Yukon, how are the fires going in Alaska?

[pcann]

We will be taking our cruise to Alaska Sept. 5 and I just read from another person the drive to Emerald Lake was not good due to the fires. Visibility poor? She suggested reconsidering the drive from Skagway. Can you add any info or suggestions?

[Yukon]

There are still some fires burning in the central Yukon and Alaska, but the worst is over. Visibility in Carcross has been great this weekend.

 

Murray

[Yukon]

Here's what Lake Bennett at Carcross looked like on Saturday!

http://www.yukonalaska.com/7249.jpg and http://www.yukonalaska.com/7252.jpg

 

Murray

[JohnQ]

Murray,

Now that looks like living!! And you can make a living doing this? Where do we sign up? Or do we have to do a winter first?

 

Any special store in Skagway or Carcross to buy any smaller rememberances that has better prices or discounts? If we see a local pickup sitting on main street with lots of people around it, we will assume it is you and will stop and say hi. Until Labor Day.

[rduke]

We are just back from Alaska! The smoke was noticable at Skagway. But it was much worse this past weekend in Denali. We could not see any part of Mt. Mckinley much less the top. The other smaller mountains next to Mt Mckinley also were also hidden behind the smoke. The forrest ranger also commented on the lack of birds in the park since the smoke got bad earlier in the week. We did see quite a few bear, moose and carabou on our 8 hr Tundra bus trip into the park last Friday!

[Yukon]

John - my bank manager would probably tell you that I'm just goofing around, but it works for me :) Spending a winter or 20 is what it takes to really appreciate this world, though.

 

When it comes to shopping, low price = "Made in China". There are a few such shops in Skagway and 1 in Carcross (Caps 'n' Ts).

 

On the Labor Day weekend, my partner and I will be spending 4 days touristing in Juneau - taking the fast ferry over from Skagway, staying on the harbor at the Breakwater Inn, doing the tramway, the Gastineau Mine tour, whalewatching with 4Seasons and cruising Tracy Arm with Adventure Bound Alaska - and whatever else there's time for.

 

Murray

[kennicott]

It does look like the end is in sight. Weather patterns are changing so that the high pressure over the middle of Alaska, which has caused all of this, is shifting to the west. Concern is that high winds may result from this shift and cause more fire and smoke over the next few days but the end result will be much cooler temperatures and precipitation that will put an end to this worst of all fire seasons in the recorded history of Alaska. (Over 5.5 million acres burnt so far, more than Vermont and Connecticut combined) Here on the south side of the Wrangell Mts. we have been sweating blood for over two and a half months. Super dry and the forest is ready to explode. Fortunately, no fire so far. However, we have had lots of smoke which comes from the north over the top of this range. Most from the Tok area fires and the Taylor Highway fires. Having been born and raised in this neck of the woods I have to say that I have never seen anything like this before. I'm talking about dry and continuous days of high heat. Even the mosquitoes got cooked begining in mid June.

 

So, I predict clear sky and no smoke by the time you get here.

[Fireplug]

Sounds Good! We will be in the Copper River area in a week and a half!

 

Squid

[JohnQ]

Murray,

So you are saying to look for you in Juneau rather than Carcross? Your schedule looks a little full for a weekend. Sounds like our whole two weeks. Have a great trip and I guess we will just have to look where Yukon lives rather than meet him. Help put those fires out. We have way too many of them here in CAlif this year.