THE YUKON - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 683

Right downtown, Kluane RV Kampground (Km 1636 Alaska Hwy., 867/634-2709,
www.kluanerv.ca , tents $22, hookups $30-38) separates tenters from RVers but offers lots
of services for both. For in-town camping, the tent sites are pleasant, with lots of trees, and
barbecues and firewood are supplied. The sites with hookups come with cable TV and In-
ternet access, but don't have much privacy. Other amenities include a shower block, laun-
dry, car and RV wash, grocery store, and gas.
Food
Several of the downtown hotels serve meals, including—most notably—the Raven Hotel
(867/634-2500, 5:30pm-10pm daily May-Sept., $18-31). The menu here changes weekly,
but the choices are always varied and thoughtful. Considering the remote location, the own-
ers do a great job of sourcing fresh produce to go with lots of local game and seafood. Views
of the snowcapped peaks of Kluane National Park are a bonus.
Information
Haines Junction Visitor Information Centre (280 Alaska Hwy., 867/634-2345,
10am-6pm daily early May-late Sept., 8am-8pm daily July-Aug.) is a provincially operated
facility within the Da Ku Cultural Centre, which is filled with artwork and sculptures cre-
ated by the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations.
MM KLUANE NATIONAL PARK
The lofty ice-capped mountains of southwest Yukon, overflowing with glaciers and flanked
by lower ranges rich in wildlife, have been set aside as 21,980-square-kilometer
(8,490-square-mile) Kluane (Kloo-AH-nee) National Park. Although the Alaska and Haines
Highways, which run along the fringe of the park, make it accessible, Kluane is a wilderness
hardly touched by human hands; once you leave the highways, you'll see few other people.
No roads run into the park itself, so to experience the true magnificence of this wilderness
you must embark on an overnight hike or take a flightseeing trip.
The Land
The St. Elias Range, running from Alaska through the Yukon to British Columbia, is the
highest mountain range in North America and the second-highest coastal range in the world
(only the Andes are higher). Mount Logan, at 6,050 meters (19,850 feet), is the highest
peak in Canada. The ranges you see from the Alaska Highway are impressive enough,
but only through gaps can you glimpse the fantastic Icefield Ranges lying directly behind.
These peaks are surrounded by a gigantic icefield plateau 2,500-3,000 meters (8,200-9,800