Woke up to a beautiful view over the lake and the moose were still in the water. Left at 6.15am and drove from our caravan park to the Poplars RV Park where we were to meet the other trekkers.
Steep winding grades again and then the road narrowed and wound around Muncho Lake. We had mountains to our right and the lake close by on our left. The lake was used as a refueling stop during the construction of the Alaska Highway. The road around the lake was a challenge and the workers had to cut through the lake's rocky banks and use horse-pulled stone boats to haul rock away. Today it is a popular tourist destination.
The Alaska Highway runs parallel to the Liard River north to Watson Lake so there were glimpses of the river through the trees. The river gave the engineers a natural line to follow during the construction of the highway. The Liard River Bridge which was built in 1943 is the only remaining suspension bridge on the highway.
Our morning tea break was at Liard River Hot Springs. This was the site of a major construction camp. The natural hot springs were used by the troops daily, and once a week they left, leaving the hot springs to the women in the camp.
The lunch stop was at Allen's Lookout where legend has it that a band of outlaws took advantage of this sweeping view of the Liard River to attack and rob riverboats. A small stone marker with a hand stamped plaque near the picnic area is dedicated to the Army Engineer surveyors of the Alaska Highway.
We then drove through Contact Creek where on September 24, 1942 soldiers of the 36th Regiment from the south and 340th Regiment from the north met, completing the southern section of the highway. The highway crosses the British Columbia and Yukon border seven times between Contact Creek and Mile 627, but Mile 627 marks the official border crossing.
We crossed many mountains again today which put the old vehicles to the test again, but the views were magnificent. We saw 4 stone sheep, lots of bison and wild horses along the road.
We arrived in Watson Lake mid afternoon and after a brief drivers' meeting headed to our respective RV parks where we are spending 2 nights. We are in the Signpost RV Park close to the World famous signpost forrest which is Watson Lake's best known attraction. The forrest was started in 1942 by a homesick US Army GI (Carl Lindley) who was working on the Alaska Highway. He erected a sign pointing the way and mileage to his hometown in Danville Illinois . This started a trend and others have followed suit and in July 1990 the 10,000th sign was erected. Carl Lindley and his wife visited the site in 1992, 50 years after his first post was errected.
One couple in the park had just arrived in Watson Lake from Alaska and said it was the only warm day they have had since leaving their home in Missippi in May. They have struck cold and wet weather along the way. We have been lucky so far!!!!
Watson Lake is known as the Gateway to the Yukon.
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