Our original plan as we approached Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, was to detour north to Dawson City via the Klondike Loop and then continue on to Chicken, Alaska via the Top of the World Highway. However, before we got that far, Bill spoke with an RV'ing couple from Fairbanks who said the Top of the World Highway is so bad for so many miles that they'd never take their rig on it. Instead, they suggested we head to Chicken first, leave the trailer there, and take a day-trip to Dawson City. We gladly accepted this advice and changed our plans. We were thankful for having met the Fairbanks couple, as when we arrived in Chicken we met several couples who had just driven their full rigs - some towing vehicles - from Dawson City and totally regretted it. One of the towed vehicles had a cracked windshield, and the endless bumps jarred the electrical system on another rig loose. On the morning of June 16th, Karen decided that she had had enough of bone-jarring potholed roads for awhile, so Bill headed to Dawson City solo.
The Top of the World Highway is 108 miles long, and the first thirty miles or so from Chicken to the Eagle (Alaska) cutoff road is a narrow, winding, rutted dirt road, with steep drop-offs and no guardrails. It smoothed out considerably after that. After crossing into Canada, the road was primarily paved but was still patched and potholed.
The drive was worth it. The road rises above the treeline and offers vistas to the north and south. The Canada side of the road is especially scenic.
Vistas from Top of the World:
Lingering snow:
A ferry ride across the Yukon River is required to get into Dawson City.
Bill enjoyed Dawson City for a couple hours. This means eating lunch and drinking a local brew before checking out the town.
The road winding back toward Chicken:
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