Sand dune

Today we visited Carcross, Yukon. If you have been to the Yukon, you've probably been to Carcross since it's the terminus of the White Pass & Yukon Railway, the scenic train from Skagway, Alaska. The train is the most popular excursion on cruise ships going through Skagway. We didn’t drive as far as Skagway, mostly due to the international border to Alaska: we have ingredients for tonight’s dinner that aren't allowed across the border. Plus we have seen Skagway already on cruises.

Carcross was originally named Caribou Crossing, but the mail kept getting diverted to the same named town in BC, so they shortened the name to avoid confusion.

On the way we stopped at Emerald Lake. The lake has beautiful colors caused by the clay and shells at the bottom, combined with a lack of oxygen. We parked next to a semi. This was strange: commercial trucks rarely stop at scenic overlooks. We learned that the driver was from Whitehorse but he was bringing along a friend visiting from Norway.

Next we stopped at the Carcross Desert. A desert in the Yukon?! Yes! This may be the driest place in Canada. It is also reported to be the smallest desert in North America. In the Carcross Desert, there is a sand dune. We climbed to the top, which had a stunning view. Oddly enough, the far side of the top hill was filled with trees. As we headed down, we saw an elementary school group that had a field trip to the dunes. I wish we had field trips like that.

We then continued to the center (centre?) of Carcross. That is where the train depot is. They have a few shops set up for the cruise ship passengers. We stopped in one that had a maple syrup tasting. Yes, we know there are no maple trees in the Yukon! But this store specializes in maple syrup that is aged inside whisky barrels from the local distillery. It had a nice smoky flavor (flavour?). Greg bought one small bottle to enjoy with his morning oatmeal. We walked around the town and saw the railroad bridge and the lake that we saw from atop the sand dunes.

On our drive back to Whitehorse, a large moose dashed across the road. It moved too fast for us to get a photo. It was probably the largest moose we've seen so far. Finally, we visited the Yukon Beringia Museum, which covers the plant, animal and human migration across the land bridge from Asia to the Americas. Interesting information about glaciers and ancient animals and how the migration was affected by the freezing and melting of glaciers. The museum was quiet, so a docent gave us a private tour.

Tomorrow: Alaska!