Planning-Yukon River cruise 2016

Interesting that you should mention Ben My Cree. In the early 70's we spent a lot of time on Tagish Lake and down at Ben My Cree, but when we bought a sailboat we switched over to SE Alaska for next 28 years. Once we sold the sailboat we found ourselves again back on Tagish and Atlin lakes and visiting Ben My Cree quite frequently. I'm afraid the changes to Ben My Cree since the first time I visited it over 40 years ago have not been gentle on the old homestead. http://hougengroup.com/yukon-history/yu ... -my-chree/
 
The guide book "Yukon River" by Mike Rourke arrived here several days ago & it's been interesting & fun comparing proposed routes by it to our other quide book "Yukon Channel Charts" by Bruce Batchelor with sat photos to determine which route, we will take. It's interesting to see the different routes they think are best. The sat photos have helped much in determining who's proposed route, we will follow & in some cases it will be different from either of their proposals. Also I've come across several areas where most likely the route will be, but have notations on the map saying extra caution needed & be ready for change from visual observation. It appears the most challenging navigation will be from the very braided section, where the White River joins the Yukon to very near Dawson, a distance of about 80 miles with the 20 miles below the White River junction, which also includes the joining of the large Stewart River, the most challenging of all. From looking at the sat photos in several areas the proposed routes are totally filled in by the ever shifting glacier silt from the White River & depending on river flow, bars will be hidden just under the surface by the thick silt in the flowing river no matter the chosen route. In some areas I've taken IPad photos of the sat map in series somewhat as Casey suggested for better detail when in some of these more challenging areas

As we don't have any charts or quide book routes for the 160 mile river area between Dawson, BC & Eagle, Alaska, I made a complete series of IPad photo copies from sat maps of that complete river section. The detail is poor for most of the area, but they will be better than having nothing.

With only 2 months now to possible departure our preparations are now fully underway even with the cold & snow still here in Wyoming.

We've decided to leave the Mokai at home this trip & instead will be bringing the RU 260 RIB with a just purchased Suzuki 2.5 hp motor. With the first stage of this trip involving much outside water running in the open Gulf of Alaska, off the west coast of Baranof & Chichagof Islands, where towing the Mokai could become more hazardous & no plans of river running alone in the Mokai, we felt the RIB a better choice. We haven't used this dingy since our 2004 cruise north from Prince Rupert, BC, so we were concerned about its possible deterioration, but with it having been stored 12 years in a cool dark basement, we found its condition to be near new. It's now inflated in the living room & our granddaughter Wrenny, thinks it's a great place to play with all her stuffies.

I purchased the new 2016 Suzuki 2.5 hp motor on the Internet from Cumberland Watersports Inc. for $760 with no tax or shipping fee. From my searching that's the best price I could find & if any one else is in the need they I believe have more available.

Jay
 
Hunkydory":1h9lnto7 said:
As we don't have any charts or quide book routes for the 160 mile river area between Dawson, BC & Eagle, Alaska, I made a complete series of IPad photo copies from sat maps of that complete river section. The detail is poor for most of the area, but they will be better than having nothing.
Jay
Click to expand...

Hi Jay
I'm hoping this is a typo but "Dawson, BC" will not make you well respected by most Yukoners, and though Dawson's present population would not qualify it as a city by most of today's standards, at one time in it's history it would have qualified as a city. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawson_City

One thing both publications on the Yukon River will not tell you as well, is that there is now a ferry at Minto Landing providing road access to the Minto copper mine. The White River and Yukon River area always makes for interesting river travel. Thankfully the price of gold is down or you might encounter a lot of river traffic in that area because of the large gold deposits found in that area in past years.
 
Yes AJF, I'm well aware Dawson is in the Yukon Territory not BC, but my two fingers tapping on this IPad don't always get the correct message out, probably something to do with all the trips through Dawson City, BC, while coming or going to the Yukon & Alaska. I can now add that to a few years ago knowing well the difference, bringing out the indignation of some fine folk in Oregon by writing, I had visited the Spruce Goose, where it resides at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in Washington state, so no doubt if I keep writing about my travels or preparation for them, I'll screw up the Province or State placement of even more locations in the future.

I found your information about gold mining near Minto Landing & boat traffic to & from there interesting & if gold prices do shoot back up will be on the look out for boats along with sand & silt bars in that area.

Jay
 
Great trip coming up, lots of shallows
You swapping your prop for a jet o/b? Had a buddy use to run a jet boat for a river cruise outfit, said it was a good fit
Have fun! You should see lots of critters along there
George
 
Hi George,

For the Yukon River, I would love to swap the present outboards for a couple jet drives, though I think the bank account might see red. Actually it would be even better for such a trip to being doing it in a complete jet boat. In 2003 the last time we had the CD22 on the Yukon River a fellow who spent lots of time on it then in a jet boat, advised us we would never make it from Carmacks to Whitehorse with the out drives we had on the C-Dory. It did work out for us then & we have confidence it will again with there in my opinion being something special about making this cruise in a C-Dory boat, but for sure we will be carrying extra props & we will be starting out with aluminum instead of the stainless we normally run now.

Present plans for 2017 include making the Friday Harbor Gathering, then heading north for the summer from there to the Pelican & Elfin Cove area. We sure hope to see you & Caroline either at Friday Harbor or on the way north or back.

Jay
 
With the day's quickly passing it's now only about five weeks until we hope to head out. The exact departure date of course depends on the SE Alaska & the road north area weather windows. We have been making progress in trip preparation with these being a small sample of what is now done with of course a very long list yet to do. The food staples costing $1200 now purchased & ready to load, Canadian shotgun permit printed out & filled in, bottom paint purchased & ready for warmer weather to apply, registered new PLB, new hand held & fixed radio's mssi registered, new life vest purchased, upgrade kit for Lewmar 700H windless & new anchor swivel installed.

For the Yukon River, JoLee while going through old books found three more guide books, I had picked up in past trips to the Yukon, that I had forgotten I'd purchased. That makes a total of 5 to sort through. I find the different authors perspectives interesting with each adding somethings worthwhile on the past history & present route choices.

Jay
 
AJF, thanks for another good information link. My understanding is the ice on Lake Labarge prevents going downstream for at least 2 weeks after the ice breaks on the river. Is that correct? We don't plan on leaving Whitehorse until after the ice is off Lake Larbarge. Do you know where I can keep track of it's going there or is that needed if it is pretty much a set time after the ice breaks on the river. As of now, I will be watching your provided link on river ice break up while cruising in SE Alaska & then start working our way back to Skagway a week or two after the ice breaks at Dawson.

Jay
 
Hi Jay,

You are a true pioneer. What a trip. Thanks for sharing so much. I caught the bit about the food staples. I am really curious about what and how you do that. Maybe in another thread, ( think I will start a thread about that.)

I did, and it is "Foods for Extended Cruising" and here is the thread:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?p=290878#290878

Hoping to see some of your info here in your thread or on the Food one.

Thank you,

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Jay
It has been an exceptionally warm winter here with below average snow fall in headwaters of the Yukon. Some of the headwaters lakes did not even freeze over totally, till very late in the winter. So it is very hard to predict if breakup will be earlier this, but lot of people are assuming that. http://www.env.gov.yk.ca/air-water-wast ... survey.php
You can also check real time flow rates for the YUKON RIVER ABOVE WHITE RIVER (09CD001) [YT] at this site. https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/mainmenu/r ... dex_e.html
Which is a good indicator for the Yukon River between Carmacks and Dawson.
 
AJF, again thanks much. I'll be checking those links while cruising in SE Alaska. Looks like flooding won't be a concern, but very low water levels making for even more careful navigation could be.

Jay
 
AJF, this 1949 video is absolutely fantastic & by far the best of many I've viewed of early Skagway, the railroad over White Pass, the paddle wheeler on the Yukon River being lined up Five Finger Rapids & something I never imagined I would see, the smaller paddle wheeler Tutchi, who's remains are now at Carcross going up Tagish Lake to Ben My Chree with the long dock there in good repair & the flower garden kept up around the resort when tourist where still visiting. The beautiful views shown along the Yukon River made us even more look forward to being back there in June.

We've been keeping a watch on the weather in Southeast Alaska & the road area from here to Skagway & are now planning on leaving here sometime in the next two weeks. I put the third coat of Pettit Hydracoat Eco bottom paint on today. We didn't like the bright light blue color of the first coat, so added a quart of black to the remaining paint which changed the color to a much more acceptable blue-grey then applied two more coats of this ok with one more to go. I was able to block the boat above the trailer to completely cover the bottom. This paint is great to work with & made a nasty job much easier.

Yesterday I turned the Delorme In Reach back on, so for those interested this is the link to follow along with us. https://share.delorme.com/JuliusByers This link is also located in my posting signature.

I dug out & we tried on our 30 year old survival suits, which are still in excellent condition. On this trip we will be out in areas along the open Gulf of Alaska, early season with even less other boats around, if any, than even in past years, so think their presence aboard worth the space they take up. The cockpit will be well loaded with the extra fuel, Honda Generator, extra rode, 2.5 hp Suzuki motor, porta potty, survival suits, rubber rain gear, boots, chairs & I imagine a few other items I can't think of now.

Jay
 
I'll watch your Delorme track when you leave home. Personally I think your jumping the season by a month. We will leave home in early June in the small motorhome....Winnebago 27B Brave. Maybe we can get together in the Yukon in June. Be safe out there. I'll turn on our Delorme when we leave home.
 
Brent & Dixie, yes we're jumping the season by at least a month, but we do know what we are getting ourselves into as we did it back in 2012 too. Having promised the kids we would be back in early July to spend some time with them & the grandkids this summer makes leaving early the only way we can be on the SE Alaska waters & make the run on the Yukon River too, this year.

Our cell phones are turned on for Canada usage & should work while in the Yukon at least in the Whitehorse area & we'll be keeping an eye out for you & the Winnebago & following your In Reach tracks.
 
Here in the Yukon it feels like we are a month ahead of our normal spring weather. If that has any relation to what SE Alaska weather is doing, well that it is hard to say. But we have open water on Atlin Lk. which we normally don't see until late May or early June. As with all small boat travel in the north watch the weather and give yourself a lot of time to be able to sit out the bad stuff. Then everything is hunky-dory. The end to regular vehicle travel over the ice bridge at Dawson. https://www.facebook.com/dawnkusugaak.k ... 797795575/
 
I've been been keeping a close watch on the weather between here & Skagway & also the waters between Skagway & Hoonah. It appears we have a fantastic weather window for the road trip & then the following day after arrival at Skagway clear sky's & calm waters down the Lynn Canal if we leave here tomorrow morning. These exceptionally good days are forecast to continue for another 3 days, so we are planning on a first time run into Glacier Bay, something we've avoided doing in the past due to the permitting process, restrictions & the number of other boats. No reservations are needed this early in the season & other boats will be few & far between if at all, so all we have to do is stop at Bartlett Cove, sign in & watch the movie before proceeding on into the inner bays. We're very excited about being off on another "Grand Adventure".

Also My friend & brother-in-law, Louie, has agreed to our suggestion of flying into Juneau in early June to go with us back to Skagway & Whitehorse. He will be driving the pickup & trailer to Dawson from Whitehorse, while we are going down river to there. After meeting us in Dawson, he again will be going with us on the boat to Eagle Alaska & then back to Dawson, followed by the trip home via his place near Amboy, Washington.

Jay
 
Jay,

Once again you are making me very envious of your plan for cruising this season.
All the best of luck to you and keep up the reporting.

Thanks,
Jack in Alaska
 
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