We were up early today for a 9am date with some sled dogs!

As excited as we were, there was still a lot of staring at the rain falling on the top of the tent, and a bit of negotiating with Mother Nature before we decided to take the tent down.

But it worked! The rain stopped while we packed up. The rain fly was soaked of course, but we are already old pros at handling the wet tent!

We had showers and then headed down to Fish Lake to learn about the 130 Alaskan Huskies that live there from a couple session we had booked with Kristina!

First, we got to hook up today’s team! 12 dogs took us for a ride!

We got to help put their harnesses on!

We sat in a big UTV. Kristina aimed to keep the team at 12 km/hr.

We went on a ride for about 40 minutes and stopped a few times for the dogs to rest and once we got to give them all a drink!

After our ride, Kristina took us to meet more of the dogs and ask questions.

We got to go in the food cabin too and see all their harnesses and learn about how they are fed and how drastically it varies from summer to winter.

This entire ranch is off-grid. They have horses and do adventures with visiting people full time. Even multiple day excursions! And summer camp for the kids! Learn more about their offerings here: https://www.skyhighwilderness.com

Kristina explained how she picked today’s team and how it varies day by day so all the dogs get exercise and adventure. The dog yard was the quietest dog yard I’ve ever experienced. They were only barking and worked up when we were getting ready to depart.

Then we got to see puppies!!!

Puppies I said!

They are just starting to open their eyes! They are 10 days old today!

Afterwards, we were done with Whitehorse and it was time to head south.

We took the Carcross detour off the Alaskan Highway and stopped at the old Robinson Roadhouse.

There is some obvious work being done to preserve the buildings. Nice!

We had a quick lunch there. I had my favourite roadside lunch, peanut butter and cheese!!

Next stop, the Carcross Desert!

This isn’t a real desert. Just a big old ancient lake bed full of sand.

Now we are at the Teslin Lake Territorial Park. We got a site and the tent is up and it is time for a fire!

Jeff lent us his Fiskers, what could go wrong!?

The logs are big. And free! And no match for this lady!

I even had to brag to Jeff!

Meanwhile the folks beside us from Nova Scotia have been pulling twigs out of the woods, pulling branches off trees, and it went on so long I couldn’t stand it. I went over and let them know there are free bunks full of firewood around the park. She insisted she read that she was allowed to take whatever wood she wanted to from the forest. No. No lady. You cannot do that. That’s why there is free wood. Now they are burning the pages from a book. I even offered to loan our axe. I can’t believe I went over there to intervene. Who have I become?

Anyway, we got groceries yesterday but nothing to cook on this fire. So we dipped into our emergency rations and split a bag of Mountain House Chili Macaroni.

Perfect!

Now we will sit and enjoy this fire built by my sweat equity.

Good night!