We head north to start south

We are now starting our strange wandering journey to the end of the caravan.

NorCal departs Haines at sea level at 9:30 AM heading NW, a leisurely 171 miles.  But it is confusing because in a half hour we leave Alaska and enter British Columbia, a different time zone and different country; in another half hour we cross into the Yukon and proceed over a 3400 foot summit in dense fog to the Haines Junction and head east to the Otter Falls Cutoff where we camp.  It is a one-night-stand and the El Camino Unit is preparing a chili dinner at 5 PM for the group and it takes 10 minutes of a drivers meeting to figure out if this is Alaska time or Yukon time.  For reasons too complex to cover, we go with Alaska time although we will be in the Yukon.

After dinner we will set our clocks so we get up tomorrow on Yukon time and continue east, dropping briefly into British Columbia, then back to the Yukon and end up at Watson Lake YT.  We will then plunge south into BC, only to re-enter Alaska and a different time zone for Hyder AK, then back to BC and its time zone and south to Prince Rupert BC for the end of the caravan.  I told you this is complicated.

The reader cannot be expected to recognize it, but from Haines to Watson Lake repeats in the opposite direction roads previously traveled by our caravan.  So we are making progress toward home.  I think.

Haines Junction YT

Chili, prepared by Patty and her El Camino crew.

Otter Falls YT