200 miles
16 mpg
$60 ($30/night): Oceanside RV, Haines, Alaska
I left my Kluane lake-side campsite reluctantly.
It really was an oasis.
Can you see why?
I’m driving the same road, but things have changed in the last two weeks. It’s August 11, yet one type of tree’s leaves are already yellowing and ready to drop.
And these little plants were not like this two weeks ago. They’re everywhere.
And now they dot the landscape like patches of…. snow 😦
At the far need of Kluane Lake is the Tachal Dahl visitor Center. They leave telescopes on their deck, aimed focused on sheep, way up on mountain,
But what drew me to the Center was this old cabin, just visible from the road. It had an old dried-out sod roof, and was all boarded up.
I walked up to the building on the left, rounded the corner to the door, and…
Sorry, lady. I didn’t mean to interrupt your pelt tally. Why are your eyes so sad?
And how’s that IBM PC clone working for you?
On to Haines Junction. This is the view from the gas station in Haines Junction. The gas station.
The road to Haines takes you to some amazing mountains, just before you cross back into the US. This is the last big pass before re-entering the U.S.
I had intended on staying at Chilkat State Park, but the I saw this campground at the end of Main Street in Haines…
Oh, I guess. $30/night, right on the water? Please take my money.
It’s just a block or two to Main Street, and the shops. You can watch the huge tide come and go – I’d guess about twenty feet. Look at the height of those moorings, and the angle of the ramp down to the docks.
And then, as promised, I saw a bear at Chilkoot Creek. On cue.
A group of about thirty people, shepherded by a park ranger followed along the road as this bear made its way slowly down the river.
I walked ahead to the bridge, safely over the river, and took pictures. No fancy camera or real zoom. Just an iPhone 6S, a steady hand, and a bridge just 15 feet over the water.
I’ve never been so close to a bear – even at a zoo. It seemed very adept and graceful at walking on the rocks.
With apologies to Matt Monro, I made a little video…
It’s cloudy today, but if it clears up, I’ll try some drone shots from the bay.
tabadabadoo 
This is a fabulous post, Dan! So impressed with your photography and drone footage. And some done with a steady hand as the bear wandered along. Wow!
Love the bear and how gracefully it navigates from rock to rock!
What an adventure! That
Thanks for sharing your great photography with us.
W saw that cabin with the mannequin three years ago. It was a bit of a shock and unexpected. Did you stop at Kathleen Lake campground in Kluane N.P.? On a clear day the view down the lake is spectacular and you can easily see the snow covered Weishorn about 60 miles away.
I stopped at Congdon Creek, but moved on to the boondock lake-side site in the photos. I didn’t want to add many miles on that leg, and it was getting late. Looks beautiful, though.
What was with the mannequin at the deserted cabin? So weird. Maybe an art installation? Or a sort of scare crow tool? Meanwhile, the bear looks like a juvenile and what a magnificent animal. Hope s/he manages to escape the hunters out there.