Chilkoot Lake and a tour of Haines

Sunday, May 24, 2009 – Day 24

We drove north of Haines along the Lutak Inlet to a state recreation area called Chilkoot Lake.  Absolutely awesome scenery along the way.  It was sunny and the temperature was in the low 50’s F and there was just a hint of a breeze. Chilkoot Lake was like a picture postcard; it was as clear as glass and the mountains were reflected in the surface of the lake.  It was so clear that if it were not for the line of the shore it would be almost impossible to differentiate the images.  We spoke with an elderly couple there who were just launching their kayaks to go for a paddle.  He told us he was 76, but he seemed as frisky as a teenager.  He apparently works for a company called Chilkat Explorers who do guided bus tours and rafting adventures in this area.

We had noticed a house on the way out of town a few blocks away from our campsite.  What drew our attention to it was the fact that it had a large totem on the front.  I walked down to the house to take a couple of pictures. While I was doing so a young man in his early 30’s came out of the house.  I asked him if it was OK to take the pictures and he said that it was perfectly OK.  I then asked him the significance of the totem.  I turns out that this was the home of Chief Ray Dennis who had just been married the previous day in a ceremony in front of the house. (See previous post - “Fort William H. Seward and a Tlingit Wedding”)  There were numerous rose petals on the ground indicating that something special had happened there.  As we continued talking he told me that he was a Tlingit Indian and that he was a grand nephew of Chief Dennis and that  they were members of the Salmon Raven clan.  That was the totem on the house. He told me how the Tlingit at one time controlled and guarded these inlets and passes for their trade of eulachon oil (It is also referred to as  hooligan fish or candle fish -  apparently they are a tasty,oily, smelt size fish that when dried will burn like a candle.) Their trade routes extended into the Yukon and Southern BC.  We parted ways and I returned to the trailer to find Janet impatiently waiting to go for a walk through Haines.

Haines is the antithesis of Skagway.  It is so relaxed here, everyone will take time to talk to you, whereas in Skagway it seems everyone is in a frenzy.  Did I mention that there are at least 20 or 30 jewellery stores in Skagway and perhaps two in Haines. Most of the jewellery stores in Skagway are owned or sponsored by the cruise ship companies.  They sell gems such as Tanzanite or Gold Quartz – that are not available anywhere else. Hmmm? 

I have been awed by the action of the ocean tides while we have been here and the harbourmaster took the time to explain to me how tide tables work and how this one boat seemingly raised itself out of the water for repair. He and others have advised us that when we get back onto the Alaska Hwy at Haines Junction, YT that we should be extremely cautious driving through the frost heaves at this time of the year.  I’m sure that Janet will be there to CONSTANTLY me remind of this.