Dawson Creek (and the best little bar that wasn't)

We wandered all over the downtown area, or what we assume was one, for an hour looking for "this great place, with lots of ambiance and great food, and lots of local color." Not exactly a description one can google and come up with an address, but Ward couldn't remember the name, and it had been ten years since he had last been through here. Giving up, we had an unremarkable meal elsewhere and then hit the hotel bar to chat up the bartender to see if she knew anything about it. Turns out, the place was called The Alaska, and it was in a nearly 100-year old building, and it burned to the ground last fall, taking most of the character of Dawson Creek with it.

Where The Alaska used to be

What Dawson Creek lacked was more than made up for the next night in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon Territory and half-way Alaska-Canadian Highway. Had a fabulous gourmet dinner at the the Wheelhouse named in honor of the town's stern wheeler tradition that continued right up into the '50's.

The Klondike, the largest stern wheeler built with a draft of just 4 feet

To get to Whitehorse (a five hour flight), we followed the highway to Fort Nelson, and then the Liard River into the Canadian Rockies, before rejoining it later. One thing Dawson Creek did have was a wonderful little museum on the building of the Alaskan-Canadian highway. After flying through the mountains, I have a new appreciation for what those men accomplished in just over 8 months (March to November 1942). Here's what I mean:

Following the River Liard as it cuts through the foothills

Joining back up with the highway to follow it into Whitehorse

And just in case anyone is interested, here is my husband's pride and joy, our trusty steed on our journey, our Beech Bonanza.