One of the reasons we went to Dawson City this summer was to use it as an opportunity to take a day trip up the Dempster Highway and visit the Tombstone Territorial Park. The pristine wilderness and stunning landscapes are almost indescribable, and in all my years living in the Yukon I’m sorry to say that this is my first visit. Entirely my loss having not travelled here sooner.
Dempster Highway Sign Marker – The trip begins!
The turn off to start the Dempster Highway is located 41 kilometres southeast of Dawson City, Yukon on the North Klondike Highway. In its entirety, the Dempster Highway is 740 kilometres long, and connects the Yukon to Inuvik, Northwest Territories. From there you can now access the recently completed Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway which is another 147 kilometres to the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. This trip is definitely on my bucket list for another day, but it requires a lot more planning given the remoteness and the rugged state of the highway.
The jagged peak centre frame is the Tombstone Mountain
At the start of your trip, there is a card lock gas bar at the junction where the Dempster Highway begins, and I strongly encourage you to make sure your gas tank is topped up, there are no other service stations between the junction and the Tombstone Interpretive Centre. From the start of the highway to the Interpretive Center it’s approximately 70 kilometres north along a predominately gravel highway. The road is well maintained, but as with most gravel roads you will encounter pot holes and washboarding along the way. I would encourage you to drive with care as the route is shared with larger vehicles like semi-trucks and RV’s, and you will definitely want to make sure your spare tire is in good shape.
Tombstone Interpretive Centre
The Tombstone Territorial Park itself forms part of the Tr’ondëk H’wëch’in First Nation traditional territory. Just beyond the interpretive centre there is a Territorial Campsite, and the surrounding area has numerous hiking trails and view points along the way. On my next trip I am hoping to stay closer to the interpretive centre and spend a few days hiking and exploring in the valley. That being said, travelling up to spend a day is certainly worth the time and effort.
Stunning views of the valley landscape
The drive up the Dempster will reward you with the amazing sight of crisp blue skies that frame jagged grey mountain peaks which gently slope into deep green sub-alpine valley’s below. The natural colours are unblemished by pollution or haze, allowing you unobstructed views as far as the eye can see. It is truly a wonderful place that must be experienced. Pictures will never replicate being on the land, breathing the clean air, feeling the chill of the north wind or hearing the birds as they fly overhead.
Snow still clinging to the hills in mid summer.
In truth, you can see stunning scenery anywhere you go in the Territory, but the Tombstone is captivating. The wide open spaces, pristine wilderness and abundant wildlife in such remote isolation provides you a glimpse of nature that reminds us the world is so much bigger and more significant than our narrow urban lives.
Welcome to one of the most beautiful places on earth!
One of the lessons that travelling has taught me is how negatively impactful humans are on the environment, while at the same time how small we are in comparison to the living world around us. As we collectively develop and damage our finite resources we do so by ignoring the fragile balance of our environment. I would argue that these untouched wilderness areas are critical to remind us of how the world should be, and serve to highlight the importance of environmental protections. I hope that over time we will see more protected areas established, and a renewed appreciation and commitment for preserving those areas that are under threat, especially in the north.
This was the first stop on our summer vacation this year. We’ve been travelling to Dawson City for many years, and we never tire of spending time in this picturesque community. In truth, it’s one of my favourite places anywhere because I never have a problem being totally relaxed and at peace when I’m there.
Front Street in Dawson City, Yukon – with “Moosehide Slide” in in the background
The town itself is located near the mouth of the Klondike River, which flows into the Yukon River and passes by the eastern banks of Dawson City as it continues its journey towards the Bering Sea.
The Yukon River – George Black Ferry visible on the west bank.
This area is home to the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, who have lived in the area for many millennia, and they have a wonderful cultural interpretive centre on the waterfront that is very informative. The town of Dawson City itself first came to international attention during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896, and placer mining has remained an economic staple in this area ever since.
Commissioner’s Residence, Dawson City, Yukon
What makes this area unique is that most of the gold rush era buildings have been preserved, and are protected by heritage building legislation and various government agencies. The result is that the town has maintained a very authentic heritage feel, while still remaining a vibrant community. Because of this work the tourism sector has done a very good job of turning Dawson into one of the most popular places to visit in the Yukon.
The Red Feather Saloon – Fully restored but unfortunatley no longer a working establishment.
There are several sites I would recommend if you’re planning a trip. First, take the time to just enjoy walking around the town and looking at all the different buildings, cabins and graveyards. The history of former residents has been well preserved, and worth the time to explore. Robert Service cabin is a popular attraction, as well as the replica of Jack London’s cabin nearby, and it’s worth noting that the famous Canadian journalist Pierre Burton called Dawson home as a child. He wrote some amazing books that capture the essence of the north and Dawson City specifically.
View from the Midnight Dome towards Bonanza Creek – note the gold dredge gravel tailings mid-view
The Palace Grand Theatre is worth the time to take in a Klondike era show. Parks Canada does a great job of weaving some of the more colourful characters of the Gold Rush into their stage performances. Regarding shows, spending an evening visiting Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino is a must. This is a community run casino, and even if you don’t gamble, the entrance fee to watch the three nightly Vaudeville acts is worth the visit.
Inside the Palace Grande Theatre
Although you won’t find evidence visiting the area today, during the gold rush there was a small network of rail lines in the area for mineral transportation and if you’re into trains I suggest checking out the Dawson City Museum, which has a really neat train exhibit of salvaged and restored locomotives from this era.
Steam Locomotive on display at the Dawson City Museum Train Exhibit
Gold dredges are impressive machines, and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to tour one. These giant barges excavated the valley floors, separating gravel, pay dirt and gold with ruthless efficiency. A short drive from town, on Bonanza Creek, you can tour Dredge #4, which has been restored by Parks Canada. Seeing one up close is pretty amazing, and helps you to understand how the massive gravel tailing piles that snake the valley floor came to be. To get a birds eye view of the tailings and the surrounding area head up to the Midnight Dome view point. The scenery is spectacular.
Dredge #4 on Bonanza Creek, Dawson City, Yukon
One of the reasons I enjoy Dawson City so much is because of the eclectic mix of people who end up there during the summer. It’s a unique mix of locals, tourists, miners and student workers who interact seamlessly in a small town setting. For this reason, I highly recommend taking the time to visit a few of the local drinking establishments in the evening on your way to Gerties. The important stops in my opinion are the Downtown Hotel where you can join the Sour Toe Cocktail club. Yes, it’s a real human toe, and yes it has to touch your lips. From there I would suggest stopping by Bombay Peggy’s for a well made cocktail in what once was a famous brothel. Lastly, you need to end your night at “The Pit”, located in the Westminster Hotel. You can’t miss it, located in a giant pink building on 3rd Avenue. When you walk inside the under height ceilings and warped beams will give you the impression that the building is collapsing in on itself. I will leave you to experience it for yourself, but think dive bar with miles of personality.
The Westminster Hotel, home of “The Pit”
Although Dawson City is most visited during the summer months, it also plays host to several winter events like the Yukon Quest sled dog race, the Trek over the Top Snowmobile rally and their own International Movie Festival. Not to mention they get spectacular views of the northern lights during the winter.
The view from Top of the World Highway
If you do make the trip, take a few hours to drive up the Top of the World Highway, that connects Dawson City to United States, via Chicken Alaska. Once you drive beyond the tree line you’ll be rewarded with unbelievable views that extend as far as the eye can see. You truly feel like you’re on top of the world. Perhaps that’s the best analogy for visiting Dawson City, it’s that special.
Well, what can I say, 2020 is not shaping up to be a good year for almost everyone. As someone who immensely enjoys travelling overseas, the pandemic has certainly clipped our wings. I don’t expect to plan international travel anytime soon, likely until there is a vaccine; to try and go sooner would be foolhardy. That doesn’t mean I’ll stop exploring, it just means I’m going to switch gears and change my focus to areas closer to home.
Dawson City, YT – CIBC building next to the S.S. Keno. This is the bank where Robert Service worked.
I’ve made a few blog posts previously, and shared pictures on social media about northern travel, but I’m going to spend more time visiting and writing about sites in Canada’s north. There are so many areas I’ve wanted to visit, and now is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the open roads and lower numbers of tourist in the Territory.
Tombstone Territorial Park – Dempster Highway, Yukon
Recently, we took a week off, loaded up the R.V. and toured a few communities in northern Yukon. Over the next fews posts, I’ll share with you my thoughts and experiences from those visits, which included Dawson City, Keno City, Mayo, and the Tombstone Territorial Park. The pictures in this post are just a sneak peak at some of those places.
Hunkered down in Mayo, Yukon – Just us, the rain, and tons of mosquito’s!
Many years ago I was fortunate to spend a few years living in Victoria BC, and we always took advantage of the tourist in your own town campaign every spring. In these times of travel restrictions and pandemic concerns there couldn’t be a better time to explore our own backyard, and visit those areas we’ve been putting off for a rainy day. (Pun intended, it’s actually turned out to be one of the rainiest summers I can recall)
Welcome to Keno City, Yukon – One of the most eclectic places you can visit.
The Yukon typically gets hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, and for good reason. The pristine wilderness, spectacular views, and abundant wildlife make this a wonderful place to seek adventure. It is also steeped in history, and famous for the 19th Century Gold-rush to the Klondike in what is now Dawson City, by far my favourite place in the Yukon. The community has done a fantastic job retaining the turn of the century feel that the original stampeders built. The Tombstone Territorial Park is nothing short of majestic, with awe inspiring scenery, and sweeping landscapes; and I was amazed at Keno City, and what a cool little town it is.
Dawson City Museum – lots to see, and worth the time to visit.
It’s certainly been nice to have less traffic in the communities , but the economic impacts are visible, so for the near term, local travel is imperative to help support the local economy and I’m happy to share those northern adventures through my blog.
The stars aligned, and I managed to persuade the family to skip Christmas again this year. If I can pull this off one more time, I think I might qualify as an honorary grinch. In all seriousness, it was one of the few opportunities we had to get away together this year, so we booked ourselves a flight to Mexico. This wasn’t an exciting, hard driving adventure like most of our of past trips. This was a chance to spend a week, without any cares or responsibilities and just relax. We decided on Cabo San Lucas, for the simple reason that it’s somewhere we’ve never been before. We’ve actually travelled quite extensively in Mexico over the years so I’m looking forward to giving you my thoughts on the best and worst the country has to offer.
Los Cabos Beach near the Marina District
Regardless of which area you travel to in Mexico, they have got their tourism sector dialled in. They are experts at the all-inclusive, over-eating, over-drinking, outdoor sporting market like no other country. Therefore, it should be no surprise that tourism makes up 8.5% of the countries GDP, and in 2018 alone they received 35 million tourists.
Two of my travel buddies!
Even though tourism is such a vital aspect of the economy, you do need to exercise caution when you are travelling in Mexico. Many areas of the country are consistently under travel advisories from the Canadian and US Governments; unfortunately gang violence has too often occurred in popular resort areas, and corruption remains a major issue in the country. The resort properties normally are very secure and are generally considered safe, but they are not immune to issues.
Marina District in Los Cabos.
In spite of those issues, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go, but it does mean you need to exercise a high degrees of caution. Make sure you leave your bling at home, don’t overdress, be cautious and alert when you frequent higher risk places like bars and night clubs. Know your surroundings, be wary of suspicious people and don’t blindly trust strangers. Above all, keep your drinking in check, the more you drink the more vulnerable you are. Lastly, spend a little time researching the area you want to go. There is no shortage of information about issues travellers need to be careful of in specific places.
Nothing beats a sunset in paradise!
The fact is that Mexico is a beautiful country, the beaches are phenomenal, it’s convenient to get to, and you usually get great value for money. My own experience is that the Mexican people are very friendly and welcoming. They have a strong sense of family and have a very rich and vibrant culture. Most importantly, in my opinion they have one of the most delicious cuisines in the world.
You can’t visit Mexico and not build a sand castle!
Los Cabos, Baja California Sur
On this recent trip we decided to stay off the beach, and on the marina in Cabo San Lucas. We wanted to be able to get out and walk around the neighbourhood, do some shopping, and not feel confined to a resort property. We stayed at a place called the Marina Fiesta, and it turned out to be everything we were hoping for. It was a nice property, the food was great, and it was right downtown where all the action was happening; it’s all about catering to tourists. There are hustlers everywhere trying to sell you snorkelling, fishing and water craft adventures. Street vendors are everywhere selling all manner of knick-knacks and brick-a-brack. There’s even guys walking around with iguanas trying to sell you a picture with them. The other thing you can’t help but notice is all the bars and nightclubs. This is a party town, and when the sun goes down the city really comes alive. Booming music, fireworks, and emergency vehicle sirens fill the night sky. It’s a crazy, crazy place, and I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more 25 years ago. At this stage of my life I wouldn’t have been able to keep up even if I wanted to. I’m just happy nursing my beer all day, and having a few mojito’s as a nightcap before hitting the sack sometime before midnight. For that reason, it was a great vacation but not my favourite place I’ve been in Mexcio. If I had to rank it, I think it would rank fourth on my list. Keep this placement in mind, because I’m going to give an overview of the places we’ve been in Mexico, and talk about them from my most favourite, in descending order to my least favourite; and the worst place we’ve been in Mexico also happens to be the worst trip we’ve ever taken.
Marina Fiesta Resort – Los Cabos
Huatulco, Oaxaca
By far, this is my favourite place in Mexico. Huatulco is located at the southern end of the country, near the small town of La Crucecita. Located in the province of Oaxaca, they are famous for their local cheese and mezcal liquor production. With a local population of about 12,000 people, its very small compared to other tourist areas. Over the years the government has invested heavily on infrastructure to grow tourism, but somehow Huatulco has maintained its small town charm. La Crucecita has been built around a picturesque public park, anchored on one side by an old Catholic Church, and surrounded by small shops and open air cafes. It’s the perfect place to enjoy refreshments and watch life pass you by.
Town Square in La Crucecita
We’ve been here twice, once staying at the Las Brisas Resort, and once at the Dreams Resort. Either one is a great experience, but they are very different. Las Brisas has a very large property, so large in fact, they have golf carts that help shuttle people around. The resort has several separate beaches, connected by a sea wall, and all of them have shallow, calm waves, with one that has a coral reef that is great for snorkelling. Across the bay at Dreams, it’s a smaller property that makes the amenities more accessible; and unlike Las Brisas, they have one large beach that has much stronger surfs because of how the resort faces towards the ocean. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Dreams Resort in Huatulco.
Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo
The Maya is a close second to my all time favourite location. We’ve stayed there twice, and each resort was fantastic. The beaches are beautiful, and the resorts are usually quite self contained, so you don’t get hassled as much by vendors. However, there is a notable difference between the East and West Coast experience. The east side of Mexico is very popular and geared specifically for the tourism market, which attracts a lot of visitors from the US and Canadian eastern urban regions. For this reason, I’ve found there is a very different vibe between the resort experiences on each coast. When visiting Mexico on the west, the atmosphere is more laid back, and relaxed, while on the east I find it very hectic, and the tourists more aggressive.
Mayan Ruins at Tulum.
What makes the Maya a favourite of mine is the sites there are to visit. Although Chichen Itza is still on my bucket list, Tulum was a wonderful place to explore the Mayan ruins. We enjoyed swimming with the turtles at Akumal, and I highly recommend taking in the Cenotes (Underground Caves). The Yucatan Peninsula has extensive underground cave systems that are filled with freshwater; it’s a really cool experience to swim or tube through them, they are absolutely beautiful.
Descending down into the Cenotes – Riviera Maya
Manzanillo, Jalisco
Before kids, my wife and I spent two weeks at the Los Angeles Locos (Crazy Angels) resort in Tenacatita. Owned by Blue Bay Resorts, it was only rated as a two star at the time, but this may have been one of our most enjoyable trips in Mexico. Although the resort itself was nothing to write home about, what made it unique is that the crescent mooned beach was entirely private, and there were virtually no other guests during the weekdays; but on the weekends, busloads of locals from Guadalajara would arrive and the resort would come alive with activity. It was three days of fiestas, followed by four days of solitude.
The beach at Los Angeles Loco’s resort – circa 1997
What really added to the experience was being able to horseback ride on the beach, or take a skiff from the resort up a mangrove lined river to the other side of the bay where there was another beautiful locals beach where you could grab some beers and soak in the sun.
Travelling up river through the mangrove trees lining the banks.
This was certainly not a five star resort, but we learned that the “star” level can be deceiving when it comes to the overall experience. It’s been over twenty years since we’ve been there, but if it’s the same as when we were there, I highly recommend it.
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
This is a very popular resort town, but it does rank lower on my list. We’ve been there four times, and have stayed at various locations in the Marina District and south of town, but I’ve never travelled north of the city towards Nuevo Vallarta. Overall, the resorts are very nice, and its an easy location to get to from the West Coast. The beaches are ok if you are outside of town, but if you’re downtown or in the marina district the water in the bay is very murky.
Puerto Vallarta – view from the Marina District
This area ranks lower for me simply because we’ve stayed in so many other places we’ve liked more, I also find P.V. to be overly commercialized. There is certainly no lack of things to do, but it’s a good example of where catering to tourism has taken away from having an authentic local experience. Having said that, for an affordable, accessible, and enjoyable escape to a resort area it’s still a good place to go.
Former Dreams resort in Puerto Vallarta – now a Hyatt Ziva resort
Ixtapa, Guerrero
Ixtapa is the resort area adjacent to the town of Zihuatanejo. Keep in mind that it’s been about 10 years since we were there, so perhaps things have changed, but this trip ranks as one of the least enjoyable trips we have ever taken. I found the town of Zihuatanejo to be sprawling, dirty, and unwelcoming. I also thought the resort area of Ixtapa was very run down with half completed buildings, dirty streets and I never felt fully comfortable exploring outside the resort area. What really made this a bad experience were the guests at the resort. The hotel was filled with partiers, walking around with bubba cups, often so drunk they needed to be carried back to their rooms. One night security had to fish a naked drunk guy from the pool while diners were trying to eat their dinner at the pool side restaurant. I guess if you’re looking for the “black out” resort experience this may be a destination for you, but if not, take my advice and try some of the other locations mentioned above…..and btw, nobody needs a bubba cup.
Beach view from a cabana in Ixtapa
One bad experience aside, Mexico is a great place to visit, and the closer you can get to experiencing authentic culture, cuisine and historic sites the more fun you’re going to have. I have always found the Mexican culture to be very family oriented, which made travelling with our young kids very enjoyable. The people are friendly, and each region of the country has something different to offer, so if you’re making multiple trips be sure to check out different parts of the country. Viajes felices! (happy travels)
One of my favourite books is “Down and Out in Paris and London” by George Orwell, and I’m thrilled to be able to say I’ve now been to both cities; and by the time we arrived at Heathrow Airport on this leg of the trip, we had officially come full circle. We started our trip with a quick stopover in London on our way to Malta, and had now arrived back to spend a few days sightseeing before our final trip over the pond to Vancouver. On our first arrival I got a quick glimpse of how expensive London is, but the next few days would firmly anchor that impression.
Tower Bridge in London.
We had booked a hotel in Hayes Village near Heathrow Airport, right next to the Hayes & Harlington Train Station. This was the perfect choice because it allowed us easy access into London everyday, and it’s a short train ride back to the airport on the day of our departure. Luckily, the hotel room was more like a small apartment, so we took advantage of the nearby grocery store and stocked up for our stay.
Trains in London are such a great way to see the city.
After a wonderful night sleep we headed out the next day to do some walking around in downtown London. The city is everything you would expect, it is a bustling, modern metropolis. The public transit is fantastic, and you can get anywhere you want to without a lot of effort. The challenge is deciding what you want to see and do. The history and antiquities in London are amazing, but you need a strategy. The admission to historic sites is expensive, and you could spend months here and not even scratch the surface of what the city has to offer. With that in mind, we had a game plan and decided to get off the train near to Westminster Abbey and begin our exploring from there.
The famous red double decker buses!
After a short stroll through the Parliament Square Garden, and a meander through a heated Brexit protest, we made our way to the entrance at Westminster Abbey. The Gothic Cathedral which was originally constructed in the first century AD is stunningly beautiful inside and out. The Abbey is most famous for being used as the venue for most royal coronations, weddings and funerals, it is also where notable British citizens are buried or commemorated. I actually found this quite surprising, because the walls and floors are adorned with tombs, effigies, and commemorations of important historical figures; I was a little shocked to see Stephen Hawking’s floor plaque, not that he doesn’t deserve it, I just didn’t realize they’re still using it for this purpose today. Let’s just say, it’s a who’s who of British historical influence. I also underestimated how much time is required to tour the Abbey, we spend a good half a day there, but I found myself rushing near the end; there’s just so much to see.
Entrance to Westminster Abbey
From the Abbey we made our way towards Buckingham Palace, and Hyde Park. If you’re going to be in London, and have limited time, these two places must be on your list. I’m not a huge fan of the monarchy, but you can’t deny that Buckingham Palace is an impressive building. The grounds are beautiful, and you can’t help but feel how imposing this building is, especially considering it was the seat of global power for the Empire on whom the sun never set.
Buckingham Palace
Hyde Park is a short walk from the palace, and it is an immaculately kept public garden, with man made lakes, rose gardens and rolling greens. Very beautiful, and the benches are a welcomed relief after a long day of walking. However, right before we entered the park, I needed to use the little boys room, and found one near the train station. As is the case in most of Europe you need to pay to get through the washroom turnstiles, and let’s just say I was in a hurry. I passed a woman on the way to the underground restroom, and tried to put my quid into the machine but it kept getting spit out. I graciously let the lady go ahead of me, and quickly got back to trying to get my coin to work. Patience is not my virtue, so I finally gave up and jumped the turnstile, used the facility, and it was only when I was washing my hands did I notice that in my hurry I had chosen the hop the turnstile into the women’s washroom….let’s just say my exit was as quick as my entrance. Luckily, Hyde Park is huge so after grabbing the family we made ourselves scarce.
Strolling the gardens in Hyde Park
The train ride back to Hayes was a nice way to relax at the end of a long day, and enjoy the scenery as it rolled by through the windows. After a quick dinner and early night we were up the next day and heading back downtown. This time, we were headed for the Tower of London. Initially constructed in the 11th century, this fortress lies along the River Thames, and gets its name from the White Tower at the centre of the complex. It’s an impressive fortification that has two ringed walls separated by a moat. I found it very reminiscent of how we visualize castles in our imagination and in popular culture. The Tower of London is most synonymous with being a brutal prison where inmates were tortured, brutalized and executed; but at one time or another it also a served as a home for the Royal Mint, munitions storage and even a Royal Menagerie. This is also where the crown jewels are stored, and the exhibit for them is very impressive. The jewels are displayed in rooms that are actual safes, and visitors are transported on moving conveyor belts around the display cases; it’s actually pretty cool. My advice is plan to spent a whole day here. There is so much to see, especially if you want to explore the Tower Bridge at the same time; it’s absolutely worth the visit.
The White Tower, inside the Tower of London
For the few days we were in London we also made it a point to have lunch at local pubs. If you’re going to visit the U.K. you have to enjoy their rich history of pub culture, and of course, the pub food that they are most famous for. There’s nothing better than a pint of beer and some fish & chips, or a meat pie accompanied by some “mushy peas”, served in an atmosphere of wooden floors, dark panelled walls, and a bar finished with brass rails and taps. This style of pub is replicated all over the world, but like many things, nothing beats the authentic experience. I certainly tried a variety of beers while I was there, but I made it a point to have a few Doom Bar’s along the way. If you get that reference, then you’re a true Robert Galbraith (a.k.a. J.K. Rowling) fan.
Trafalgar Square
From London we made the final trip over the Atlantic, back to Vancouver, and north to Whitehorse ending an exciting and very epic trip; but there was a pleasant surprise still to come. While in Hayes Village we had spent some time chatting with the ticket attendants where we bought our train tickets every day. One of the ladies asked where we were from and told us she had visited Whitehorse several times because she has family who moved here. She even told us their street name and ironically they live just a few streets over. We’ve been back from our trip a few months now, and two weeks ago our door bell rang, and there she was. She came to visit family on a last minute trip and popped over the say a quick hello. That is one of the many joys of travelling, you get to meet amazing people from all over and it makes you realize just how small the world really is.
