Kluane Country

The “Kluane Country” Experience

My wife and I were on our annual September aurora hunt and we were making a big loop through the Yukon Territory. From Tok through Chicken, AK we entered the Top of the World Highway, hit Dawson City, Canada then dropped down to Whitehorse. It was a great week of road-trippin’ through autumn colors but we had yet to even see our first star due to the rainy, overcast conditions.

We were on our way back up the Alaska “Alcan” Highway when the clouds began to part. We set up camp along Kluane Lake northwest of Haines Junction and started cooking dinner while the night seeped in… and the stars entered stage left one by one; the opening act.

Moonlight illuminated the snow-capped Ruby Range in the distance but the real star of the show was the aurora. With a brilliant burst of energy she exploded onto the scene wearing a veil of multi-colored sheer draperies of light flowing across the sky and dancing on the water. It was by far the highlight of the trip deserving a standing ovation after a spectacular performance. Much to our delight the aurora returned for a curtain call then bowed and faded gracefully into the night. Encore!