Wildlife Crossing

As we were heading North to the Top of the World Highway, the portal to Dawson City and the Yukon Territory, we couldn't help but be a little sad that our time in Alaska was running out. Driving late in the evening, we started talking about how we were going to miss seeing Alaska's abundant wildlife on a daily basis. Nathalie clearly had given up as her lead foot made Eeyore whistle down the highway at a non-optimal animal viewing speed.

Just as our spirits were getting low, we were treated to another close encounter with a fox. This time, it was the red arctic fox. Nat, pleased with one final wildlife sighting, floored it again and reached near maximum speed just in time to hit the brakes again for the big cat in the middle of the road, the elusive lynx.

After learning in Denali that a lynx often runs away and then circles back to check you out, we got out of the van and tracked him down in the tall grass. As camouflaged as he was, we did manage to get a few pics and some video footage of the rare creature. Nathalie could hardly wait to watch her cinematography and made Brooks steer while she pulled out the video camera, simultaneously working the pedals. As Brooks watched the road and Nathalie watched the small LCD screen, a moose and its kid darted out ahead of us and we nearly had a freezer full of moose meat for the winter... Not a bad last hoorah for The Last Frontier.