Yesterday, the 290 mile ride from Dawson Creek to FT Nelson was smooth and beautiful.  This initial part of the highway is a relatively  easy drive with snow capped mountains still in the distance.  Though it was  nice  driving on paved road,  and we did not miss the gravel and dirt highway, it didn’t seem like the same adventurous road we had traversed so many years ago. There were still some white-knuckle spots of 9% & 10% grade, curved hills but the ride in general was easy going. We saw 2 dead moose on the highway and 3 live ones(did get a shot of  one), 2 eagles, some deer and 2 sandhill cranes.

The best way to describe Ft. Nelson is benign. There is virtually nothing to this small town to recommend it — one that you would generally pass through without a blink.  Obviously, our experience in 1974 gave it some significance.

After completing 336 miles of incredible wilderness today, we sit in a campground outside of Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. About 20 miles into our drive we entered the Northern Canadian Rockies. These overwhelming  mountains  were covered with morning haze, billowy clouds and snowy peaks.  What a sight as we drove the rugged, bumpy, winding highway. The morning light was perfect.  I kept switching from the 5D with the 24-70mm lens to the 7D with the 100-400mm lens. I couldn’t stop shooting. Every turn in the road brought us another amazing vista. For miles and miles we were virtually alone on the highway.  We rode with the Toad River, the Racing River, the Trout River and the Liard River all the way into Watson Lake, YT. We skirted the beautiful 7 mile Muncho Lake , deep green and blue in color.

Between Ft. Nelson & Watson Lake

Muncho Lake

A stop along the highway

On this ride we saw 3 beautiful black bear and  2 moose, one elk, 3 deer,  lots of bison and 5 stone sheep including a baby. It’s really impossible to photograph  wildlife while we are driving so we just look and enjoy the experience.  However, I was able to get out and photograph the stone sheep that were grazing on the side of the road. They seemed oblivious to our presence.  According to the information in The Mile Post,  stone sheep are indigenous to the mountains of northern BC and southern YT. They are darker and slighter than Big Horn Sheep and are often mistaken for mountain goats.  Dall Sheep are indigenous to the mountains of Yukon, Alaska and Northwest Territories.

Moose running into the woods

Stone sheep & baby

Stone sheep

Tomorrow we plan to take a 3 day side trip to Atlin, BC. 160 miles southeast of Whitehorse.  It is the most northwesterly town in British Columbia and sits on Atlin Lake and boasts  several large glaciers. I have a feeling we may be staying there longer than 3 days. Guess we’ll find out.