Up the DEMPSTER!

While in Dawson City, we saw a poster for a birding weekend at Tombstone Campground, on the Dempster Highway (you know, the one that goes North across the Artic Circle to the “end of the world” at Innuvik).

Since we had come this far along the Klondike Loop, and wanted to say we’d been past the Circle, we decided to backtrack a bit from Dawson City and “do the Dempster”. Although the road is the subject of many a flat tire, broken windshield, major breakdown and other such horror stories, we found pulling the trailer up to Tombstone was a breeze. In fact, had I known the conditions were so good, we probably would have pulled the trailer further...

As luck would have it, we arrived late in the day, but the “good site god” granted our wish with the best slot, which included an opening right on the creek with a great mountain view behind.

Just up the road from the Campground is an awesome view of the entire Tombstone Valley, complete with frozen lake below!

As we walked nearby looking for the elusive Ptarmigan, I was intrigued at the diversity of flora close at hand. We missed out on the bird this evening, but knew we’d see it before the weekend was over.

The next morning we did a short birding hike, which I’ll cover in the next post, then decided to join a group going north, up the Dempster. I guess the light was bouncing off the giant clumulous just right, and attracted me to the beauty of the gray contrasting Ogilvie Mountains many miles ahead.

As we continued north along the many thawing creeks, we did spy several interesting critters out enjoying the spring thaw, giving them access to water and fresh food….

On the return drive, a lone red fox carrying what appeared to be a ground squirrel across the solid ice of another creek caught our attention.

Looking closer, we realized just how vast & thick this frozen slab was…..
And, of course, had to get out that an explore further!

The late afternoon drive back southward to the Tombstone area confirmed just how beautiful a spot this is!