We barreled through the 490 miles between Chitna and Haines Junction in one long day, bopping to lots of U2 on the iPod.We did stop at the Wrangell-St. Elias Ranger Station at Slana, AK, but dang, it was closed.
Other signage nearby indicated not everyone shared our excitement about National Parks, and we're still puzzled by the rebel flag.
Only the stretch from Glenallen to Tok was new to us. We then cruised past familiar Alaska Highway road construction and Kluane, finally arriving at good old Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Canada. The Raven had no vacancies this Friday night, so this time we stayed at the clean but uninspiring Stardust Motel.
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| Road construction slowed us down in a few places |
The next morning we got going fairly early with only 240 miles to Haines, Alaska. Mike had learned on our way to Fairbanks that the Haines Highway was supposed to be stunning, and we were not disappointed. It was rugged mountains, good weather, and fireweed all the way down to the Dalton Cache border crossing back into Alaska.
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| Mike with Fireweed and the mountains of the Chilkat Pass |
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| Mountains along the Haines Highway |
Just north of Haines we spent a little time at the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve where hundreds and sometimes thousands of Bald Eagles congregate from October to February.
Soon we arrived in jaw-droppingly beautiful Haines, where we spent three marvelously sunny and haze-free days.
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| Chilkat River, just north of Haines, AK |
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| Mountain backdrop behind Haines, Alaska |
Here's a map of the drive from Chitina to Haines Junction and on to Haines.
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