Alaskan Adventure: Day 37. Today was another travel day. Started out raining from Whitehorse to Haines Junction before the sun broke through the clouds. The scenery from Haines Junction, Yukon Territory to Haines, Alaska was amazing. We passed US Customs entering into Alaska. They confiscated our uncooked eggs but the border crossing was otherwise was uneventful.

The yellow highway on the map is the entire Alaskan Highway; from Dawson Creek, BC to Delta Junction, AK. Whitehorse is the ONLY big town on the Highway. When we left Whitehorse there is nothing until getting to Haines Junction. At Haines Junction we turned off the Alaskan Highway and turned south to go to Haines on Highway 3 (highlighted). The first part from Whitehorse to Haines Junction was the usual Alaskan Highway but rainy so no scenery pictures. Below are a few “along the Alaskan Highway” examples.

Typical amenities at Alaskan Highway rest stops. Gravel, pit toilets and bear resistant trash receptacles.

An unfortunate RV incident that looks like it’s been left semi-permanently at this rest stop.

Haines Junction is not a big town. Here’s the local restaurant.

Here’s the local Motel.

This is where we left the Alaska Highway and headed off on the Haines Road to Haines Alaska. Soon after this the overcast started breaking up and we got some bits of welcome sunshine. Before leaving Haines Junction we visited the Kluane National Park (Canadian) Visitors Center.

Four adjoining Parks form the “largest internationally protected landmass on earth”. As we left Haines Junction and headed south we entered Kluane (pronounced “Clue ayn”) National Park.

Relief map of Klune National Park.

Things I didn’t know about rabbits… there are currently lots of rabbits. We see rabbit roadkill regularly alongside the road being eaten by big black ravens.

A cool painting in the Visitors Center.

From Haines Junction the Haines Road starts climbing up into the mountains.

Beautiful wildflowers.

As we went higher in elevation, the scenery became incredible. The road crosses through the mountains at the Chilkat Pass. The pass is only 3,510′ high but the mountains around the pass are full of glaciers and well above the tree line. The road follow the historic Dalton Trail used by many of the gold prospectors. We were glad to be driving and had the heater on. Following are some photos of the drive.

This pic is near the top of the Chilkat Pass. Very windy and cold up here!

We have come down out of the mountains and crossed the border from British Columbia into Alaska in this dashcam shot. The river alongside the road is the Chilkat River. The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is along this stretch of road. The next post will be about our boat trip from the town of Haines to Alaska’s Capital: Juneau.

At our campground. We’ve seen this overlander type rig several times. Sort of awesome in a zombie apocalypse way but with a terrifying set of handrail-less stairs to get up into it!

Our campground in Haines had a nice mountain backdrop. We stayed here 3 nights. One day we did the boat trip to Juneau and back (see that separate post). The other day we went out to eat and had some nice Halibut “Fish-n-Chips” at the Bamboo House (which was once a French Hotel). Note the shiny clean car in this pic.

We took advantage of the “Duck-In Car & RV Wash” that was directly across the street. We did not know that the next day of travel would completely cover the RV and car in mud.

Leaving our campground in Haines we traveled back up the Haines Highway. That meant traveling back through a segment of highway construction in Alaska. There is no room for ‘separation’ of traffic and construction so everyone goes single-file through the construction.

Beautiful morning views along the Chilkat River.

Crossing back into British Columbia, Canada from Alaska.

Favorite Bible reading verses today: Luke 10: 38-42

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”