Tok to Whitehorse - August 6, 2010

The morning started out rainy as we left Tok, Alaska. The border of Canada is around 150 miles to the east and as we got closer the rain slowly let up. Good old dry Canada. The time zones change at the border from Alaska Time to Pacific Time. That seems to add an hour to the driving time, just an illusion. The distance from Tok to Whitehorse is 387 miles but it takes eight hours to drive.
In Beaver Creek, Yukon we stopped at the Visitor Center for a comfort stop and visited with the host there. He told us that the Taylor Highway in Alaska was closed again because of washouts. The Taylor Highway goes north from the Alaska Highway west of Tok. He also confirmed that the route south through British Columbia to Washington State, Route 37, The Cassier Highway, was also closed because of wildfires and smoke. We were warned about that closure back in Anchorage on August 1 at the AAA office.
That was not the way we would be traveling but we would be passing by the intersection of 37 and The Alaska Highway the following day.
From the Canadian Border to Destruction Bay, YT (look it up) the Alaska Highway is terrible. There are frost heaves, longitudinal (the long way in the lane) breaks in the pavement and rough patch jobs. The posted speed can be as high as 90 km/h but rarely can that be done. Many places the speed is reduced to 30 km/h due to the damage in the roadway.
From Destruction Bay to Whitehorse the road is better and the kilometers go by quicker.