July 1, Saturday We were out of the shoot at 7:30 this morning, heading northwest up the Haines Highway, ready to cross the border into Canada, and drive 200 miles to Haines Junction. We must have answered all the questions correctly at the border (we said “yes” to the beer, wine and bear spray) as we got through with no search. The two RV’s in front of us, however, were pulled over and searched while the occupants sat inside the border station. Following the map along the Chilkat River is very easy – there are no other roads! The landscape began low, shrubby . . . tundra? It is much like a mountain meadow with squishy, mossy, bright green flora and wildflowers. It could be an Alpine meadow? As we drove toward the mountains the meadows receded and the trees moved in – a mixture of young, thin Aspen, and tall, skinny pines and spruce. We were locked in deep haze and fog for the first hour, but as we left the low clouds the drive became clear – not sunny . . . not bright – but clear! We took a turnoff to Million Dollar Falls, right out in the middle of nowhere, and discovered a beautiful, primitive campground and a trailhead. The trail was a beautiful boardwalk and stair steps following the river . . . . down, down, down, to a point where the river narrowed through a rocky gorge and plunged down to follow a lower level. Right out in the middle of nowhere! We passed through Haines Junction; the towns are getting smaller and further between. At the Visitor Center the lady assured us that Haines Junction was full of bears – just a few minutes ago a grizzly had been chasing a moose right down the main road! Our destination was Destruction Bay, another 50 miles down the highway, and we headed out -- alert for bear, or moose. We had first intended to spend the night at Haines Junction, but we received hints to be sure to go on to Cottonwood RV at DestructionBay. We drove for miles alongside a lake, and out in the middle of nowhere – was this beautiful campground. All of the sites were taken – unless we were willing to “dry camp” with no hookups! We were. She led us to a drive-thru spot that bordered right on the lake – mountains in front, and mountains behind. Oh, it was beautiful! Temperatures were definitely cooler here than on the coast, and we did not have electric hookups. We did not bother with the generator, and instead got out the king-size, wool, Pendleton blanket (Yellowstone edition, just to name drop). A dinner of beef brisket and roasted potatoes cooked in the oven did a nice job of heating the trailer up in the early evening. I have a sheet-liner/sleeping bag and was fine down in that with just one quilt over me and a hoodie . Tom was inside a fleece sleeping bag liner with a quilt on top of that – and that Pendleton blanket FOLDED on top! He said it was so heavy, he only managed to turn over once – but he was crazy toasty all night! The trailer was 52 degrees when we woke up this morning!
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |