Leaving Whitehorse on Sunday, June 23, we made our first stop at Haines Junction, about 100 miles north. We stopped at Our lady of the Way Catholic Mission, which is a local landmark. Built in 1954 by the first Catholic priest in the area, Father E. Morriset, he converted an old quanset used during the construction of the Alaska Highway that was left by the U.S. Army. This is the most photographed church in the Yukon.
Inside, preparations were being made for the 13 parishioners. We were invited to stay for the service but we had to be in Haines by midday. It would have been a great setting to celebrate Mass.
This is a shot of the scenery that we encountered along the 140 miles of highway. We witnessed many glaciated mountains, coastal-type forests and alpine tundra. As we crossed the border from Yukon to British Columbia then into the United States, we were soon traveling beside the braided Chilkat River.
After setting up camp near downtown Haines, we visited a local outfitter and purchased an Alaska fishing license and got Jason’s reel re-spooled with a better quality line, we headed out on the Lutak Road, to the Chilkoot River and eventually Chilkoot Lake. Jason tried his luck for red salmon on the Chilkoot River. We spotted four grizzly bears in the green grassy area behind Jason (a sow and her three cubs). It was amazing to see them up close and personal. We carry bear spray!
By the time we made our way back to Haines, the sun was setting (at about 11:00pm) and we saw this view of Haines and the Fort William Seward historic fort. The towering, snow-topped mountains, the wildlife, both the bear and bald eagles, the culture, just about everything was stunning.
Jason found the time to toss some rocks in the Lynn Canal.
In the morning, we inflated our kayak and took a cruise in Lynn Canal. Jason took a quick look back to make sure I was paddling.
The view of the scenery that surrounded the canal was beautiful.
We paddled over to the town small boat harbor, dodging a few fishing boats returning from their morning run.
In the afternoon, we took a run up to Klukwan, the last remaining Tlingit village. We joined a tour in the Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center and saw the Whale House Totems, also known as the “Crown Jewels of Northwest Coast Indian Art”. The five carvings that make up this group were commissioned around 1800 by Chilkat chief Xetsuwu to honor and unite the Gaanaxteidi, the oldest and most powerful of the seven clans of Klukwan. For generations, natural history museums and art collectors sought to remove, purchase or steal these pieces. They were hidden under guard until a tribal court ruled in 1993 that the pieces rightly belonged to the Gaanaxteidi. The Chilkats put them on public display for the first time in May 2016. We were not allowed to photograph them.
The next morning, we went “downtown” and visited the Rusty Compass Coffeehouse. I had a very large cinnamon bun, Cathy had a breakfast spinach wrap and Jason had a chocolate chip cookie laden with six different types of chips.
We went bak to camp to plan our day. We had some pretty awesome views from camp.
Repaving was underway on the main road behind our camp and Jason learned how roads are repaved. First he watched the asphalt trucks dump the hot asphalt (he actually got a sample and put it in a plastic baggie).
Then the auger/spreader/leveling unit distributed the asphalt evenly over the roadway.
And finally, the roller came through and finished the job. Jason befriended the workmen and learned at the same time.
We watched a Princess cruise ship as it went past us departing from Skagway, about an hour up the Lynn Canal from Haines.
After traveling as far as the road go east to Chilkoot Lake, we went west in the morning, to the Chilkat Peninsula and Chilkat State Park. We passed the trailhead to Mount Riley, (rated as strenuous) and Jason balked so we decided to pass for something more mild for a change.
This is a large icefall, across the Chilkat River from our vantage point at the end of the road.
The nearby mountains are towering in the distance. The Chilkat River is in the foreground.
This fella was keeping an eye on us.
After a full day, including reaching as far east and west, we ended with this sunset over Chilkoot Lake.
We still had one more day in Haines so we decided to sleep late, awoke at 7:00 am and headed to the canal to try out fishing. Jason spotted this guy watching us. He was probably about two years old and just sat down on a log on the embankment right below us.
Travelling with the Schinglers 