This is a continuation of our journey through the southwestern part of
the Yukon Territory yesterday and today.
CONGDON CREEK PROVINCIAL PARK CAMPGROUND
Milepost and the Church's Alaskan Camping book both
list many provincial campgrounds along the Alaska Hwy. in British
Columbia and the Yukon. This is the first one where we've stayed.
We liked it enough to consider staying at others on our way back down
the highway in the fall.
Most of the 40 pull-through and back-in sites at Congdon Creek are large enough for
our Cameo. Some other provincial parks have sites that are too small for
large rigs so we were happy to find big sites at this location.
About a dozen back-in sites are near the lake. There were a few sites
still available when we got there but Jim wanted to see the pull-through
sites before choosing. The back-ins by the lake are angled the harder
direction in which to turn and we thought there might be more mosquitoes
close to the water:
The rest of the sites are on a large loop farther inland. Pull-throughs
are on the outer part of the loop, back-ins on the inside (and the
easier direction in which to back).
We ended up in a spacious pull-through site on that loop:
See the corner of our patio rug to the right? We
forgot to take it this morning when we left.
Oops. We realized it too far down the road to go
back for it. Fortunately we have two more.
Only two other RVs came in that section later in the evening and we
couldn't even see them through the woods. It felt like we had the place
to ourselves.
Ourselves and the mosquitoes, that is! They were swarming around our
campsite, even away from the lake. This is the first real problem we've
had with them. I didn't notice any on my hike later, though.
We had no hookups at our site -- didn't need them for one night
-- but two very
clean, attractive little pit toilets were about 100 feet away. I liked
these units better than any park or National Forest Service pit toilet I've
ever used in a campground in the United States:
Flush toilets are better than pit toilets . . . but pit
toilets are better than filling up the black tank in our camper
when we boondock.
Even though we rarely start a fire in a campsite another trend I like
in local and provincial parks in Canada is free firewood in many of the
campgrounds:
That prevents folks from bringing in potentially infested wood from
the outside or cutting down trees in the campground. It also eliminates
the hassle of collecting money for the firewood.
Above and below:
interesting spruce branches; we haven't seen the red growth before.
We paid $12 Canadian (slightly less American at the current exchange
rate) for the privilege of staying here. I believe most of the
provincial parks are in the $10-20/night range, depending on their
location and facilities. The self-pay station accepts American dollars
and checks, which was convenient.
[Today in Alaska we noted the same
courtesy in a state park where we considered staying; Canadian
money is accepted in the iron ranger.]
TAKE A HIKE
After supper Cody and I went on a one-mile walk on a mostly-level
interpretive trail along the lake. The trail goes through a lightly
wooded area with willows, aspens, and pines. It ends in a meadow with a
viewing deck.
Pretty lupines in the meadow
Above and below: these
willows usually turn green before the snow begins to melt in April.
There are several interpretive signs along the way that describe the
forces of nature in this area and the people who have called it home.
The earliest human activity has been dated back to 12,000 years ago..
The views of the lake toward both the Ruby and Kluane Ranges were
very scenic, especially with more sun in the evening as the sky cleared
a little:
On the way back I walked down to the rocky "beach" to take some more
pictures. Ice that forms on the lake in the winter expands, buckles, and
pushes the rocks into piles called "ice push ridges" on the shore.
I didn't notice any rocky ridges, only tree trunks and branches that
have washed up:
Bears are prevalent in this area so I kept Cody close to me. We saw a large pile of bear poop but no bears.
Previously he has let me know if one is nearby -- the hairs on
the back of his neck go up, he tenses up, and he growls. He doesn't
chase any large game or stock animals so I don't worry too much about
him engaging a bear.
Because of heavy bear activity later in the summer when berries ripen
the park advises against camping in tents at Congdon Creek from mid-July
through August. Hard-sided RVs are OK then.
Continued in next entry: Kluane Lake to the Alaskan
border -- yay!!!!!
Happy trails,
Sue
"Runtrails & Company" - Sue Norwood, Jim O'Neil,
and Cody the ultra Lab
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© 2012 Sue Norwood and Jim O'Neil