A daytrip to Alaska...Whitehorse to Skagway!

"Nature has neither kernel nor shell; she is everything at once."

~Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

I have enjoyed a few excursions during my time here in Whitehorse. One such morning I decided to drive to Alaska for the day. I knew that the trip to Skagway, AK was about two hours each way, and apparently one of the most beautiful drives in the area (which is saying a lot).

I grabbed my passport and left Whitehorse at 8:30am, intending to stop and take photos along the way, arrive in Skagway before lunch, hike and head back by the end of the afternoon.

I noticed how arid, or semi-arid Fairbanks was two years ago when I visited there and explored around Denali National Park, visiting Bus 142 on Stampede Trail in the process. I couldn't manage to stay hydrated it seemed. I was constantly drinking water and yet it seemed like a losing battle. Whitehorse is no exception. The air is quite thin, dry and crisp as compared to the soft, temperate climate that you encounter along the coasts. I know it is simple science that makes it so, but the contrast was extremely evident as I drove from Whitehorse to the coastal Alaskan town of Skagway that day.

heading south down the Alaska Highway

If you wish to see the route I took to Skagway, here is a link.

I stopped and took some photos of the world's smallest desert, The Carcross Dunes. Its size is only 1 square mile if you can believe it!

It was so bizarre to see sand juxtaposed with snow in such a way...certainly I had never seen anything like it before. It was quite cold and windy, particularly with the gain in elevation, so grabbed my toque and continued on towards Skagway.

Eventually you take a turn and leave the Alaska Highway, heading southwest on the South Klondike Highway. There was no one on the roads as usual, even on a Saturday. I only passed the occasional car and when I stopped to get out and take the odd photo, I would stand and listen to nothing but the wind and feel a lovely heaviness in that moment, feel the gravity of where I stood and tried to process it all.

There was still a lot of ice on the lakes near Whitehorse

Eventually I crossed the border into northwestern British Columbia. The highway passes through B.C. and then on to Alaska. But the borders, the latitude and longitude, were irrelevant in the face of so much beauty all around. Such grandeur made labels and statistics seem pale and unimportant by comparison.

The mountains and their monochromatic quality reminded me of a

scene that Ansel Adams might enjoy

The snow accumulates as I pass through Northwestern British Columbia

I continued on and as I made my way onwards and upwards, my increased elevation turned the precipitation into snow. It was quite amazing...to leave the sun and brilliance of Whitehorse and to now be an hour away and in a fog of blowing snow..quite surreal. At one point I stopped to shoot some photos of the blowing snow near the top of what seemed like a pass and, to my surprise, a family in a truck next to me took out skis and began cross country skiing...on May 1st no less!

Eventually I crested the top of the pass and began to head down towards the coast. I passed a rather bizarre sign that I tried not to think too much about:

I passed through U.S. customs without any issue. The border guard, all decked out in uniform, was pleasant and bid me on my way. Slowly but surely the snow began to dissipate as I neared the coast...the trees awoke as the snow receded, and by the time I rolled into Skagway there was greenery and lush vegetation everywhere.

Skagway is a popular destination for cruise ships and people beginning to hike the historic 53km Chilkoot Trail. The Chilkoot trail is rich in history as it was one of the main routes that intrepid men and women hiked during the Klondike Gold Rush. I would like to hike this trail within the next five years if possible. It sounds like an amazing adventure. There are still old stoves and other possessions that were to cumbersome to carry, now long abandoned and left by the side of the trail.

Skagway is home to about 500 people, yet the town was quiet in the drizzle of rain that was falling. I wandered about but most of the tourist shops and even the visitor centre were all closed. It appears that tourist season doesn't start in earnest until Mid-May up here. That was fine, as I didn't want to fall in step with the throngs that would inevitably descend here and in other popular spots in Alaska and the Yukon. I prefer to visit and explore places in off-season, when residents are more relaxed and life beats at more of its regular rhythm. Stopping in at the ferry terminal to track down a map of local trails, a friendly ticket issuer passed me a map and told me where the trailhead was. As I turned to leave he said rather nonchalantly "make sure you watch out for bears". I was slightly unnerved as I was on my own yet appreciated his advice and made my way to the beginning of the trail system.

I was going to attempt a longer trail with a higher elevation gain and more challenge, but after encountering a fair bit of snow on the first leg of the trail I opted for a lower route. I had never hiked on my own in earnest before, and certainly not in Alaska. Nevertheless I made lots of noise, stayed alert and enjoyed the solitude as I ambled up the steep slopes that levelled off and followed my chosen route.

Skagway, as seen from the beginning of the trail

My path wound up sharply for the first while.

After awhile I came to the lake I had been seeking and stopped to listen and observe everything around me. I was pleased that the trail was fairly well marked, yet it was still easy to take a wrong turn up there. Everywhere I could feel the earth waking up and enjoying the rain. I put my jacket back on as it was quite cool out. I loved the feel of of rain and didn't use my hood once. I can see why many women in northern climes don't wear much if any make-up. Who would want to up here when everything else is so natural and unaffected?

The lake was quiet, so still, with a thin layer of ice receding near its far shores.

I eventually found my way back down to the beginning of the trail and headed back to Whitehorse. I left the temperate rainy forests for the ice and snow of the pass, then back down to Whitehorse, a fabulous day of amazing sights seen, adventures had and peace felt. I will never forget it.

“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.” ~Vincent Van Gogh

A Beautiful Silence...Whitehorse 2010

The trail that hugs the shores of the Yukon River

We're all like detectives in life.

There's something at the end of the trail that we're all looking for.

~David Lynch

Last Friday I went for a run down by the Yukon River. It has been just over two weeks since I arrived in Whitehorse. Most days have been clear and sunny, or the occasional clouding over which has lent a lovely atmosphere with the mountains off in the distance.

Admittedly I'm a cautious girl, despite traipsing off and hiking alone in Alaska this past weekend (that will be another post, another day :)). Thus when my friend Ian told me about a great loop to run down by the river I was excited and scheduled it in as an alternate to my usual route down Hamilton Blvd to the Canada Games Centre and back (about 4.5km). This loop by the river is about 5km. Thus I headed down and parked near the S.S. Klondike, a designated national historic site which is situated right at the river on the way into town.

islands of ice line the river

It was brisk at 9am on Friday morning. Granted it WAS a workday. Nevertheless I was astonished at how few people I saw on the trail. In fact, aside from maybe two other joggers and one man walking his dog, I saw no one for the entire loop...It was alternately peaceful and unnerving. I was raised in the suburbs...a town that is home to 155,000 people. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the capital city of The Yukon Territory only having 25,000 people. Once you leave Whitehorse the average settlement that you encounter is only home to about 300-800 people...as another example, there are about 700,000 people in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto that is two cities over from Burlington where I live. That is the ENTIRE population of Alaska contained within Mississauga essentially. Wow.

The patterns of ice were so beautiful, I was quite hypnotized by them.

Ian had informed me that there was a bridge called the "fish ladder"that crossed the river some distance down the trail. Thus I set off along the asphalt and stopped periodically to take photos of the melting ice on the river. The last time I saw this river was in Alaska...it certainly has personality...clear waters that vary from teal to slate blue-gray....it ranges from over a hundred feet across to narrower channels but always, always is on the move. I was glad I had my toque with me as I skirted the river and paralleled Robert Service way, one of the main thoroughfares into the city. Even so there were not many cars going by (surprise).

Here is a short video that I shot while running along the river.

A fun side trip but I had definitely taken a wrong turn

As I made my way around the loop I encountered a small wooden bridge. Not knowing the area I presumed that this was the bridge Ian referred to. I was wrong. The asphalt turned into wood chips and soft earth but I kept running, happy to have a change of surface. The trail became quite overgrown in parts and I had the feeling that I had taken a wrong turn but kept on with the route. Finally I realized that indeed I was going the wrong way. Serendipitously, just at that moment another runner came by. I asked her where the elusive fish ladder was and she instructed me to where I would find it. A few minutes later and I was on track again.

The fish ladder is right at the hydro station in Whitehorse. Signs posted everywhere indicated how hazardous the area was so needless to say I hastily ran over the bridge and made my way along the far shore in the direction of the start of the loop.

The fish ladder bridge that crosses the Yukon River. A nice 5 km loop.

I have not run inside at the Canada Games Centre since arriving in Whitehorse. Generally it is easier on the knees to run on a treadmill than paved surfaces. Concrete is the bane of runners' knees. Asphalt is 10 times softer apparently and you can definitely feel the difference between the two. However here the natural trails are so ubiquitous and inviting that I would almost feel guilty running inside. Thus I cherish the fresh air and ability to run outside here.

The river with the Whitehorse skyline in behind

I happily steered clear of the water's edge here

The trails on the far side of the river veered off of the asphalt and I followed them, the soft ground being the most preferable for my feet and knees. Periodically I stopped to take shots of the river, signs and landscape. My memory of the entire experience is clean, fresh, cool air, adventure and the excitement of taking a new path. Though familiar to many residents of Whitehorse, this loop was brand new for me...a great discovery. I can't wait to run it again...Not today though....it is snowing and has been all morning. Here is the view out into the backyard when I awoke at 7am.

As the days continue on here in Whitehorse I am continually struck by the constant quiet. In fact, when I awoke this morning I heard what I thought was the soft thud of a neighbour hammering next door. Upon listening closer I realized it was the beat of my own heart.

Have a wonderful day....

"A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life,

for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy dare live."

~Bertrand Russell

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Thoughts in Northern Climes: Whitehorse

heading south down the Alaska highway, towards Skagway and Carcross

It is my third full day here in Whitehorse and I'm beginning to settle into a quiet daily rhythm. Ian's beautiful cats are warming up to me, and now that they realize that I can and will give them food periodically, I seem to be in their good books.

Waking up with fresh lungs filled with clean air is a fabulous feeling...then to take that feeling outside for some exercise in the brisk wind and sun on your face make a morning here truly wonderful.

As you run down the paved trail there are subdivisions quietly sitting amongst the trees, the odd cyclist, people walking their dogs and always the pacific view of snowy mountains on the horizon. I try to savour and bottle the feelings of freedom and movement, the lack of pollution and the ease of breathing as I finish my morning dash.

The sun was shrouded a bit by angry looking clouds

but rain didn't fall until later in the afternoon

The view down the hill on Hamilton Blvd.

A great 8km distance for a morning run

Yesterday Ian and I drove down to Carcross, a small town that is rather dependent on the tourism industry and thus was rather quiet when we rolled into town. Tourism season picks up in May and continues until the end of July.

Emerald Lake, en route to Carcross

We took the Alaska Highway south and I remarked on how little traffic there was. "RV season hasn't begun yet" Ian chimed in. I then imagined a caravan of RVs trundling northward towards Whitehorse and the wilderness the surrounds the city.

The view out over Bennett Lake as we look out from Carcross

Quite quiet, Carcross seemed to be waiting for the inevitable crowds of June

When we arrived in Carcross we saw not a single soul. One truck trundled down a street but for all intents and purposes it was a ghost town. Even the public outhouses were locked up. Nevertheless, appreciating a place when it ISN'T active and bustling is enjoyable in it's own right. I believe it offers a peek into the true nature of a place, when the fluctuating crowds have not arrived yet, when there is quiet, and a feeling of waiting, hibernating even. We didn't stay long but began our way back to Whitehorse as raindrops were coming down and we had errands to run in lieu of the Viking party we are having tomorrow night. If we are adopting names, I'd like to be Freya, Norse Goddess and leader of the Valkyries. Not a bad gig I think.

Marsh Lake, on the way back to Whitehorse

“You will never do anything in this world without courage.

It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.”~Aristotle

The Stark Beauty of Spring: Whitehorse

"Some say it’s a fine land to shun;

Maybe; but there’s some as would trade it

For no land on earth — and I'm one."

~Robert Service, The Spell Of The Yukon

Time spent in solitude, especially in northern climes, invites introspection. It makes you cherish those distant connections with friends and family even more, yet also opens you up to new possibilities of adventure. In fact, travel inherently is paradoxical: you pull your past along with you while also forging ahead into new landscapes. The weight of the past may be light or heavy, depending on your relationships. Some seek to cut the rope that holds those memories behind them as they climb, run, hike away into new valleys of experience. However the trick, I think, is to keep your loved ones in your heart, trusting that you will return to them after your sojourn away from them. And perhaps, just maybe, leaving them for a time brings your closer to them in the end.

The view from my room in Whitehorse

I am going to try to blog more frequently up here in Whitehorse as I have less distraction than when I am in Ontario, and the rhythm of my days is much different. The Yukon is so vast, it is comforting to know that there are less than 40,000 people here in the entire province!

Glacial water has that luminescent blue hue that is sublime..

A view of Whitehorse

I wanted to post some new photos that I have taken of the surrounding area on a small tour with my friend Ian. His cats are warming up to me and I have included a photo of my latest painting subject, the lovely and convivial Pumpkin. Ian informed me last night that he had briefly considered naming her "Grendel's Mother", which is a FABULOUS name. Perhaps that can be her middle name. Certainly she has a better temperament than Grendel's Mother :)

So today I shall think about our own unique histories, for each is as individual as a fingerprint. Revisit what you might have put aside or neglected or turned away from. Our past shapes our future, of that I am certain.

The lovely and incomparable Pumpkin (aka Grendel's Mother)

The Yukon River, which I have not seen since I was in Alaska two years ago near

Fort Yukon on the Dalton Highway

Have a beautiful day :)

Heather

"We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfilment." -Hilaire Belloc

Thoughts On Exploration: British Columbia and The Yukon

A view from the ferry, en route to Vancouver Island....

“How badly I want that nameless thing! First there must be an idea, a feeling... Maybe it was an abstract idea that you've got to find a symbol for, or maybe it was a concrete form that you have to simplify or distort to meet your ends, but that starting point must pervade the whole.” ~Emily Carr

There's nothing like waking up with the sun in your eyes, and I mean that in a good way. Waking up with the sun in your eyes in a new city is even better...in this case it is Whitehorse in the Yukon. I am here "on assignment" for the next month and if this morning is any indication, it is going to be one heck of a beautiful month.

I arrived late last night from Vancouver, where I have spent the last week. I also ferried over to Duncan on Vancouver Island to see my friend Anne. It has been two years since we have spent time together and it was such a pleasure to see her and her family once again.

Cherry blossoms were out all over Vancouver, lining the streets in pink petals.

I'll try to keep my rhapsodizing about the Western Canada to a minimum here but each time I visit I fall more and more in love with this side of the country. Maybe it isn't the West, but the coast, as I the east coast of Canada has it's quality of unparalleled beauty.

The mountain trail that I ran/walked each day I was in Duncan..

The intent of this five week journey is multi-faceted. To reunite with friends, to paint, to write and to shoot reference for future paintings. I have three commissions lined up, and this is a lovely part of being a painter...you are creating something special for friends and clients, something they will always have and that is unique to their lives and history. It is their vision, and as creatives we are a conduit to making that happen. The best commissions are the ones where the clients give me carte blanche. They say, here is the subject, I trust your vision. Do what you do. How liberating! Nothing beats that feeling.

The view down from Mount Tzouhalem, the mountain that Anne lives on...

Looking up while on a walk through the forest...intoxicating...

The weather in Vancouver was cool and refreshing. It was wonderful to revisit the neighbourhoods that I enjoy so much: Kitsilano and the West End. I took the ferry over to Nanaimo and stayed in Duncan for three nights, each day going for a hike or run on the mountain trails behind Anne's house. I remember distinctly going into town with Anne's son and her husband, and sticking my head out the back window to smell the air. It was perfumed with the scent of flowers and spring. It was remarkable...I can see why they say that our sense of smell is most strongly tied to memory.

Nefertiti, one of Ian's lovely cats whose company I will

enjoy very much over the next month..

Now I am in Whitehorse, arriving late last night. I can hardly wait to explore this part of the country...waking up to snow-capped mountains, fresh coffee and the promise of the unknown drives many a person, many an artist, many an explorer. My main objective is to take care of my three feline charges, Nefertiti, Sneggy and Pumpkin. That, along with painting and working on the book about Christopher McCandless will make the four weeks fly by. I am thrilled to be underway in the North... :)

Some of the changing faces of the landscape behind Anne's house in Duncan, BC....

"The only people for me are the mad ones,the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars..." -Jack Kerouac

Unforgettable Ankara, Part 2

"All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from

and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere, I'm

sure of that, and I intend to end up there."~Rumi

The day after we walked around the beautiful little area of Ulus, older Ankara, Barb, Louise, Vicky and myself took a tour of Cappadocia a very interesting and unique area of Turkey rich in its unusual landscapes, rock formations and history. It turned out to be a 17 hour day as it takes about four hours drive south of Ankara to reach the region. Above you can see dawn coming over the hills with the Turkish flag in the foreground.

I tried to capture the moon with my camera as we sped out of Ankara at 6am

I Loved the play of light over the land as the day began..

Our polite and knowledgeable driver Burhan, who hails from Güzelyurt, a small town in Cappadocia, drove us around the region, stopping at notable places that just took our breath away. It was such a thrill to get out of the big city and into the rural areas of Turkey, where people live a slower life, a very traditional life, a quieter life.

The roads were well maintained and easy to get around to the points that we sought. The benefit of having Burhan with us is that he knew all of the out of the way places and side roads that led to less frequented places.

Old and Young..look at the stories on each of these faces..

Mt. Erciyes, the highest peak in Cappadocia

at 3916 feet is seen in the distance

We arrived in the town of Güzelyurt, which means "Pretty Town" in Turkish and stopped to gave up at the dwellings that had been carved out of the cliffs so long ago. Many are not inhabited anymore but others are...it boggled my mind and humbled me very much to see how simply life can be lived, we just have a habit of surrounding ourselves with too much...

I loved the splash of this woman's

intense blue shirt amongst the rocks and earthy tones

Behind this broken fence I could hear

the clucking of chicken and some goats

We stopped to take photographs of the views and buildings, and, while walking up a rather steep hill, I noticed a woman sweeping out in front of a small iron gate. She beckoned me forward with a big smile and I walked up the hill to try my best to interact with her in a way that we could both understand. I managed to ask her if she would mind if I took her photograph. She shyly agreed. She then beckoned me in Turkish to follow her into her home, which comprised three rooms that had been carved out of the side of a cliff. I was quite astonished and thrilled to see this small, tidy home that she inhabited...it had been whitewashed, neat as a pin, and even had a small pot with little herbs growing from it. It was an intense few minutes as I tried to thank her for allowing me into her home, as well as take in the simplicity of her life, try to imagine if I could do the same, and process all of these thoughts at once.

Such a kind face. Neither of us spoke the other's language but it didn't matter.

Yes, she lives here...she was all smiles and proudly showed me her small, tidy home.

Everything in its right place...

I loved how the light was catching this small plant.

Amidst so much stone, this bit of life shone out..

On we went in the van to some breathtaking landscapes that are not found anywhere else in the world...We took hundreds of photos, photos that never seem to capture the emotion and flavour of the places adequately....but it does convey its essence I think, to a degree. We stopped in an area known for its underground city...yes, the passageways descended down for a total of 8 stories. Sometimes you had to duck and almost crawl to get into the different rooms. There was lighting along the way that helped to keep people from bumping into one another but nonetheless it was certainly close quarters. I know all of this because these facts because they were told to me by Ambassador Bailey who had visited there, as well as an elderly gentleman who offered to guide us through the tunnels. I am a confirmed claustrophobe and thus did not go on the tour..but it sounded pretty amazing....

A lovely Turkish woman at one of the many vendors we passed

This Turkish gentleman spoke perfect english and we chatted with him for a good while.

We moved on from the underground city where we grabbed a bite to eat to some amazing cave dwellings. I think we must have covered several hundred kilometres that day...we didn't return back to the residence until 10:30 at night... a long day but so unforgettable...I will blog more about this amazing day in Cappadocia soon...stay tuned!!

"The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."~Jack London