On the Road with Two Terriers

When our two dearly beloved dogs Russell and Anna died a few years ago, we did not hesitate to replace them. Our house was empty without a dog.

Our old friends, Russell and Anna

Pippa came first. We'd been looking at Britannies when suddenly my husband announced he'd seen a Cairn terrier for sale in Sherwood Park. I'd never even heard of a Cairn. She seemed tiny and not what I thought we were looking for, but there she was. She's a cranky, opinionated, energetic dog who makes you work to earn her affection. Like many Cairns,she likes to vocalize with very strange sounds that can be hard to decipher.

Finian and Pippa

Next came Finian, a West Highland terrier who never rests. He is lively, amusing and affectionate. Possibly not all that smart. Lately he's developed a great love for cows and large mammals of all kinds.

Finian and Pippa in Hope, B.C.

So we had the dogs. Our son took care of Pips when we went to India and looked after both of them when we hiked the Camino Portuguese. We left them in a kennel on a few trips and they loved it, but now we're both retired and our son has his own dog. And he works full time. What to do?

The Prolite in Atlin, B.C.

With a little retirement bonus, we bought a teeny trailer. The trailer, a Canadian made ProLite Plus, is ideal for our needs. It is 14 feet long and in that tiny space, there is a heater, a two burner stove, a hot water heater, a toilet and shower, a fridge, and a little slide-out that Finn has claimed for himself.  An unexpected bonus is the outdoor shower which we have used to bathe the dogs when needed. Pro-tip- if you buy a ProLite, ask them to invert the axel as the unit rides very low to the ground which is not ideal.  By having this done, we have an extra 3-4 inches of clearance. The big advantage of the tiny trailer is that it is light to pull with our new-to-us Toyota Hybrid Highlander which means great gas mileage. I also loaded up on superior quality cocktailware for the trailer so we could go in style!

After years of tenting, waking up dry in the rain and making a French press of Kicking Horse 454 Horsepower (roasted in Invermere BC) indoors is nothing short of a miracle. A cocktail with actual ice alongside a northern lake? Unbeatable.

A martini at Whiskers Point Provincial Park.

Our first trip with the dogs was to the Badlands in July. It was a short trip but a lot of fun. 

Finny and Pippa on their own little bed

Camping in style near Dorothy Alberta, with our limited edition Old Prairie Sentinel Gin

Then we went north in August- a bit late in the year for a lot of campers. We did our best to stay at provincial and territorial parks which have the nicest locations, sizable sites and often excellent little walking trails. It was a wonderful trip with so much to see and do. We also tried to hit up local breweries and craft shops along the way with quite a bit of success!

Moonshine Lake, Alberta.  Named after a spill of moonshine decades ago when the road was new, it's a pretty little lake with an algae problem.  We tried taking one of the longer walks in the forest and ended up slogging for about 500 meters through muskeg. Maybe it's just a cross country ski trail? In any event, I would avoid that trail as a place to walk a dog or a human!

Moonshine Lake

Whiskers Point Provincial Park at McLeod Lake, BC. Due to the forest fires, there was not a lot of traffic heading through this area and we were able to get a lovely site right on the lake. This is a fantastic campground with big sites, all very private and fully treed. The smoke was fairly light and we had nice views of the deserted lake. 

Shady Rest, Houston BC  After driving through many kilometres of dense smoke, we reached Houston where we stayed in an excellent commercial campsite with hanging flower baskets and good internet.  Not a lot of people. The owner is very friendly and there are lots of places where you can walk the dogs. There were a bunch of firefighters staying there.  

At the Shady Rest

En route from Houston we stopped at Smithers. There were a couple of great dog friendly spots there, the Bugwood Bean coffee shop that had great coffee and outdoor seating and Smithers Brewing which had some tables outside where we were able to sit and have a drink with the dogs. Smithers is an area I could go back to as it is beautiful country with lots of outdoorsy stuff.

From Smithers we continued on to the small First Nations community of Gitanyow with its outstanding totem bowls and friendly craft shop owners. We chatted a bit about forest fires with our eye on one not too far from town. The locals did not feel enough was being done to fight it. We could not see any attempt to control it.

From there, on to Stewart, passing the spectacular yet receding Bear Glacier in Bear Glacier Provincial Park. There is no campground at Bear Glacier but there are lovely views.

Bear Glacier

Bear River Campground, Stewart BC.   We continued along the fully paved Stewart Cassiar Highway to the charming old town of Stewart, once a bustling small gold rush town, now left to fishermen, tourists and alternative lifestyle folks looking for a more relaxed way of life.  We were inspired to travel to Stewart by our friend Dawn whose mom lives here. Dawn's mom was very hospitable and gave us many suggestions for things to do. We stayed at a commercial campsite here which had laundry, showers and sketchy wifi. It was a bit muddy and there was a lot of coming and going. Not my favourite.

Estuary Boardwalk

Salmon Glacier

In Stewart, we took the dogs for a walk along the estuary boardwalk and then across the Alaska border to the largely deserted town of Hyder-and on to Salmon Glacier- Canada's fifth largest-with panoramic views. 

Then we drove to a deserted mine site beyond where the dogs lost their minds chasing marmots and other creatures. Finn entertained us by leaping up and down like a pouncing coyote in his fruitless pursuit of the little creatures. And then drove us a little nuts as he disappeared for awhile in pursuit.

Another highlight for us (not the dogs as they were not allowed) was the salmon spawning viewing platform just outside Hyder at Fish Creek. We did not see any bears or wolves feasting on the salmon, but watching the beautiful salmon in their death throes was sobering. 

It's worthwhile to wander around Stewart for a bit, just looking at the beautiful old buildings. For more history behind the town, the Stewart Museum is worth a visit. There is a short video that tells about the town and a number of cool exhibits detailing the town's mining past and it's use as a movie set in several films including Insomnia, Iceman, Eight Below and The Thing. According to the locals, Robin Williams was a great guest of the town who was really interested in the goings-on.  He frequented the local shops and cafes and was well-loved.

The Toastworks Cafe, with its eclectic collection of old toasters, its marvellous coffee and buttery pastries should not be missed. There are several other little restaurants but this one is exceptional.  Most of the town shuts down in winter.

Toastworks Cafe.

We took another walk which was kind of straight up a hillside under huge trees. The Ore Mountain Trail had lots of fungi, virtually no signposts and no views. Uncharacteristically we gave up before we reached the top as it was starting to rain and we had no idea how far away the summit was.  Apparently there is a nice little lake up there. There are some other walks around there that we will try in better weather.

Getting Hyderized.

We will be back to Stewart for sure.  It is magnificent.

Meziadin Lake Provincial Campground . Back on the main road again, the first provincial campsite is at Meziadin Lake, a very pretty spot just off the road. The sites are quite close together and arrayed along a terraced hillside. There are just a few lakeside spots and we found ourselves on an upper bench with no trees and it was pretty chilly. there were a few electrified sites but they were all taken. Pit toilets and no wifi. Most of the people there seemed to be fishing.

The dogs went wild at the sight of a few bears along this road.  From that point on, Finn has spent every road trip watching for animals, bears, deer, coyotes, horses and buffalo all get him riled up.

Kinaskan Lake Provincial Campground  Our next stop was the lovely Kinaskan Lake which lies between two mountain ranges with views all around. This place was pretty much deserted although I believe it is busier early in the season.  No hookups but there is is cold running water throughout the park. We had our choice of lakeside sites. It was very quiet and the lake was still.  For those keen on canoeing, this lake would be perfect. There is also a full day hike heading into the mountains where one can see stone sheep if you are so inclined.

A bit smoky at Kinaskan Lake

The drive through this area is spectacular with mountains all around.

There are several little places to stop after Kinaskan Lake. Dease Lake lies along this road but access to it was closed due to fires.  There is also the little town of Jade City where you can visit the jade factory and watch them carve jade. Some interesting jade mining equipment can be seen. There is a picnic area at the pretty little Cottonwood River where we picked some highbush cranberries.

Boya Lake Provincial Campground  More correctly named Tā Ch’ilā Provincial Park, this is another spectacular park with a gorgeous swimable lake with mountain views. The lake is renowned for its clarity and spectacular blueness. Again we had a choice of lakeside sites and after a walk, we sat and ate smoked salmon and watched the light play over the hills. There are short hiking trails on either end of the campsite which took us through boreal foliage just beginning to change colour. We did both hikes. There are also canoes available to rent on the "honour system" but sadly it was raining in the morning we planned to use them.

Leaves already turning, late August

Smoked salmon and a lake view

Whitehorse 

Whitehorse is a pretty cool little northern city.  The campsites are nothing to write home about unless you are in a tent and then you can stay at the municipal Robert Service campground.  Worth seeing in Whitehorse are Winterlong Brewing just out of town, Yukon Brewing and Distillery.  Winterlong had the true craft brewery feel with probably the best $13 charcuterie board I have ever had. Their beers were very tasty. Yukon Brewing had much better beer on tap that they bottle and we really enjoyed their various hard liquors, especially their Two Brewers single malt whiskey and their Concepts First Cut Gin.  

Winterlong

Baked Cafe was a nice surprise, with great cappuccino and wifi. We also tried out Klondike Salmon and Rib for a treat. While waiting for our table to be ready, we went over to the Dirty Northern Bastard.  It was pretty busy and we sat at the bar where some old guy from a tiny town in Saskatchewan regaled us with tales of his road trip that involved a folk fest near Fort St John and other adventures.

at the Dirty Northern Bastard

Whitehorse has a very young outdoorsy vibe with lots of young government workers.  Not uncommon to see a Prius in this town!  With it's sizable population (in Northern terms!) it has decent grocery stores and hardware stores and as a tourist spot, lots of little crafty spots. There are lots of opportunities for dog walks along the impossibly green Yukon River. Also recommended is the Yukon Beringia Museum with some great dioramas, some art and a video presentation.

Atlin

Atlin is about 3 hours from Whitehorse on a good paved road.  A few frost heaves but decent. Near Atlin we stopped to buy smoked salmon from the Tlingit at Taku River. They produce a variety of tasty smoked salmon through their company Taku Wild.  You can order it online, folks!
Norseman Adventure RV Park, Atlin . 

The glacier fed lake is gorgeous and there are mountains all around. We stayed at a commercial site at the end of the lake, again with a lakefront view. There were three other people camped here. Internet is available one hour per evening.  A bald eagle has a perch on a light post at the campsite and sits watch every evening.  Float planes dock nearby and one flew in the second morning we were there to unload a shipment of fish. The owner was a friendly old fellow who started the campsite years ago. 





I cannot say enough good things about Atlin B.C. which lies off the main highway between Watson Lake and Whitehorse on full pavement. It's an old gold mining town which was developed in the early 1900s. It was also used as a resort by the Whitepass Yukon railroad back in the early 20s. The MV Tarahne was built in 1917 to haul tourists around the lake. Its active use was discontinued in the mid 1930s and it sat languishing for decades until a government grant helped to restore it. It now sits on the shore and you can tour it by guided visit in summer or attend the famous "Tarhane Tea"which is run by the Atlin Historical Society. There is a little marina there and lots of boats of various sorts.  You can take a walk by the old Atlin Hospital with is now a Glaciological Institute. Lots of interesting local history including the signposted story of a local spinster teacher who married an old bachelor and lived in a tiny shack on the lakefront.

The town is full of interesting old houses, many of which are owned by artists, artisans and summer people. There are several craft shop/art galleries in town, notably the collective gallery at the old courthouse. The talk of the town when we were there was that bears were coming through, eating berries in preparation for winter. While we walked the dogs we were advised there was one going through the dumpster at a nearby cafe, and sure enough there he was, tossing boxes and enjoying his date to the delight of many camera-toting visitors and locals.

Pippa near the Courthouse Gallery.

You could chill in Atlin for many days.  There are plenty of excursions and boating opportunities. Unfortunately we had a little trailer trouble so we had to cut our time short and head into Whitehorse for some repairs. Long story. Refer to my "inverting the axel" comment above.  I will note that we put an additional 10,000 km since having this done with no incidents.

Watson Lake Territorial Campground

Just outside the town of Watson Lake, down a long gravel road, is this territorial park. The territorial campgrounds in the Yukon are among the best camping deals in the country at $12 a night. Or if you are a yukon resident senior they are free. Or if you live up there you can buy a yearly pass for $50.  That's the same price as ONE NIGHT in a number of commercial sites in the U.S.

It was starting to be a bit chilly at night by this time, with temperatures hovering near zero. There were two or three others in the Watson Lake campground, but one group were in tents.  Very brave!  The sites here were huge and we started a nice fire. Then it started to rain.  

In the morning we found a hiking trail to the lake. It was pretty overgrown and not well signed posted. The lake itself was pretty but a bit weedy.  It presented some good boating opportunities. Next time we will take a boat!

Pips and Finn, Watson Lake

Local salmon and some Prince George Craft Beer at Watson Lake

From Watson Lake, we headed south via the Alaska Highway. We have driven it before and we did not dilly dally this time. Just basically drove and drove with a few stops en route.  

Liard Hotsprings Provincial Park

If you have never been to Liard Hotsprings, you MUST. About three hours south of Watson Lake, it is one of the most magical places on earth in my humble opinon.  Not great for dogs though as you must leave them in your vehicle as you walk the boardwalk to the natural hotsprings which have been created out of the riverbed in a large gravel pond. The hotsprings create their own microclimate with all kinds of ferns and orchids all around. In the super-hot pool, the challenge was to get right up to the edge and place a rock. There is also a colder pool and a stream you can float down, dodging fallen logs and rocks. There are clean change rooms. Take water because the hotsprings can really sap your energy.  There is camping here but it is frequently booked up. In fact, when we arrived just after noon, the provincial site was full.

Muncho Lake Provincial Campground

Muncho Lake

This is a great campground along the lake.  There were quite a few people camped here, mostly local people on their weekend.  We still got a lakefront site (most of the sites here are right on the lake).  The dogs really wanted to swim but they were not allowed.  Not just because it's against regulations but we really did not want wet dogs in the trailer.  Again, it was pretty cold at night.  Here we had a little late night adventure.  I had gone out to use the biffy about 4 am and did not securely latch the door.  The dogs went on a little walkabout and we spent 20 minutes or so searching for them. Of course, they were not far off, just scavenging for food at the next site- but by the time Len found them I had walked clear to the end of the campground. It was a beautiful clear night so I really didn't mind too much.

Alaska Highway
The drive back down the Alaska Highway takes you through some fantastic scenery.  Stone Mountain Provincial Park was a stopover for a picnic lunch. This is a very scenic spot with some good hiking into the subalpine and alpine meadows.  There were people picking berries all along the hillside. It was pretty cold, windy and a bit rainy so we just did a short walk and took a break but it would be worth overnighting.

Buffalo!

There are many abandoned gas stations and motels along the way.  I always wonder what their story is. Someone's dream that died. 

Racing River

The relatively new Northern Rockies Provincial Park, mostly just accessible by air and horseback, can be seen from the road. 

Northern Rockies

Buckinghorse River Provincial Campground

There was quite a bit of road construction and it was raining on and off as we continued south of Fort Nelson, so we just kept driving until we reached the community managed Buckinghorse River site.  It's advertised more as a "wayside campground" than as a full campground. The sites are a bit smaller and it was pretty deserted.  It was adequate for our needs but a bit chilly.  We did a little walk with the dogs but there was not a lot to see other than the small river.

We loved our short trip. 

We followed up with a six week trip to Montana, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington and plan to return to the north next summer.