Dawson City, Yukon

The Klonidke Gold Rush was touched off by the August 16, 1896 discovery of placer gold on Rabbit (later Bonanza) Creek, a tributary of the Klondike River.

The Klondike got its name from the Indian word “Thron Diuck” meaning “Hammer Water.”  Early settlers had difficulty with the pronunciation and thus it became “Klon-dike.”

You arrive in Dawson Creek from the Top of the World Highway by ferry across the Yukon River.  The Klondike highway here is surrounded by large piles of rock; the result of industrial mining by old dredges.  88% of all gold mined in the Yukon comes from the Dawson area.  In 1904 the Klondike was the largest gold producer in Canada and the fourth largest in the world.

As I waited 3 hours for my turn on the ferry, which made it very late getting to my campground, in hindsight I wished I had spent another day in Chicken.  I would have liked the drive to Eagle (another gravel road).  Or spent the night at the Yukon River Campground and crossed in the morning.  It was a long day.  As I later saw pictures from the drive to Eagle, I was kicking myself for missing it.

Jack London Museum – The site features a log cabin built with some of the original logs from Jack London’s cabin, a food cache and a museum containing memorabilia of his life in the north.  They show several films that were interesting, but the best was the talk given by the docent.  She was really good.

The cabin was first discovered by trappers on Henderson Creek.  It was rediscovered by historian Dick North (one of the films is how he found the cabin and what was done to restore it), dismantled and moved to Stewart Island.  In 1969 two replicas were built using the logs from the original cabin.  One cabin is located at the Jack London Interpretive Centre in Dawson City; the other in Jack London Square in Oakland, CA.

The museum contains a collection of photos tracing London’s journey to the Klondike in 1897.  The exhibit links London’s literature with the people he met and the events that occurred in the Klondike during the Gold Rush.

View of the Yukon River from Midnight Dome

I had my mail forwarded to Dawson City, thinking there was plenty of time.  Unfortunately, it is still sitting in customs and won't arrive for another 2 weeks, so I'm moving on without it.

Here is my attempt to lesson the mosquito population ....

 I also went down the Yukon River to attend the Moosehide Gathering.  It is only held every 2 years.  The Moosehide Gathering is an inclusive event that brings together people from across Canada as well as Alaska and beyond, to share in Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and other Indigenous culture – enjoying performances, guest speakers, feasts, dancing, drumming, singing and more. Artisans are invited to bring arts and crafts; musicians are encouraged to bring instruments.