FARO, “Yukon’s best kept secret” Really!

We head out toward Faro and Ross River, again under blue skies.  We weren’t certain what we wanted to do.  It was our intention to travel the Campbell Highway all the way to  Watson Lake.   However we were distracted by the Canol Road north and Canol Road south.  They sounded interesting and might travel through pretty country, but they were gravel, and well,…… Demspter was just too fresh in the memory. We had decided to head to Faro and then get more information. 

Small old truck used by Anvil Mine in the 60's

 Faro is a town with population 341, it is a former mining town, lead–silver and zinc, one of the world’s largest open-pit mines.  Since 1998 it has been in reclamation status.  Faro  is the cleanest, best maintain town we have seen through our travels.  Beautiful parks, lots of flowers,  and well maintained lawns everywhere.  They have an urban 9 hole golf course, dispersed through out the city.

Faro Golf Course, downtown

For a small town, they had incredible services, recreation centre with indoor swimming pool, a library, school, bank, post office, liquor store.  The   City seems to run everything and everyone seems to work for the city.  We headed to the Faro Interpretive Centre, for some information.   I had some business to take care of, and needed to print, fax etc.    Henry is meanwhile checking out tires and finds one totally out of alignment and worn down to the metal.  Oh no. So I go ask where there is mechanic.  Well the only mechanic is Kerry and he works full time for the city of Faro so we would have to wait till 4:30 when he should be off work.   The next community Ross River is a bit smaller and also has no mechanical services.  Great.   

Since the town is small, we run all our errands by foot, city hall for fax, post office and bank. Henry is still optimistic and says he will take off the tire; maybe the bolts are just lose. 

Well the wheel makes a noise it shouldn’t so we conclude we need to talk to Kerry the mechanic.  We find out he is on vacation and had headed up to his cabin, but will be back later in the day.  No choice but to just hang out in Faro. 

Highway Signage, advising Road is no longer maintained

Pelly River

  Now remember this is a small town, and we have a large trailer, word gets around.  While I am walking the dog around town, a Town of Faro employee, Pat, stops by to help Henry and determines that the wheel barring is worn and cracked.   

  Pat tries to locate a new one but soon informs us we have to make a trip to Whitehorse to purchase a new baring.  Faro is in northeastern Yukon, Whitehorse is 360 kilometres away.    We have our dinner and Kerry the mechanic shows up with a friend and before long Pat comes.   I think we were that nights entertainment.  I must say everyone was very helpful.   We can not move the trailer so we end up camping in the parking lot of the Faro Interpretive Centre. 

Camping out at the Faro Interpretive Centre

Across the street was the City run campground, so we had showers and Laundromat.
 So on July 12, our 31^st wedding anniversary we got up at 5 Am for the 4 hour drive to Whitehorse and back.  We found Territorial Automotive very quickly and they have the part in stock.    The barring cost. $7.50.  Yes, 4 hours one way for an $8.00 part. We bought a spare one.  While waiting for the new tire we did some grocery shopping.  We are back in Faro twelve hours later.  The next Kerry installs the wheel barring and we are back on the road for more adventure. 

Hanging around in Faro we were  told by several locals that north Canal road is closed, the ferry you need to take to cross the Pelly River is broken.  The south Canal road has an advisory no trailers.  The Campbell Hwy we were planning on taking to Watson Lake is not maintain, so would be worse then the Dempster.  We have no choice but to back track to Whitehorse, again.