Dawson City.
Today’s trip was from Whitehorse to Dawson City, YT. I drove 333.7 miles and oh what a drive it was!
Left at 7am and it was 51 deg. You could still see wildfire smoke in the air. I stopped at a roadside historical site called the Montague Roadhouse. There were remnants of 3 old roadhouses (old time motels). Also stopped at Five Fingers Rapids site. This overlooked the Yukon River where the sternwheelers traveled between Whitehorse and Dawson City.
Dawson City, Yukon only has a population of around 2000 people and that number goes down in the winter.
This town was the center of the Klondike Gold Rush and at that time it triggered a stampede of prospectors which grew the population to around 16, 000 all looking for gold.
Thus, the term “Stampeders” refers to those that rushed in search of gold.
Enjoyed a walking tour of the town where we learned again about the sternwheeler and how it brought supplies and stampeders to the area. We visited a saloon, the post office and a bank.
I also stopped at the Jack London cabin. He is the write of “Call of the Wild” and other stories. Also visited the cabin of poet Robert Service who wrote many poems about the gold rush.
Our wagon masters and tail gunners treated us to a champaign toast since we arrive to the land of the midnight sun. We were to originally go up to the Dome lookout but as you can see in a couple of photos the smoke was quite thick and there was no view, so we met in the campground instead.
I did visit the Dome again on my way out of town and the smoke had cleared and there was a view of the Yukon River.
Yes, I did! I am now a member of the “Sourtoe Cocktail Club”
What is that you ask?
Sourtoe Cocktail Club
If the Gold Rush is what put Dawson City on the map, it’s the Sourtoe Cocktail Club that made it legendary amongst traveller’s making it a rite of passage for visitors to Dawson City.
This famous, and pretty twisted, tradition involves enjoying a delicious cocktail (Yukon whiskey is the recommended) at the Sourdough Saloon located in The Downtown, a Coast Hotel, with one unique ingredient – A severed human toe. There’s just one rule: “You can drink it fast. You can drink it slow. But your lips must touch that gnarly toe.”
Once successfully completed the challenge, you’ll get your name inside the ledger and awarded a certificate to take home and hang on your wall for bragging rights with friends and family.
Click below for history of the toe shot
We also enjoyed an evening can can show.
Next up is Top of The World Highway!