British Columbia

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Northern Rockies Lodge, a Bear, and Colorado Traveling Ducks

Continuing south, I was looking forward to our next hotel.   We had reservations at the Northern Rockies Lodge again.   I love that place.   Here is a group of buffalo grazing on the side of the road.

Buffalo gazing

We always see buffalo along this part of the road.   I love them.   They are so big and every time we pass through here we see baby buffalo.   Of course, we have only been here in May and June.     Here is beautiful Muncho Lake.

Muncho Lake

This sign explains why the water seems green.

Such a beautiful color for the lake

The colors of nature are so beautiful.   We love this drive because we see so much of nature, untouched by humans.   We have arrived.

This is the view from the balcony of my room.

From our balcony

It seems like we always need to go somewhere and can only stay here at Northern Rockies Lodge for one night.   But we do spend more time here the next day, so everything is good.   We stay in the main lodge, but there is a camp ground and several cabins.

Cabins for rent

Mom takes around the lake.   There is so much more open water now compared to when we stopped here going north.   The ice is melting.

Muncho Lake

We just love the reflection of clouds and mountain in the lake.

Muncho Lake

The colors are so vivid.   Just beautiful.   It is a sunny day so mom has us, ducks and Chloe, by the lake.   Soapy’s mom is getting food from the restaurant and we will have a picnic by Muncho Lake.

Soapy’s mom is bringing food from restaurant. We will have a picnic lunch by Muncho Lake

We are at the table, just waiting for food.

Soapy’s mom bringing lunch

Soapy’s mom brings the food.   We eat and enjoy watching the lake and shore, but what is this??

A bear coming around the curve.

Coming around the bend in the shoreline, a black bear strolls into the lodge grounds.   We were just walking there about 30 minutes ago.  That is the same curve we saw behind Soapy’s mom carrying our lunch.    Did the bear see us, Colorado Traveling Ducks and Chloe?   Did he smell our lunch?  The bear keeps heading towards us.

Keeps coming. Used a little zoom here. Not quite that close.

Mom used the camera’s zoom.   He was close, but certainly not that close.  But he looks so cute and cuddly.   Then he turns and goes between the cabins.   We decide is time to leave the lake area and head to the lodge.  Our Chloe was very cool.   We know she saw the bear, but she just acted like she saw nothing.   And the bear also acted like he saw nothing.   This definitely is bear country.   We saw 13 bear by the road as we drove here yesterday.

One of 13 bears by the road yesterday. We love them all.

We walk back to the lodge and many tourists are talking about the bear.   He walked through the cabin area, using one of our favorite paths, crossed the road and wandered into the woods and out of sight.

Path between Muncho Lake and main road

This is a path, the one the bear used.   Well, lunch is eaten.  It is time for us to head south again.

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Colorado Traveling Ducks in Canada’s Yukon Territory

Continuing northbound, we are enthralled with the winter scenery.

Frozen River

This frozen river is so beautful.   It is definitely winter weather, some snow each day, and frozen water everywhere, but the days are much longer this far north.   The sun rises before 5:00 a.m. each morning and doesn’t set until after 10:00 p.m.   A few more minutes of daylight is added every day.   And this fellow is always a treat to view.

Black bear

He is one of the first bears we saw.   Actually, the earlier bears appeared and walked into the woods before mom got her camera out.   No matter how many bears we see, we stop to admire each one.   We stop at another rest area.

Picnic area. Statue dedicated to surveyors

This one has a nice picnic area, for later in the summer, and a marker remembering the surveyors that made this road possible.   We enjoy another view of a frozen river.   Imagine this picnic area in the summer, watching the river flow.   So beautiful and peaceful.  Next we see the wild buffalo along the side of the Alaska Highway.

Baby buffalo in the spring

The precipation does not seem to bother mom and baby.   But, as usual, the rain and snow start and stop.

Buffalo along the road

There are several young buffalo with moms here.   A little distance from mom and baby, the dads remain watchful.    Further north we leave British Columbia and enter Canada’s Yukon territory.

Welcome to the Yukon

Chloe, Soapy’s mom and three Colorado Traveling Ducks are happy to see this sign, marking progress on our northern travel.   You may remember that we drove this route last year.   That trip was one way, heading south.   We bought this blue Jeep from the estate of mom’s brother.   Both this year and last year we spent the night in Watson Lake, Yukon.  This time, there is snow on the ground and it is rather cold.

Snow around church in Watson Lake

We liked the Liard Evangical Free Church in Watson Lake.   Originally built in 1942 near the airport, the building was moved here in 1963.  This church is open to all.  Leaving Watson Lake in the morning, we soon encountered snow and icy roads.

Spring time in the Yukon

Driving was trecherous.   But there is beauty with the snow also.

Snow makes trees beautiful

These trees are beautiful.   We pulled into a rest area after the snow stopped.   Our Chloe likes to get out of the car and have some exercie.   Really, we all enjoy the stops.

Snowy mountains from rest area

The mountains blurred by snow are breathtaking to us.   But it is May now and we are ready for some spring warmth and sunshine.   Soon, we think.

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Driving North to Alaska with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

That’s right.   We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, two humans and one dog drove back to North Pole, Alaska.   We were gone for over a month and had a great time.   We needed to interview and choose a new realtor in North Pole, Alaska.   We have mom’s brother’s house that needs to be sold, so we drove directly to North Pole.   That is a town near Fairbanks, Alaska.   Not much stopping on the way north, but we do have a few things to show you along the way.   First photo stop was in Dawson Creek, Alaska.

Beginning of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, B.C. Canada

This is the official  beginning of the Alaska Highway, or the Alcan (Alaska Canadian highway.)   Here we are at the official beginning.   Nearby is an older sign post, covered with stickers from earlier travelers.

Sign with stickers from previous travelers

And we don’t want to forget the statue of the surveyor.

Honoring the surveyors

Surveyors were very important during the building of this highway.   Soapy Smith Duck’s mom and Soapy’s dog, Chloe, are wandering around near the Visitor’s Center in Dawson Creek.

Dawson Creek

But we are a little concerned.   Chloe, our traveling dog, is part pit bull, and Dawson Creek and other Canadian cities have restriction for pit bulls.   We are not sure if part pit bull will be a problem, but we won’t stay long in towns with these restrictions.   Chloe is in the blue Jeep and ready to go.

Chloe is ready to leave Dawson Creek

As we drove north, with the exception of the day we left Denver, we had snow every day.   Some days just a little, and a couple days quite a snow storm took place.   We spent one night here at Northern Rockies Lodge.

Welcome to Northern Rockies Lodge

This is a beautiful log building on the scenic Muncho Lake.

Northern Rockies Lodge

The dining room looks through the trees and onto Muncho Lake.

Dining room with windows and a beautiful view

Today, May 2, the lake is frozen.

Muncho Lake is frozen

We will return here in 2 1/2 weeks and we were amazed at the difference.   But more about that later.  On this road trip there are three of the Colorado Traveling Ducks.  We are me, Zeb the Duck, Soapy Smith Duck and Eider Duck.   Eider Duck lived most of his life in Alaska, so he was very eager to return for a visit.    Closer to the lodge, Chloe and Soapy’s mom arrived up the path from the Muncho Lake.   We didn’t drive very far today.   We spent most of the morning and early afternoon enjoying walking around the lake and soaking in the wintery scenery.   We love Northern Rockies Lodge.

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Colorado Traveling Ducks Reach Dawson Creek

This morning we checked out of our hotel, Fort Nelson Hotel in Fort Nelson, British Columbia.

Inside Fort Nelson Hotel. View from our room

This was the view from our room window.    We saw the indoor pool.   Look at the carving on the balcony to our right.   This morning was different.   Our moms said we needed to hurry, we had a long drive today.   What?  We have never known how far we would get any day.   We just drove and stopped to look and explore where ever we wanted.   Something is different today.   We have traveled a little over 1,000 miles in more than one week.   Not traveling very fast or very far each day.   Now, the moms tell us we have to drive about 2,000 miles in three days. OK, we can do this, but why??  Soapy and his mom have flights to visit a friend in Tampa, Florida.   OK, let’s get going.   We are still driving through and admiring the gorgeous scenery, of course.   First stop is in Dawson Creek, British Columbia.    This is the official beginning (or for us, the end) of the Alaska Highway.

Official beginning of Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek

We enjoyed our trip, but why was the Alaska Highway built, and why did it need to be completed so fast?   The tourist information says this:   The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 forced the America and Canadian governments to re-evaluate the security of North America.  They needed a secure supply route to haul military goods and materials from the lower states to Alaska and it had to be completed in less than one year.   The story of the men, the equipment, and their triumphs over nature to open the northern passage is as legendary as the men who risked their lives to build the highway.  Next to the official beginning of the Alaska Highway is another sign explaining things, but it is covered with bumper stickers now.   But you can see it is mile 0 here.

Milepost 0. Lots of bumper stickers here.

This is an exciting drive for many motorists.   Across the street, we saw the Surveyor Statue.

Surveyor Statue

This statue is a tribute to the tens of thousands of men who arrived in Dawson Creek in the spring of 1942 to build the Alaska Highway.  The Iron Surveyor statue stands as a reminder of the amazing feat and of those who lost their lives in the effort.  Standing above the traffic circle that leads you onto the famous highway, the surveyor points northwest along the path that became first a mud track and finally the paved highway we have today.   Created by local sculptor, Karl Mattson, whose family has ranched in the region for generations, the statue is welded from scrap metal from local farms.   The clothing and surveyor’s transit are true to the style of the 1940’s.  If you go to Dawson Creek, spend some time here to visit museums and walk around the town.   There is so much history and so many interesting things to see here.  But we have to keep driving for the next there days.   Our next stop was for a beaver.

World’s Largest Beaver in Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada

Here we are in Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada.   In 2004 this giant statue of a beaver was built here, next to the Visitor’s Center.   Each town along the Alaska Highway and roads leading to Dawson Creek, try to have a reason for travelers and tourists to stop.   Beaverlodge has, according to Roadside America, the world’s largest beaver.   This beaver is 15 feet tall, 18 feet long and sits on a log that is 20 feet long.   And, weighs 3,000 pounds.   The beaver was built to commemorate the town’s 75th anniversary.   This was our last photo stop.   We drove to Edmonton, Canada tonight.   The next day we drove south through Calgary, Canada and into Great Falls, Montana, USA.   Another long drive and we arrived home, west of Denver, Colorado.   This was a great trip, but of course, we did not see everything.   Some day we would like to drive leisurely, through the USA and Canada to Dawson Creek.   There is so much more to see, but maybe???  So many place to see, so little time to travel and explore.  We hope you drive all or part of the way to Fairbanks, Alaska.   It was beautiful and fun.

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British Columbia’s Alaska Highway with Colorado Traveling Ducks

We may be in a different Canadian province, but the scenery is every bit as beautiful.   Perhaps more trees and vegetation.   And this.

Bison near forest

A small herd of bison.   Road signs said to watch for bison, and here they are.   And that forest is beautiful also.   This mom bison wanted to move a little further on the grass, but baby said no.

Baby is hungry

And they did not go until baby said it was time to move.   Really no difference in behavior between human babies and bison babies.   Babies, so small, but seem to be in charge of many things.  Continuing we come to this magnificent bridge.

Lower Liard River Bridge

This is Lower Liard River Bridge.   It is 24.65 meters (94 ft) tall and 307 meters (1143 feet) long.   Built in 1943 this is the only suspension bridge on the Alaska Highway.  Soon we see sheep.

Stone Sheep

Milepost, the Alaska Travel Planner, says we are probably seeing Stone Sheep.  This group is busy licking the ground for necessary minerals.   But this one is watching us.

He sees us!

Maybe he likes to watch traveling ducks as much as we like to watch Stone Sheep.  Here is Northern Rockies Lodge.

Northern Rockies Lodge

This lodge is located on the shores of beautiful Muncho Lake.

Lodge on beautiful Muncho Lake

If we are ever back here, we all want to stay at this lodge.   And for a couple days.   Look at this.

Float plane on Muncho Lake

The float planes can take us out for a one day fishing trip.   Or a sightseeing flight over this area.   There are smaller boats here also.   We saw some tourists on jet skis.   Aren’t these cabins wonderful?

Cabins at lodge

We would love to stay in one.   But we didn’t know about this lodge and we didn’t know when we would be here.   Maybe another time?  Here is our bear for today.

Our last bear

When we saw him, we didn’t know that this would be our last bear sighting on this trip.  Maybe he did.   He seems to be walking away from us.   One last scenic view for this post.

View of Sawthooth Mountains

This is a view of the Sawtooth Mountains.  Being from Colorado, we have beautiful mountains and gorgeous scenery.   The difference here is a lack of humans.   We can stop and watch whatever we want, and there are no other tourists here.   There is very little traffic on the Alaska Highway now.   Perhaps later in the summer it will be more traveled, but now it is just perfect for us.   We hope you take the time to discover this beautiful, uncrowded part of our world.