I dropped this blog rather abruptly in April when my ranger job started back up. Living remote like I do, I had limited internet access. But my job ended Friday, and this ranger is rambling again. Follow my journey as I head south.
Traveling down the Al-Can Highway through Canada, one of my favorite parts of the drive is skirting the edge of Kluane National Park in the Yukon. Kluane is our sister park. Mt. St. Elias, the 2nd tallest peak in both Canada and the U.S., is shared by both Wrangell St. Elias and Kluane. They’re both part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the largest protected areas in the world.
But you don’t really see the most spectacular part of Kluane from the road. The really BIG mountains and glaciers are hidden by the Kluane Ranges. What you DO see is Dall’s Sheep and beautiful scenery as the road is sandwiched between the mountains and Kluane Lake.
The highway runs next to Kluane Lake for about 40 miles. It’s a big lake. In fact, it’s the biggest lake situated entirely in the Yukon.
But the lake is changing, getting smaller. The Slims River, THE major river feeding the lake, has disappeared, a consequence of climate change.
The Slims River used to run about 12 miles from the Kaskawalsh Glacier to Kluane Lake. However, the glacier has retreated about half a mile, and something called stream capture has taken place. Now all the melt from the glacier flows into the Kaskawalsh River, eventually emptying out into the Gulf of Alaska. The Slims River is no more.
This signals big changes for Kluane Lake and the surrounding ecosystem. Scientists estimate the lake level will drop a meter or two, affecting fish populations. Until vegetation gains a substantial foothold, the land near the southwest corner of the lake will be subject to substantial dust storms. Eventually, though new growth will fill in, possibly creating grasslands and meadows at first, bringing in a host of different plants and animals.
This isn’t the first time the area has seen dramatic changes. Like Wrangell-St. Elias, Kluane is a young, dynamic landscape, constantly evolving. About 350 years ago, the Slims River ran in the opposite direction, draining Kluane Lake into the Gulf of Alaska.
At that time, the glacier was growing, and a lobe dammed the Slims. This caused the lake level to rise about 40 feet. The lake waters cut a new outlet, going north – what is now the Kluane River.
What will the future bring? Will we be able to watch grizzlies dig for roots in the former lakebed within a few years? It’s possible! I look forward to experiencing the changes as I head up and down the AlCan each year.