Road to Alaska Day 3 of 5, June 30, 2013

Watson Lake is a stopover on the highway that connects the two major roads on the Yukon border, just over British Columbia.  It has the World Famous Sign Post Forest.  The forest was started in 1942 by a homesick US Army GI from Danville IL.  He erected a sign pointing the way and stating the mileage to his hometown.   As 2013 the forest has over 78,000 signs posted.   We will post our sign on the way home.

We saw two black bears, Jake's corner, Rancheria Falls and Nisutlin Bay Bridge.

One of solders was from Danville Illinois

We found sign from many different states and even some from other country.  If you had the time to look, I bet you could find a sign from your home town.

There are so many rows that you can even count them.

The city counts the signs by the number of new posts they erect each year.

In the middle we found an old fire truck and these machines that were used on the Alaska Highway.

At the end of the sidewalk they have a visitor center.

 

This is the flag that we plan to hang in the Sign Forest.

 Two black bears, one of them is cinnamon color (but still a black bear). 

Nice bear.  Don't eat Tom the cat.

Bear entering the woods, and we all know what they do there.

Rancheria Falls

Nisutlin Bridge

Jake's Corner.  The road to Skagway cuts off here.

Jack's Corner

Road to Alaska Day 2 of 5, June 29, 2013

We left Fort Nelson and for the next 200 miles we headed west thru the Canadian Rockies.  The view was so clear that we could see for 100 miles.  Check out the pic of Steamboat Mountain, Indian Head Mountain, Stone Sheep, MacDonald River Valley, Toad River Lake Sawtooth Mountains, a little water fall, Muncho Lake, Trout River, Bison and Liard River.        
 

The first hill that we went down (6.7 miles @ 8 percent grade) was Steamboat Mountain @3,500 feet. 

 

Still going down.

 

  View of Indian Head Mountain. 

 

That is snow on the mountains in the background.

Hazard along the highway are marked by a yellow sign that has bump.  It isn’t anything close to the condition of the holey gravel road that is ahead.  This type of road just shook the coach apart.

More snowy mountains.

We had to stop at Tetsa River Outfitters for their famous cinnamon buns, then along to Stone Mountain.  We had to get fuel @ 6.50 per gallon only brought enough to get to next town.

Stone Mountain (not snow)

 We had to watch for the Stone Sheep (smaller that bighorn sheep and often mistaken for mountain goats) going along Summit Lake and around the rocky limestone gorge before descending into the MacDonald River Valley.  

Found the Stone Sheep.

Found more Stone Sheep.

Found the Stone Sheep. They still have their winter coats on. 

 Pass Camp 120 @ MacDonald River Services then onto Racing River.  

We even found a deer.

Look carefully.   It looks like mount rushmore after a bad party night.

Toad River -- is shallow and muddy.  The mud is stuff from the mountain run off.

Next was Toad River and Lodge.  It has been at this site since 1950 and is known for it collection of 6,800 hats.   

Sawtooth Mountains.  

Water Fall

More snowy mountains.

Not snow, just stone

Not snow

 High wind on Muncho Lake (7miles long and 1 mile wide).  This lake drain into the Trout River which drops 1,000 feet to the Liard River (it is a fast and windy going down hill).     There is a wind sock along this stretch of road.  Today we did not have any wind.

Still going around and around.  This white spot on the second bend is an RV.  We still have to go around that bend too and the bend after that.

Northern Rockies Lodge

 

Stone Sheep

Jack said that we should have sheep for dinner, if they don't move out of the way.

 After Liard River we had to watch out for the bison (buffalo). 

Still going by Liard River.

 Zane is getting a little better with the noises and bump.  

 This is only remaining suspension bridge on the Alaska Highway, built in 1943 over the Liard River.  

 Found the Bison

 

They cross the road whenever they want.

 Lots of Bison.  

The small tan ones are this year babies.

Don't cross the road!

OK cross the road, see if I care.

Do think this bison is speeding at 100 kilometers (62 miles per hour).

There is a lot more bison in the woods.

 This is the Allen’s Lookout. The marker is dedicated to the surveyors of the Alaska Highway.  It shows the elevation and latitude and longitude of Allen’s Lookout.

 Legend has it that a band of outlaws took advantage of this sweeping view of the Liard River to attach and rob riverboats. 

Liard River