Into the Great White North (Day 6)

Day 6

Jade City > Junction at Alaska Highway > Continental Divide > (124km) Teslin > Whitehorse

BC 37 > Alaska Highway

Road Quality: 9/10; mostly smooth, some minor construction, newly paved

Drive Quality: 10/10

The further north you go, the more rewarding the drive. We pulled out of Jade City under a rainy sky, the mountains rising through mist in every direction. The most remote portion of the drive so far, there is little in terms of services.

At the Yukon border, we stopped for the required photo of the Yukon sign. Signage here we found to be confusing, as it noted a 324km stretch with no services (disregard this, the furthest along this route is 120km).

At the Alaskan Highway Junction, Conservation Officers stop every vehicle. The Yukon is currently open for tourism to BC Residents only. Those traveling through Canada en route to Alaska have 24 hours to travel through the province and are not allowed to stop in Government-run campgrounds or parks. Each traveler has to log a plan, give contact details, and have their license/plate numbers tracked by the RCMP. The Officer we spoke to was incredibly helpful, we left our names and contact information and carried on. Fill up here, as the next gas station is around 120km at the Continental Divide gas station and RV Park.

All around you, spruce trees rise. The highway is clean, hugging the curves of the mountains, winding into valleys pooled with sunlight. The smell of wildflowers is strong and sweet, and the colors of the mountains play off the sky. There are several indigenous communities along this route that under other circumstances may be open to outside traffic but are currently closed. There are campgrounds if you need a stop, but plan for a long day. Given the rise and fall of mountains, it seems almost impossible to not run into bouts of rain. No matter the season, bring your warm weather gear.

Teslin offers a campground and motel if you don’t want to make the push through to Whitehorse, though the larger city offers far more in terms of hotels, restaurants, breweries and shops.