VIf.rocky Mountains - Yukon

8/3/2019 VIf.rocky Mountains - Yukon

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/vifrocky-mountains-yukon 1/81

NORTH AMERICANNORTH AMERICAN

REGIONSREGIONSVI. Rocky MountainsVI. Rocky Mountains

f. Yukonf. Yukon





KeyKey

RedRed--Term to define and rememberTerm to define and remember

YellowYellow--Place to locate and rememberPlace to locate and remember

Bright GreenBright Green--Agricultural productAgricultural product(crop), resource or another thing to(crop), resource or another thing tolocate and rememberlocate and remember

White andWhite and BlueBlue -- NarrationNarration toto helphelpunderstandingunderstanding



The Alaska HighwayThe Alaska Highway



The Rocky mountains are lower in theThe Rocky mountains are lower in thefar north of British Columbia.far north of British Columbia.



At this point . . .At this point . . .





Despite the cinnamon color, this is aDespite the cinnamon color, this is ablack bear.black bear.



Traffic Jam on the Alaska HighwayTraffic Jam on the Alaska Highway

Note the type of vehicles thatNote the type of vehicles thattravel the Alaska Highway.travel the Alaska Highway.



Jam caused by road construction.Jam caused by road construction.

The entire route is paved.The entire route is paved.

While you¶re stopped you can check outWhile you¶re stopped you can check outthe sheer rock walls. . .the sheer rock walls. . .



Stone SheepStone Sheep



A Variety of A Variety of Bighorn SheepBighorn Sheep



The ewe and her lamb are here for the . . .The ewe and her lamb are here for the . . .

. . . minerals (salts) along the road.. . . minerals (salts) along the road.



We reach the capital of theWe reach the capital of the YukonYukon Territory. . .Territory. . .

WhitehorseWhitehorse

Even in this faraway place!Even in this faraway place!

(Population = 28,674)(Population = 28,674)

(Pop. = 21,405)(Pop. = 21,405)



What¶s heWhat¶s hedoing?doing?

They were celebrating theThey were celebrating thecentennial of thecentennial of the

Gold RushGold Rush



Highway #2 to Dawson CityHighway #2 to Dawson City

(Alaska Highway is #1)(Alaska Highway is #1)

(There are 11 altogether.)(There are 11 altogether.)



533 km to533 km toDawson CityDawson City



TheThe Yukon River . . .Yukon River . . .

. . . carries a lot of silt.. . . carries a lot of silt.



Five Fingered RapidsFive Fingered Rapids

This rapids is theThis rapids is the head of navigationhead of navigationof the Yukon River.of the Yukon River.



Carmacks, the only town on the roadCarmacks, the only town on the roadbetweenbetween WhitehorseWhitehorse andand Dawson CityDawson City..



The last bridge across the Yukon: noneThe last bridge across the Yukon: nonefor the next 1800 miles.for the next 1800 miles.



Typical Alaska Highway travelersTypical Alaska Highway travelers



The Dempster Highway (5)The Dempster Highway (5)

150 miles south of the Arctic Circle150 miles south of the Arctic Circle

Here the timberline is near sea level.Here the timberline is near sea level.



The Ogilvie MountainsThe Ogilvie Mountains



June 20June 20thth

Temp. = 45Temp. = 45°°

Light rainLight rain

windywindy

Notice the ice in theNotice the ice in theriver valley.river valley.





The hike to the summit was tiring.The hike to the summit was tiring.



How to cross the YukonHow to cross the Yukon





It¶s a big river!It¶s a big river!



Camping on the YukonCamping on the Yukon



Dawson CityDawson City(pop. 2019)(pop. 2019)

Klondike RiverKlondike River



DawsonDawson began in thebegan in the KlondikeKlondike gold rushgold rushof 1898 when they built cabins like . . .of 1898 when they built cabins like . . .Sod roof Sod roof

cachecache

The famous writer . . .The famous writer . . .lived here.lived here.

Jack LondonJack London



The poet, Robert Service, lived here.The poet, Robert Service, lived here.

He wrote poems like:He wrote poems like:



The old DanceThe old DanceHallHall



The old Courthouse (now a museum)The old Courthouse (now a museum)



OldOld

storefrontsstorefronts



This is one of the few parts of This is one of the few parts of North America where a 4North America where a 4--wheelwheel

drive vehicle makes sense.drive vehicle makes sense.



What¶s this?What¶s this?

It¶s an electricIt¶s an electricplug which isplug which is

used in winter toused in winter toheat the engineheat the engine

block. Thisblock. Thisallows theallows the

vehicle to startvehicle to startinin --6060°°

temperature.temperature.



The old churchThe old church



The new churchThe new church



A typical streetA typical street

Most of the streets areMost of the streets are

gravel because of . . .gravel because of . . .permafrostpermafrost

Def.= Permanently frozen ground.Def.= Permanently frozen ground.



Notice that there is aNotice that there is acrawl space below thecrawl space below the

modern house.modern house.If the house sits directly on the ground theIf the house sits directly on the ground the

permafrostpermafrost will melt from the heat of the house.will melt from the heat of the house.



And the building may collapse.And the building may collapse.



!?!?!?!?





On Dome Mtn.On Dome Mtn.

TheThe Yukon RiverYukon River isisopen river all the wayopen river all the way

to the BeringSea.to the Bering

Sea.



At 1980 miles theAt 1980 miles the YukonYukon is theis thefourth longest river in Northfourth longest river in NorthAmerica and theAmerica and the fifth largestfifth largest

flow volume of ANY river onflow volume of ANY river onearthearth.. DawsonDawson lies 1500 mileslies 1500 milesfrom its mouth at the Beringfrom its mouth at the Bering

Sea near Nome.Sea near Nome.

During it¶s heyday river boats madeDuring it¶s heyday river boats made

the trip to Nome during the summer.the trip to Nome during the summer.



Many riverboats wer e Many riverboats wer e

abandoned after the goldabandoned after the goldrush abated, and the rush abated, and the

railroad r eached Dawson.railroad r eached Dawson.











What¶s happening here?What¶s happening here?

Every year fires burn the forests in theEvery year fires burn the forests in theYukonYukon. The. The DawsonitesDawsonites are used to theare used to thesmell of smoke.smell of smoke.

This is what a forest fire looks likeThis is what a forest fire looks like



This is what a forest fire looks like.This is what a forest fire looks like.

Local people look forward to harvesting theLocal people look forward to harvesting the



Local people look forward to harvesting theLocal people look forward to harvesting thetrees for firewood after the fire.trees for firewood after the fire.



You would needYou would need A LOTA LOT of of

firewood to get you throughfirewood to get you throughthethe YukonYukon winter.winter.



At the timberlineAt the timberline



There¶sThere¶s goldgold in them thar hills.in them thar hills.



Bonanza CreekBonanza Creek



There¶s still gold fever.There¶s still gold fever.



Take someTake somegravel.gravel.

Swish it around.Swish it around.

Maybe theMaybe theheavier gold willheavier gold will

be in the pan.be in the pan.



Probably NotProbably Not

Pl Mi iPl Mi i



Placer MiningPlacer Mining

Dig into the gravelDig into the graveldeposits.deposits.

Melt theMelt the permafrostpermafrost bybyburning wood in theburning wood in thehole (³fire in the hole´).hole (³fire in the hole´).

Bring the gravel to theBring the gravel to thesurface and put it in thesurface and put it in thesluice boxsluice box..

Rinse it down theRinse it down the

riffles with lots of water.riffles with lots of water.GoldGold will collectwill collectdownstream of the firstdownstream of the firstfew riffles.few riffles.



Or you could use aOr you could use adredgedredge..



Rotating bucketsRotating bucketsscoop up the gravel.scoop up the gravel.



Then the floatingThen the floating dredgedredge sifts the gold dustsifts the gold dust



Then the floatingThen the floating dredgedredge sifts the gold dust. . .sifts the gold dust. . .

. . .while depositing the. . .while depositing the tailingstailings behind it.behind it.



Placer MiningPlacer Mining has left manyhas left many

reminders in thereminders in the KlondikeKlondike..



Bonanza Creek drainageBonanza Creek drainage

is scarred by the mining.is scarred by the mining.

And theAnd the KlondikeKlondikevalley has wormlikevalley has wormlike

piles of tailings.piles of tailings.



ModernModern Placer MiningPlacer Mining isis

on a smaller scale.on a smaller scale.Sluice boxSluice box

Even with modern pollution control lawsEven with modern pollution control laws

mining messes up the creek valley.mining messes up the creek valley.



tailingstailings

L iL i DD i th µTi th µT



LeavingLeaving DawsonDawson via the µTopvia the µTopof the World Highway¶ of the World Highway¶

Back in the USABack in the USA



Back in the USABack in the USA



TheThe Brooks RangeBrooks Range in Northern Alaskain Northern Alaskais an extention of the Rockies.is an extention of the Rockies.



North of theNorth of theBrooks RangeBrooks Range

the North Slopethe North Slopeis a tundra plainis a tundra plainthat runs downthat runs down

to the Arcticto the Arctic

Ocean. . .Ocean. . .



With meanderingWith meanderingrivers.rivers.



BraidedStreamsBraided

Streams

Rivers with manyRivers with manyinterwoven, siltinterwoven, silt--filled channelsfilled channels



A single isolated settlementA single isolated settlement

Perhaps it is associated with the oil industryPerhaps it is associated with the oil industryin Prudhoe Bay.in Prudhoe Bay.



DawsonDawson

WhitehorseWhitehorse

YUKONYUKON



NORTH AMERICANNORTH AMERICAN

REGIONSREGIONS

VI. Rocky MountainsVI. Rocky Mountains

f. Yukonf. Yukon

The End

Documents

VIf.rocky Mountains - Yukon