The Klondike Highway connects Whitehorse with Dawson City to the North. It is a paved, 323 mile route with the great Yukon River winding its way along side of it in long stretches. 
Not enough can be said about the Yukon River in terms of its size and its potential. One Whitehorse citizen lamented to us last year that the river hasn't been utilized by Canadians to the degree she felt it could be in terms of bringing tourists and entertainment to the region.
The Klondike has few spots to stop and rest, but there were some that were memorable. Moose Creek is a rustic stop with log cabins and a small cafe/office of sorts. At its front entrance stands a wooden statue of the most populous of creatures in that part of the world during the warm season - - the mosquito! Kay was one of its victims - - 
Women in the Yukon are gutsy entrepeneurs. Moose Creek is in the middle of nowhere - and not exempt from bears, moose, and other wildlife. Yet, it's human population is meager.
Autumn only lasts a couple of weeks in the north. And once it comes, the places to stop along the Klondike close down for the winter. On the way up to Dawson, we had stopped at "Penny's Place" and found that the little wooden structure that looked like a large firecracker stand had great ice cream and shakes. It also had an outhouse which was the real reason for the stop. By the time we returned a week later, it had closed for the winter - a true sign that snow was not far behind. 
But there is nothing like the Klondike Highway in autumn!
Nor the Yukon River!
Dawson City lies around 165 miles south of the Artic Circle. It built on permafrost and has wooden planked sidewalks and unpaved roads. We stayed at the Downtown Hotel which is a wooden structure that is painted red.
Although it looks somewhat uninviting in pictures, it is quite modern inside and is a lodging choice for tour companies. Dawson has fewer than 2,000 in population and once was the capital of the Yukon. It eventually lost its status to Whitehorse which became a center of trade, etc. But its "frontier" quality leaves it as an enchanting stop.
But is also has its own set of bureaucratic rules. Apparently the traffic is such a problem that folks must be directed in where to park on the half deserted main street!
One of the phenomena that we wanted to see on this trip were the Northern Lights. Unfortunately, clouds, rain and sleep prohibited us from catching a glimpse of this wonder. But on our way home along the Klondike, on a sunny afternoon, we were treated with the sight of a rainbow colored cloud overhead. We watched it for over 15 minutes and I was able to catch a picture which doesn't do it justice.
Although this wasn't the Northern Lights, we couldn't help but feel that this surprise was somehow related to that wonder.
