July 27 - Yukon Day 2 - Carcross Desert and Yukon Wildlife Preserve

Today I'm heading to the Carcross Desert (and the town of Carcross); it's southeast of Whitehorse on the South Klondike Hwy. 

The Carcross Desert, at 642 acres, is known as world's smallest desert --- well, technically, it's really a sandy bottom of a former glacier lake from over 10,000 years ago. Winds of nearby Lake Bennett keeps the sand constantly shifting and the "desert" alive today. Quite the oddity in an area surrounded by mountains.

If there's something as a "Good Weather" card, I definitely used it last week on the Glacier Bay tour. It's supposed to rain again today -  maybe I'll get lucky.

I start off and its mostly cloudy with some spots of sun - not too bad of a morning.

I'm on way east/south on the Alaskan Hwy. I see a Caribou Crossing sign -- I'm keeping watch - but no caribou and it's time to turn south on HWY 2 (South Klondike) - I turn right and head south toward Skagway.

I continue along until I see the turn for Annie Lake Rd. I see Anne Lake Rd mentioned so much I have to see what's along the road - sign says 21km, that's not too far.

I drive into a mixed forest area and there are lichen on the forest floor -- maybe I'll see Caribou here.

Its a dirt road and they are grating it this morning.

A little ways down the road, I pass over a bridge and I drive past a red fox in a ditch on the side of the road. He's caught breakfast, I see a tail hanging from his mouth. I brake and the fox looks up. I think he would have stayed but I have a car in back and when they pass me, the fox heads into the woods and trotting parallel to the road. I watch him moving behind tree after tree with his catch (it has a long tail so I'm assuming a squirrel) hanging from his mouth. Unfortunately, he doesn't stop and soon vanishes. My first wild animal of my trip - a Red Fox!

I continue through the forest, passing marshes and ponds. 

On a marshy edge of Annie Lake I see some ducks and 2 kingfishers.

I pass an Annie Lake sign at 21km but there are Private Property signs everywhere so I do not stop. I continue a little further before turning around -- enough of this exploration! (Got me a look at a fox!)

Back on the HWY, I stop at Emerald Lake -- it would, on a sunny day, be an Emerald Green. Although not totally sunny, the green is visible in spots.

The coloration is caused by the sunlight reflecting off a white layer of "marl" (white calcium carbonate clay) on the lake bed.

I'm back on the highway and I continue until I reach Caribou Crossing Trading Post. It's just north of Carcross and it's little tourist stop serving, I would guess, mostly the Skagway cruise ship passengers but it's open to anyone. I'm having their BBQ chicken dinner for lunch today -- just sounds really good. I stop just to make sure I know where it is and where to go -- I'll be back. 

It's the second mosquito sculpture I've seen in the Yukon.

I head off to the Carcross desert - which happens to be less than 1 mile away. I pull in and there's no one there - cool.

As expected, lots of sand and dunes. There are conifers (I believe lodgepole pines). I set off to explore climbing several dunes. 

It's a harsh environment but home to the rare Yukon Lupine (evolved in the sand dunes of the Yukon and Alaska)

the Siberian Aster.

The desert is also home to the Baikal Sedge (which I didn't notice) and at least 10 species of insects that may only be found here.

I climb up the highest dune I can find and look around. Hey, there's Lake Bennet to the west!!

I hear dogs barking and howling in the distance, I bet they are the sled dogs at the Caribou Crossing.

I'm getting hungry so I head back to the car and to Caribou Crossing for lunch: a BBQ thigh & leg, 1/2 baked (on the grill) potato, cole slaw, coffee/tea, bun and a cinnamon donut. It's really good! And since I beat the crowds (there's only a couple customers), I get to a nice conversation with one of the servers.

Outside I visit their 2 museums: one taxidermy and the other local history; and the animals. There are goats, alpaca, donkeys, a horse and, more importantly, the sled dog pups!!!

They are 6 weeks and 12 weeks old - so cute!! There's an older dog too. I thought it Mom to one set of puppies. But when the guy lifted the dog -- not a mom (oops).

I head over to see the sled dogs -- they are the barking I heard earlier. They are ready to run!

The cruise buses arrive and its my queue to depart - good time!

I make a quick stop in Carcross and then continue to head south following Windy Arm to the BC border and to the viewpoint at Tutshi Lake. It's drizzling now and visibility is getting low, time to turn around and head back to Whitehorse and the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. They have Muskoxen - an animal I've always wanted to see!!

The preserve is a little northwest of Whitehorse off North Klondike Hwy. It sits on about 700 acres and cares for 10 northern Canada mammals. The animals are in their natural environment and have tons of room to roam. The park has Elk, Thinhorn Sheep, Mountain goat, Mule deer, Moose, Red fox, Arctic fox, Woodland caribou, Canada lynx, and of course, Muxoxen. 

I set off to visit all of them.

Along the way, I see a Snowy Owl, Bald Eagle, Ground Squirrels, an immature Bald Eagle (that's not part of the park).

In a large marsh, I find the two moose (male and female) walking away from the water into the woods (hope this isn't my only moose for the trip).

In the marsh, there are many ducks and a Tundra swan pair with goslings.

I finally make it to my muxoxen -- the 2 males first 

And then the rest of the herd. Such incredible creatures from an age long ago. They don't disappoint!!

The trail thru the park is basically a figure 8, so I get to pass the marsh again. I looking hard to find the moose and finally but I manage to find the male. He's a large solid blob in the middle of trees.

On exiting, I stop to see the Wood Bison -- these are the largest land mammal in North America -- a male can way close to a ton. These bison are larger than the Plains Bison we have in the lower 48 and shaggier too -- must need the extra fur to keep warm.

There's a water vessel near the fence and I watch a female drinking. The rest of the herd is a 100 yards or so away. I start walking away and I see the large male eyeing me. I stop. He is really not liking me and starts walking towards me grunting and snorting. The female finishes her water and runs back past the male. He keeps coming towards me -- I think he wants at the water and is trying to scare me away. (If there wasn't a fence between me and him, I'd be gone already.)

I finally move off and he goes for a drink. And then runs back to the herd -- such a brave protector. :)

Well that was a fun day!