July 10,2009

We left Skagway at 7am after getting our place in line at 5am.  Otto and Spoon rode in the RV while Conrad and I strolled the deck and then ate breakfast.  It was an hour ride to Haines.  The mountains that we saw all around us were again the most wonderful.  Tall and covered with snow and glaciers.  We saw 2 orcas swimming in the fjord leading to Skagway.  The approach to Haines was quite a view.  The fort sits on a hillside looking over the bay.  White army buildings and green grass.  The town of Haines is much different than Skagway.  A small fishing town or village.  Things are lush and green and the air is cool and moist.  Wonderful.  We headed up the Haines highway along a large river.  Most of the rivers are as large as the Yellowstone.  The valley was a First Nations land and had been for years.  There were rest areas where we got a history of the First Nations.  The pass was only about 4000 feet but it was above timberline and very beautiful.  Snowy mountains again with glaciers.  As we came down the east side the flora changed and things became drier and reminded me of Yellowstone with bigger rivers, and mountains.  We saw no animals.  We camped on the shore of Klune Lake at the base of the Klune Mountains. There we folks from Montana camping there too.