Cycling Whitehorse, Yukon to Anchorage, Alaska via Dawson City.

Stage Klondike River Campsite to Dawson City.

One of the most epic cycling routes of the world.

Shortly before Dawson City, the appearance of the landscape changes again, this time dramatically: It is said that every stone has been turned over here in search of gold. Obviously, the stones were not only turned over: after looking under it the stones were simply unloaded again at the roadside. We drive endlessly through a desolate stone desert with piles of rocks, which nature is slowly reclaiming.

Dawson City has approximately 1400 residents, making it the second largest city in the Yukon. I am assuming that the number of inhabitants in winter is significantly lower, since the winter up here, about 150mi / 240km south of the Arctic Circle, is rather cold.

I'll tell you right away: Dawson City is one of the weirdest cities I've ever visited. All buildings are built in the historical style of the gold mining period, even new buildings are built in this style. Since gold is still being sought here today, it remains a gold mining town. You can tell: a gold rush is never really over. Unique is also: Dawson City is the only place where the annual Yukon Quest sled dog race stops, where proviant can be loaded on the sled. Keep in mind: the race is 1600 km long! So we do also replenish our supplies here, because in front of us are some lonely days on the Top of the World Highway and the next meal option for us is a few stages away. But before that, we dive into the weird world of Dawson City and take a closer look at it. In Dawson City you can experience something unique.

The bar at the Downtown Hotel offers a somewhat special but unique drink: here you can taste the famous Sourtoe Cocktail, a drink that actually consists of only two ingredients: a schnapps and a human toe. The story of the toe is quite simple: around 1920, a resident lost a toe in the freezing cold of the winter months, got zhe toe amputated and kept it in an alcohol-filled glass. In 1973, the toe reappeared when Captain Dick Stevenson bought a cabin in Dawson City and together with the cabin he unintentionally bought the toe. Then, on a long night with some drinks, he had the idea with the toe in the drink, called it Sourtoe cocktail and offered it to guests. Since 1973 there is the Sourtoe Cocktail and the club of the same name, in which you become a member by drinking a Sourtoe Cocktail.  

In the hights of the gold rush around 1900, Dawson City had all the amenities you could imagine at that time. The Palace Grand Theater dates from this period and was built in 1899 by "Arizona" Charlie Meadows and was one of the largest dance and theater halls in the region. Shows with solo entertainers, theatrical performances and dancers were combined with gambling in one establishment. Arizona-Charlie presented himself in the role of the show master and personally led through the show every night, should the show sag a little and the audience got bored, he picked up his pistol to cut a cigar on the stage with one shot, while the cigar was between the lips of his wifeMs. Mae, or simply bursting a glass that his wife was holding in her hands. These performances found an end after Arizone-Charlie shot his wife's fingertip. From midnight you could dance with the present young ladies for a dollar, alcohol and music were on until the morning. In short: Here too, the gold was mined directly from the pocket of the gold-seeking lucky miner. Today, performances take place in the theater that introduces personalities of the Yukon to the visitor in an entertaining way. The show and the restored theater are well worth a visit.