These pictures are not actually in Kluane, but they were taken on the way to and from the park and so are included in this adventure.

Naturally, I had needlework with me. Motion sickness prevents me from doing much in a moving vehicle, but my fidgety hands need something to do at stoplights and such. (Okay, not one stoplight on this trip unless you count the open/closed lights on the lanes at the border station.) I also preach that we needleworkers need to be seen in public doing needlework to invite and encourage others to participate, to demonstrate the ease and coolness of the sport, to share the joy, spread the love, grow the interest, and all that. This is proof that I practice what I preach. The gray jays were impressed, I think.

So…Where’s Jen Stitching? (Where’s Waldo with a embroidery twist, get it?) Any ideas?

Answer: Million Dollar Falls. (I’m sensing a future contest in this. Hint, hint.)

Some sun, some clouds, and the road to Champagne, Yukon. (A place in this case, not a beverage.)

The Takhini River out of Kusawa Lake. Beautiful, clear mellow river, perfect for these whitewater-wimps. We didn’t float it, but we will someday. It’s a sandy, sage-y area, which seems out of place surrounded by alpine tundra and spruce forests.

Otter Falls. There’s a dam upstream altering the water flow here. Nice rocks, though, and rumor has it there’s good fishing below the falls.

We got on the water again, taking the Kathleen River to Rainbow Lake. Clear, clear shallow water in the river, and a whole city of lake trout, maybe some rainbows, and grayling where the river meets the lake. Mike wasn’t fishing, but he wished he was. Rainbow Lake was also clear and often shallow. We saw moose tracks on the sandy bottom!

It had rained the previous night. Check out the termination dust (new snow) on the mountains. Winter isn’t far off.

Fishermen were up and on the Kathleen River by the time we paddled back. I don’t know if we could have paddled upstream or not, but we didn’t even try. Mike lined the canoe up in shallow water, I walked the bank (I only had knee-high boots), and we ferried across the river back to where the car was parked.

The weather made for dramatic scenery on the long and lovely drive home. The highway circles around Mt. Sanford, and we had great views of it the whole time. From this angle, we think it looks like Denali from the north side.

It was a peaceful beautiful adventure.