With the home renos ongoing, it had been some time since Kayla and I had left city limits during the daylight hours. We decided to follow the clear sky out to the Kluane Lake region. We left home around quarter to 11 and meandered our way out.
The first stop we made was at the Takhini River just down the Kusawa Lake Road. The light was gorgeous, clear skies and the sun behind the mountains.
The snow on the branches was so cool!
The next stop was when we got into town. We wanted something warm to drink, and Frosty’s was open for us to grab a coffee and some fries for the road – I’d highly recommend!
We then stretched our legs the tiniest amount by the Dezadeash River, just enough to get down to the shore and grab some photos of the Auriol Range. Being here in the winter, you can actually get a better view because you can go out into where the water normally is!
Continuing on, we drove out to Kluane Lake. Sheep Mountain is always gorgeous from the pullout alongside the lake, especially when the sun hits it directly like this.
Unlike the last time I was here, the lake is frozen solid now.
I did remember to bring the digital camera, so here’s a more zoomed in shot:
I also love the view that this pullout gives you of the mountains down the Slims River valley. With the frozen lakeshore, it makes quite the scene.
I don’t often take the time to appreciate the wilderness that the highway was carved along between the base of the mountains and Kluane Lake, but it looked spectacular and was hard not to notice.
A new favourite shot of mine when the highway is dead is looking at Sheep Mountain from the road. It feels so imposing as you’re driving on this stretch (that is, when the wind isn’t kicking up too much dust!)
We stopped at Soldier’s Summit, which is always a great spot to stretch the legs and enjoy a view over Kluane Lake.
The ice of a small groundwater seep made some gorgeous reflections.
We finally drove out to Destruction Bay for some food, only to discover that we had arrived in between lunch and supper. Instead, we picked up some gas station snacks, some bingo dabbers, and a toque and hat with “Destruction Bay, Yukon” written on them and one of the neatest graphics I have ever seen!
On the way back we stopped at some different pullouts.
A closer-up photo of a plane flying overhead:
Focusing on the mountains further away:
And of course, a stop by the visitor’s centre (closed for the winter)
The rest of the trip home was uneventful, just a stop for gas in Haines Junction. This region is certainly one of my favourites, and part of why I love living in the Yukon.
