Travels of Pauline and Chuck: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory--2nd day, about June 9th

This is our second day in Whitehorse, YT., a busy day with lots of pictures (unless My Dear Bride changes my mind). The day was cloudy--with spits of rain, sort of like winter in Oregon. We went back to the SS Klondike--and they let us in this time. Pictures after this History Lesson.
History lesson I:
The large Klondike I was built in 1921 and had the distinction of having 50% more capacity than a regular sternwheeler, while still having the shallow draft and meeting the size requirements in order to travel down the Yukon River. Klondike I had a cargo capacity of 270 metric tonnes. So it didn't have to push a separate barge along (as the smaller sternwheelers did).

Klondike I ran aground in 1936. The British-Yukon Navigation Company (a subsidiary of the White Pass and Yukon Route railway company) salvaged much of the ship and cannibalized the wreckage to build the Klondike II the following year.

Klondike II carried freight until 1950. Due to the construction of a highway connecting Dawson City and Whitehorse, many sternwheelers were decommissioned. In an attempt to save Klondike II, it was converted into a cruise ship. The venture shut down in 1955 due to lack of interest, and the Klondike II was beached in the Whitehorse shipyards.

The ship was donated to Parks Canada and was gradually restored until 1966, when city authorities agreed to move the ship to its present location, then part of a squatter's residence. The task required three bulldozers, eight tons of Palmolive soap, a crew of twelve men, and three weeks to complete. Greased log rollers eased the process.

On 1 July 1981, the Canadian government declared Klondike II a National Historic Site of Canada, and it is now open during the summers as a tourist attraction.

SS Klondike Observation Room

Pauline walks the sun deck

Sun Deck

New landscaping between the Ship and the Yukon River

Wheelhouse above Observation Room

Ringing the bell, ever-present rainclouds in background

Dining Room, no paper plates here

"You may serve me now"

After dinner, relax for awhile in the Observation Room, as you steam along

Fuel for the boat. I should work off some of that dinner

I will talk Chuck into helping me, just a small load . . .

Where the money was made, down below on the freight deck

more freight: it was the town's supply before roads


In someone's front yard we saw this dome creation, built of bicycle wheels. Would be great for a bike shop; no?

Then we headed for the Yukon River Dam and Fish Ladder. The water never freezes in the area below the dam, due to the fast current.

So, year round you can always see waterfowl like this Northern Shelduck here and the Herring Gull below.

Now for the salmon to get around the dam this longest wooden fish ladder is used. No salmon seen now but will be in a very short time.

Leaving the dam, we went to the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre (YBIC). 'Berginia' was the prehistoric land bridge from Eastern Siberia towards the center of Yukon Territory: a land mass which stretched across what is now the Bering Sea. This Centre has displays of the tundra's prehistoric critters, plants, and people, which we can know from fossilized bones and other evidences. Very enjoyable and interesting.

'Small' Mammoth statue

Pauline after trying to remove the knitted 'leg warmer' .

Prehistoric giant Beaver--with knitted sweater, c/o silly 'Notty Knitters'

How about this? An Award-winning Ladies Room

Why a picture of the ladies room? This explains.

Giant sloth

Giant pig or boar

Short-faced bear, same size as todays griz

Two cats: one mounted, one skelton; plus Sabretooth Tiger skull

A guide from the YBIC demonstrated throwing spears with an atlatl. The spears are leaning against the statue behind him.

Of course, I had to try it. On the third try I hit the target! The Atlatl makes a big difference in distance & accuracy.

The target, off about a hundred yards (--or feet, you guess which)

Pauline & tundra Mammoth skeleton. The skeletons were all replicas, very well done.

From the YBIC we headed to the Alaska Transportation Museum. This is the Worlds Largest Weather Vane! This DC3 is mounted in such a way that it rotates, & the nose always points into the wind.