Driving through the Yukon and BC

Every time I think Matt and I are "eye-full," we drive/hike/ferry through another section of extraordinary beauty.  This time, we were in Canada--specifically, the Yukon and a small section of B.C.  The Yukon is another over-the-top BIG land.  Maybe it is the lack of "human manipulation/presence" that allows the grandeur to be, well, MORE.  While driving down the road (the only "man-made" object in sight), Matt and I were assaulted by the beauty.  Yes, seriously!  I am surprised I was able to maintain a speed of 40 mph.  I don't think I ever understood the phrase--"beauty all around," until yesterday.  Much to Matt's chagrin, I pulled-over every 15 to 20 minutes just to get out of the car, stand in the middle of the road, and turn in circles.  It was 360 degrees of WOW!  (We only saw another vehicle, maybe, every 15 minutes.)
While ascending the mountain range, the mottled fall colors played across the landscape...

We saw 4 moose hanging out beside the road.

Once in the tundra, it started to rain.  The cloud cover just added to the beauty.  Descending, although we seldom saw the peaks of the mountains, we would occasionally glimpse the aqua color of glaciers and their black moraines...

Sorry, the colors are muted in this photo.

Just before the U.S. border, I almost hit a black bear and her two cubs running across the road.  Luckily, Matt had been on animal-spotting-duty.  (He earns $5.00 for a spotting a bear or sheep; $2.00 for a moose; $20.00 for a lynx or wolf...Meaning, he is a diligent scout!)  It was his screech that forced my attention back to the road.  (Yes, I was again gawking at the scenery.) It was my screech that forced Matt to roll-up his window when we pulled-over to spy into the brush where the family fled.  Even though the black bear was comparably small (to the grizzlies in Denali), I was not going to underestimate its strength!

We may have to spend more time in the Yukon the next trip north. I loved visiting Dawson City, with my Uncle Bill, in 1983... I think Matt would enjoy the rugged little town too.  That, and he would probably earn quite a bit of "spottin' money"!

Hope you are all well and happy!

Smiles and love,

Susan

My well-loved and infamous, Uncle Bill.  1983