May 14 - 31

Mat 14 - 31, 2013

I have been told that I have become a member of a local club, the tripping and flat on your face club because the other day I took a flat out sprawl on the road.  Damaged my pride more than anything, but the local woman who came to help said that everyone falls.  Boardwalks, which is all that is here in Dawson, are very uneven.  Then a couple of days later I met an elderly woman whose face was black and blue from top to bottom.  She had fallen and hit her face on the walk.  I at least salvaged that although both knees and my left palm took a beating.

Tuesday, the 14th, most of our group joined many other young people, mostly from Ontario, for a meal at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  Each Tuesday in May Dawson’s Churches take turns in providing a free meal to the seasonal workers who come to Dawson for the summer.  Guess they realize that it’s a long time until the first payday.  It is held in the Catholic Church because it has the biggest hall.  It was packed and the food was plentiful and good.  Moose stew, moosemeat balls, several different kinds of salads, pasta, Mexican rice and vegetables, buns, juice, and a choice of desserts.  When you get 50 people of the youthful variety the decibel level rises.  However, we were all fed well and everyone had a good time.

The Catholic Church where every Tuesday in May there is a free dinner for the "Migrant" workers in town.  I didn't consider us "migrants" but we went with the rest of our group anyway.

The Tripod on Yukon River with line hooked to Fire Station

The Klondike River broke (that is, the ice on the river broke), and we are all waiting for the Yukon to go.  I have waited a long time to witness this, and just didn’t want to miss it, so after supper at the Church we walked down to the river. The locals place bets on the exact time of it going, there is a yellow tripod on the river hooked up to a bell  which rings in the fire station.  It is a big event in town.  Weather is not cooperating at all.  The River usually goes out May 1-2.  However, even though a channel opened up a ways and the ice from the Klondike was rushing down the opening, we could hear the ice hitting ice and the river wailing and then all of a sudden seemed to hit STOP.  The ice had jammed the openings and nothing moved.  We stood and waited for something to give but after about half hour we decided to go home.

Wednesday, the 15th we were in the office, which is just across the road from the river, when our boss got a phone call around 3:15 pm that the river was going.  

Open water on Yukon River

The office was closed and we rushed to the river’s edge, and waited and waited.  Ice was moving rapidly but it came to a complete stop about 20’ from the tripod.  It was quite a sight for me.  The ice was racing down the river, jamming, pushing some pieces up and over others and then, as the night before, it came to a complete quiet halt.  About 3/4 hour later a channel opened up across the river and the ice came rushing through and I thought for sure it was going to go.  People on the river bank were excited.  All of a sudden movement stopped as that channel became clogged and all movement and sound stopped.

The hotel was putting on a BBQ for the staff at 5:30 pm so we left the river and went over to the hotel.  About 6:15 the river broke and we missed it.  All for food!

Here are more pictures of the river as the ice is in the process of breaking up.

Ice bunches as it is pushed from behind

Look closely and see the small pieces of ice in the open water in the foreground.  That was soon packed solid and all flow stopped.

Some person digging for something in an open spot on the river.  He is standing on the ice, and this spot had just bunched a few minutes before he walked out on it.

You can see the open water in two places across the river.

Rocky bank across the Yukon River.  Note chunks of ice pushed up in the flow.

See the birds (black spots) on ice and the open water

More ice breaking pictures

On Friday, May 17th the first guests arrived - 22 people from various places looking for a northern adventure.  Also Friday was our first payday.  

Saturday the 18th the second group of guests arrived around 4:30ish.  The morning was nice, Gordon had the day off and I worked from 4 - 8:30 so we went to Parks Canada Open House.  There were five properties they had open to the public that are not usually open.  The Masonic Lodge was open - first time in seven years someone told me.  What a magnificent building.  All walls and ceilings in the two storey building are tin.  We didn’t have the camera with us so no pictures.  The old post office was amazing with it’s 14’ ceilings,  & brass and beveled glass mail boxes.  I will be able to get into this building again this summer.  The Red Feather Saloon is open for Robert Service readings in inclement weather, so that too will be accessible.

After our Parks Canada tour we went home, it was getting very cold and windy.  At 4:00 I reported for work and the three Sales Reps went to the Sales Desk and froze from then until 9:00 pm when we were driven from there to the office to check out.

Gordon was to accompany Dawn on the Dome tour at 11:30 pm but it was snowing so heavily nothing could have been seen so it was cancelled.

Sunday morning I was in the sales desk by myself. It was -4C so I dressed as warmly as I could.  When I got there I was told I would be in the hotel lobby.  For three hours all I did was visit with people milling in the lobby.  Went to office, Gord came in, he assisted Dawn on a City Tour, shared the narration.  Got his first tips.  Tonight was a clear night so the Dome tour was on.  Gordon assisted Dawn again.  It is usually from 9:30 - 11 pm but they only had two guests so he was at home by 11:00. The guests got to see a bear which excited them.   It doesn’t seem late as the sun is still in the sky.  On June 21, at the top of the Dome one can see the sun set and immediately rise again, so I have been told.  We have also been told that one doesn’t go to the dome on June 21 because there are wild parties going on up there.

Monday, the 20th of May was bright and sunny.  Gordon and Kevin were doing the rest of their training on the City tour and had to be at the Hotel at 10:00 am.  Dawn asked if I would like to come along as I have the day off, so went to Discovery Claim with them, we stopped at Dredge #4 to look around as Kevin had not seen it.  In 2005 when we were in Dawson we had a tour through Dredge #4 and I was very impressed.

From there we went to the Dome - what a sight you see from the top of the Dome nearly 3000’ in elevation and can see the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers, Dawson City and for miles in all directions.  It was quite cool and windy up there, again didn’t have the camera, so will have to go back on our own.  Will go at night so we can take pictures at midnight.  Then on our way back into town we drove by the cemeteries.

In the afternoon Gordon went to get a jeep so he and Kevin could do a jeep tour and I went to the Museum.  I could spend a week in there just reading of the women who came north from 1880.

Most early traders and prospectors didn’t have access to thermometers, so they improvised.

• Quicksilver freezes at -40 F  (-40 C)
• Coal freezes at -50 F (-45 C)
• Jamaica ginger freezes at -55 F (-48 C)
• Perry Davis Painkiller freezes at -72 F (-58 C)
• St. Jacob’s Oil never freezes

Doesn’t that sound like a place you would like to spend the winter in a log cabin made with green logs and a dirt floor?

It has been a topsy turvy time for us, and we are not handling it too well.  The hours we were promised are not materializing, and other things are not good.  We realize the weather has a lot to do with the hours.  It is just not a good spring here in the Yukon.  Or at least, not a typical spring.  Hope it warms up soon.