There are two ways to drive to Tok, Alaska from Whitehouse, Yukon. One route is north over the legendary Top of the World highway (via Dawson City, Yukon and Chicken, Alaska). This route is gravel and dirt road. Another option is the Alaskan Highway, mostly paved, many frost heaves and construction areas. After talking to many folks that traveled each route, we chose the Alaskan Highway.
We arrived at a wonderful RV park in Tok, Alaska, 2 days after leaving Whitehorse, Yukon on Friday June 7th. On Saturday we drove the truck to Dawson City via Chicken. Without the RV, it took us 5 hours to drive 180 miles. We applauded our decision to not take the RV after driving on the Top of the World Highway. The road was indeed dirt and gravel with many turns and steep ascents and descents. We observed many RVs and white-knuckle drivers navigating these roads.
We stretched our chicken legs in Chicken, Alaska, about 60 miles north of Tok. Gold miners settled Chicken in the late 1800s; and in 1902 the local post office was established, requiring a community name. Due to the prevalence of ptarmigan in the area, that name was suggested as the official name for the new community; however, the spelling could not be agreed on so Chicken was used to avoid embarrassment.
Dawson City, our goal, was the center of the Klondike Gold Rush. It began in 1896 and changed the First Nations camp into a thriving city of 40,000 by 1898. By 1899, the gold rush had ended and the town’s population plummeted as all but 8,000 people left. When Dawson was incorporated as a city in 1902, the population was under 5,000. To enter Dawson from the south, we needed to take a ferry across the mighty Klondike River, just as those first pioneers did. We were thrilled.
The Sour Toe Cocktail is a Dawson City tradition and is exactly what it sounds like: an actual human big toe that has been dehydrated and preserved in salt, served in a 40 proof alcohol cocktail. The original story was a man lost his big toe one winter, and his partner saved it in alcohol. So today a toe, (the original had been swallowed by some idiot person (IMO)) is placed in your choice of 40 proof whiskey, gin, or vodka. You must touch the toe with your lips as your chug down the drink. It is documented you will do anything on a dare (duh). Over 47,000 have taken the dare so far. We chose to pass on this venture. The bartender confirmed that people have donated their big toe to the bar, so there are a couple spares in the back just in case. (I knew you would be worried about that detail.) Oh, just in case you are wondering, neither David nor Karen drank, nor played with the toe.
