*ALL of my Yukon posts are rough drafts … not particularly coherent at the moment, sometimes just a smattering of notes I wrote down or satellite messages to family*
June 7th to June 13th, 2024
Week 2 — Carmacks to Dawson City
I have finished paddling the first 500 miles of the Yukon from White Horse to Dawson City, the most popular stretch of the river by far. 😃
I decided to go insane and paddle 80 miles straight from noon to 1:30 a.m. to reach Dawson City. A thunderstorm nearly drove me to shore around 8:30 pm but as I was reluctantly pitching camp on a sad sandy island beach a mother moose and her calf appeared out of the woods to snort at me, and I decided that the island wasn’t big enough for both of us so I went to find another spot only to decide if I was already wet & cold I might as well go all the way to Dawson.
There have been many designated campsites with fire pits, outhouses, and picnic tables on this stretch. No mosquitoes on the river and seldom on shore too. Great weather, only isolated rains that blow through quick. Mostly tailwinds or crosswinds. I only saw 4 pairs of canoeists the whole way over 2 weeks! Which amazes me. It’s like paradise out here, I don’t know how it isn’t overflowing with people.
Five Finger Rapids-which scared me silly on approach-wound up being nothing serious! No whitewater, just choppy water. Lots of bluebells and dandelions and pink flowers I have no name for. Multiple mama moose and their calves on the islands in the center of the river as they know that’s the best place to avoid grizzlies. A few black bears and beavers. Old cabins galore.
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The problem with an orange life vest is that I currently have a bee confused as to what I am. He wants me to be something I’m not.
Got in a war with a bug that ended in a blind boob decapitation tonight. Bug flew into my shirt somehow. Bit me. I tried in vain to swat it while paddling. Bit me again. I glanced down, saw a lone leg above my right breast. Confirming: sure enough, it was a bug, not my imagination. And I had wounded it. 2-3 minutes later, it struck again, biting me dead center in the chest. An attempt at a mortal wound! I blindly slammed my hand into my shirt, scrunching and smashing, hoping to hit something as I paddled madly to shore. Once I got there I could properly look in my shirt, there I finally saw it: a little beetle on my chest, already decapitated by my counterattacks. War won!
Wish I knew how to skin game, would be fun to try eating a beaver.
Few true islands that don’t have shallow water connecting them to the mainland.
Five Finger Rapids weren’t even white water rapids, just choppy water. Saw equivalent in the 30 Mile River stretch. No low level water either so I could have my rudder down no problem.
Made it to Yukon Crossing, my halfway point for the day. Horses used to cross the river on an overland path from White Horse to Dawson City with the remnants of old road houses/cabins here.
Life is awakening out on the river! Saw some Canadian geese for the first time with goslings and twice today yellow-and-black butterflies have fluttered in front of my face. The same ones we have back home in PA. Swallow tails!
Minto Resort was on a tall bluff and hard to see but didn’t look like much.
Right now I’m delighted at how easily the river is filtering. Thought I might be in trouble not stopping in at an earlier creek or tributary! This journey is remarkable. I am awed at how beautiful the land is and the fact that there are no people out here but me when it’s so breathtaking with near perfect sunny weather and little mosquitoes. Like a hidden wonder of the world. I think coming in the early season, first week of June, before tourist season really kicks in is key!
Pro of hostel-might meet fun people to socialize with
Con of hostel-might meet weird people to socialize with
I drag my kayak fully onto shore each time I dock and tie it off to a tree and wonder if I’m doing things “right” or if I look stupid.
Warm winds. Do they mean anything?
My right arm is hurt. Not sore all around, feels normal when at rest, but when I try to flex it a certain way sometimes there will be a twitch in a muscle.
Arms not doing well. Wanting to go numb/pins-and-needles randomly. Lying on either of my sides seems to make it worse but lying flat on my back doesn’t make it go away entirely. Strong heat rushed to my right hand earlier. Electrolyte imbalance? Too little protein? Overworked? Pinched nerve?
8:49 PM MOOSE MAMA. Now I don’t know what to do. Was about to set my tent down-sandy ground, sloppy place to be- but then a moose appeared from the woods 50-100 ft away with baby. Came to check me out. I immediately walked towards my kayak to put distance between us and she grunted and then disappeared into the trees. But still on the same island as me. Must look into getting my stuff packed and life jacket on and trying the next island I can hit.
3:44 AM. In Dawson City. All is well. Except for little sleep as I’m going to bed now at 4 am and hoping to get up at 10.
No arm pain last night like I thought I’d have!
I think my paddle to Eagle will be very good. I just got back to my campsite to pack up and there is the biggest most beautiful brown moth sitting on my fire pit.
