Yellowknife: City at the end of the road

Part one:

Yellowknife, the city at the end of the road in the Northwest Territories. I have many images to share of this unique community so will break it up into two parts. These are notes from my daily journal which I am so thankful I kept regularly, or I would be lost. We really enjoyed our time with our new friends and the time was a personal refresher for us, so the report is brief, so I hope you enjoy the images. Part two will feature a little more of what we discovered in and about Yellowknife.

Old town Yellowknife on Great Slave Lake.
Old town Yellowknife on Great Slave Lake.

Day 34 mileage drove today from Reid campsite to Yellowknife, called some friends that we met in Hythe, and are staying in their driveway tonight. They treated us to a nice meal and a tour of Yellowknife, also met their friend John. A lot of history around the diamond mines here and the number of people just squatting and not paying taxes living either in house boats or on lease land is surprising.

For some home is on the water spring, summer, fall and winter.
For some, home is on the water spring, summer, fall and winter.

Day 35 did not drive at all today, met with Wayne, Annelle and family and John this morning for a nice visit, they are all residents of Yellowknife. Had lunch and Wayne took Charlotte and I by boat up the Yellowknife River to the Tartan Falls by Prosper Lake, did some fishing catch and release. Enjoyed the hospitality and friendship of our new friends for the evening and stayed again in their beautiful back yard. Tomorrow we will explore a little more of Yellowknife before heading down the road, good people will be sad to leave, had a great time.

Up the Yellowknife River with our friend Wayne as guide.
Up the Yellowknife River with our friend Wayne as guide.
Best part for us no paddling Wayne was doing all the work and we enjoyed the scenery.
Best part for us no paddling Wayne was doing all the work and we enjoyed the scenery.
They call it Tartan Falls but at this time of year it's more like rapids.
They call it Tartan Falls but at this time of year it’s more like rapids.
Falls or rapids it was beautiful and calming.
Falls or rapids it was beautiful and calming.
Charlotte and Wayne did not catch anything at the falls.
Charlotte and Wayne did not catch anything at the falls.
I cannot even come up with a decent story on this catch. Think I may have played it too long.
I can not even come up with a decent story on this catch. Think I may have played it too long.
Poor fishing here today but the view was worth it.
Poor fishing here today but the view was worth it.
This fellow was waiting for leftovers.
This fellow was waiting for leftovers.
The river is claiming this abandoned boat.
The river is claiming this abandoned boat.
The Rock historical feature in Yellowknife.
The Rock, a historical feature in Yellowknife.
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The stairway to the top of the Rock in Old Town Yellowknife.
The stairway to the top of the Rock in Old Town Yellowknife.
Great Slave Lake and the harbor from the Rock.
Great Slave Lake and the harbour from the Rock.
A must see when visiting Yellowknife, the view is amazing.
A must see when visiting Yellowknife, the view is amazing.
Floating fish processing plant.
Floating fish processing plant.
Fishing a big part of the northern economy.
Fishing a big part of the northern economy.
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Transport barges all sizes.
They call it being at home on the water.
They call it being at home on the water in winter, they freeze in and become a remote offshore community.
Now anyone that knows me will understand this was my favorite, it was not for sale.
Now anyone that knows me will understand this was my favorite, it was not for sale.
A view of new town from the rock.
A view of the city of Yellowknife or new town from The Rock.
Aircraft and float planes are a big part of the transportation of goods and people in the north.
Aircraft and float planes are a big part of the transportation of goods and people in the north.
When building in the Canadian Shield one build where you can find a flat area on the rocks and access to it.
When building in the Canadian Shield one builds where you can find a flat area on the rocks and access to it.
Built on a rock.
Built on a rock.
Looking out over to the Great Slave Lake from the Rock.
Looking out over to the Great Slave Lake from The Rock.
Coming back down was a lot easier but well worth the effort.
Coming back down was a lot easier but well worth the effort.

Thanks for following along and welcome to our new subscribers, your interest is appreciated, and I feel my time is well spent our site is now over 15,000 views. Our next post will feature more about what we discovered in Yellowknife and images to go with it. The community has so much history we could not absorb it all in one visit and we short-changed ourselves this time so that leaves the door open to a return visit. Visit our blog again for part two on Yellowknife and more images.

I had a very interesting call from one of our subscribers, Wayne a fellow RV traveller from Saskatchewan, regarding truck campers and our travels. We love our truck camper and over the years have not found a better way for us to travel and leave a small footprint which readers of this blog can attest to. Wayne shared his impression of their recent travels into Alaska and the Yukon and tells me they enjoyed the Yukon campgrounds and scenery the most and are looking forward to returning to the Yukon and up to Tuk. We have kinda planned on the Alaska trip this summer so would really like your feedback from those of you who have travelled to Alaska in the past several years regarding costs, campgrounds, roads and perhaps favourite areas to see in general. We are torn between more time in the Yukon and or Alaska so any help would be appreciated. The best opinions are from those who have been there and done that. Drop us a note at gerry@studiowest.ca is probably the best way also text may work 306 229-4542

That’s it for this go round hope to hear from you or see you down the road.

Gerry and Charlotte

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