The peaks are growing as we drive the road. Photo taken by me

We like to stay busy and take in as much as we can- this trip was no exception. We packed up our car after work, on a Friday night, for a last-minute adventure to head to the Nahanni Range Road. After a five-hour drive to Watson Lake, we set up our tent under the midnight sun in Watson Lake Territorial Park. From there we would head to the remote Nahanni Range Road the next morning.

Quick stop before we really head out on our adventure

This was the first time that we returned to Watson Lake since we first moved here. Of course, that meant that we had to do a stop at the Sign Post Forest to make sure that the sign we put up on March 5, 2020 was still there. It really was neat to see how different the Forest looks in summer versus when we put up our sign with a foot of snow on the ground. The day we put up our sign was absolutely freezing and it was a real rushed job done by brave Adam; as the pups and I stayed in the running car with the heat pumping. He got the sign up, we piled out of the car, snapped a few pics of all of us by our sign and then ran back to the warmth of our still running car. Poor Penny shivered for quite a while after that adventure- this summer experience was much more enjoyable. We took the time to look at a lot of the unique signs people had put up and were overjoyed to see that Adam’s hard work paid off- our sign was still hanging! In the shape of a dog bone, our sign reads “The Lucianos 2020 Ottawa” made by my very talented father. I won’t go any further into details- just in case I decide to write a whole blog about the Sign Post Forest. It is a must see if you are ever in the area.

On the Road Again

We headed out of Watson Lake on the Robert Campbell Highway- our next turn was onto the Nahanni Range Road. The sun was already out and drying the landscape from the rain the night before. We saw multiple moose crossing the highway in different places. Already, you feel like you are in a remote land. Not a single car passed by us as we made our way to our turn. We eased onto the Nahanni Range Road and the typical remote road warning sign is present: “Travellers will encounter: no services, narrow winding road, limited visibility, one lane bridges and steep grades. The use of chains is recommended. Reduce speed and travel with caution”. The Nahanni Range Road is a 194 km dead end road that actually ends in the Northwest Territories at a gated mine. We were ready for anything! We packed our filled jerrycan on our roof rack and were ready for an adventure. As we began the road, we were pleasantly surprised by the decent shape it was in- for a remote road. A few kilometers in, we saw our first and only bear on this road. The healthy-looking black bear was just out for a Saturday morning stroll on the road and slowly made his way off the road to vanish into the scrub as we approached. It will never stop amazing me how easily bears can disappear- always a good reminder! We passed porcupine upon porcupine as we made our way. At kilometer 84 we turned into the Nahanni Range Territorial Campground and were the only ones there. The sun was still shining and the snow-capped mountains surrounded us on all sides. This was one of those frequent moments that you breathe in and remind yourself that you live in this amazing territory and cannot picture yourself living anywhere else.

No gas station here

We decided to continue our journey without setting up a camp first- just in case we needed our gear along the way. The views just kept getting more and more spectacular as we drove. There were always mountains in view and the landscape was speckled with lakes and lots of running water- causing some small falls as the mountain run off was still flowing in full force. The trees eventually give way to the scrub as you gain elevation. We pulled over to fill up our gas tank using our full jerrycan; ensuring we had enough fuel to finish the whole road and make it back to Watson Lake- the closest gas station. We continued driving and the mountains kept getting larger, the road gets more windy and there are no guard rails. There definitely are some steep cliff drop-offs that might make this drive difficult for people with fears of heights. Our car climbed to 1560 meters above sea level as we made our way around the mountains. Luckily, we did not encounter a single vehicle in this area. I have no idea how you would handle it if you did. Then you start to go back down into the valley you could see from above. My phone adjusted the time as we technically had entered the Northwest Territories, but does it really count if there isn’t a sign welcoming you to the NWT? Adam and I had been so excited to check off another territory that we have been to, that it almost felt like we were cheated on this one. Now, I am down to just one province left and Adam and even Amy have only one province and one territory left to mark off. We made it to the gates of the mine- the end of the road. We turned the car around, but decided to spend some time letting Amy play in one of the nearby lakes before we drove back to the campground. The air just smells fresher in the middle of no where- even with bear scat right beside your boot.

Camping out

We made our way back to the Nahanni Range Territorial Campground and to our surprise, there was actually someone else there! During our whole travels, we only encountered one car and it belonged to this same gentleman and his dog. After setting up camp and getting a fire going, using the skills I learned through my Winter Survival Camp (click here for that blog), the fella and his dog joined us for some distanced chatting and a beer. One of the many things I love about the Yukon is that everyone has so many stories and they are always so entertaining! We chatted well into the evening and only when the sun produced a gorgeous midnight sunset, did we wrap things up. We awoke the next morning to a bit of rain and the surrounding mountains hidden by clouds. We packed up in the light rain and began our long drive back to Whitehorse. Adam was driving and miraculously, he managed to spot our very first wild lynx on the Robert Campbell Highway, hiding on the edge of the tree line. Adam managed to stop the car without startling it and even got a picture. They blend so well! After over a year in the Yukon, we finally got to see a lynx- we were overjoyed!

Home Stretch

Adam likes to tell me “home stretch” when I’ve had enough of hiking or just travelling in general. I tend to get a bit grumpy when things go on too long- like some of our hikes and our road trips. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing these activities, but sometimes the novelty does wear off. There’s no way I’m alone in this! At times when he says this, I know we still have hours or kilometers to go. It’s not actually reassuring like it once was. This was a spectacular road trip, but adding an extra day or two would have made it much more enjoyable. We spent over 24 hours driving from Friday night until early Sunday evening. We saw 46 porcupines, 6 moose, 5 black bears, 1 beaver, 1 caribou and 1 lynx- plus we also made it into a new territory. Quite the weekend, but exhausting! I highly recommend the drive, but suggest you add a day or two to really explore this remote beautiful area of the Yukon. We will be back, but not as a last-minute-squeezed-in weekend trip.