Leaving Whitehorse on Friday, June 23^rd, in the rain, the guys decided to forego their planned campsite in Carmack and drove all the way to Dawson City.  It was a long day’s drive, but they were very happy to add a day to their Dawson hotel.  

It was a late arrival, but the guys are just below the Arctic Circle, so this close to the summer solstice, they have about 22 hours of daylight.

The guys are staying at the Triple J Hotel.  Jay found both US and Canadian veterans to sign Maxi. And, the colorful building above is the Robert Service School as well as the Community Library.

Dawson is in western Yukon, Canada. It lies at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers, near the boundary with the U.S. state of Alaska, 165 miles (265 km) south of the Arctic Circle.  It’s been called the cultural capital of the Yukon.  They will spend three nights here – plenty to do and see.

The scenery in this area is incredible.

Remember Robert Service’s poem “The Cremation of Sam McGee”?  One of Jay’s favorite poems, it concerns the cremation of a prospector who freezes to death near Lake Labarge, Yukon, Canada, as told by the man who cremates him.  Well, here is Lake Labarge and Jay soaking it all in.

“The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,

But the queerest they ever did see

Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge

I cremated Sam McGee.”

More of Dawson next time…