "Hey hoser, take off! That way is good way Eh." And so on and so on, They soon forgot about me entirely and just went on talking like a bad late night comedy skit. It was hilarious. I went out to get Vernon so he could hear the fun, but by the time we got back in the threesome were in a hockey fight, so we just left. I still laugh about those guys.
The road ahead looked a little better, just ice and the sun was up at last. We hoped to make it all the way to Ft. Nelson B.C. before stopping for a rest. If all went well that would be about 1800. We drove along enjoying the drive and kidding around. It looked like an easy trip.
[attachment 10302 yukonroad.jpg]
The road conditions got better the further south we went. This all began to change after we left Watson Lake. The map showed a high mountain pass ahead, and the sky darkened and snow began to fall as we started into the mountains.
[attachment 10303 Roadtoftnelson.jpg]
Ahead of us lay the some of the worst driving I had ever faced. Stay tuned for the white knuckled terror story. "The road to Ft. Nelson, Hey Vernon, try to land this thing rubber side down." HH DC
HH...Geo