Posted December 20th, 2016
Dawson Dilapidated
Pentax K-1, Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR @ 34mm, 1/6 s @ f/8, ISO 1250
Dawson Reconstructed
Dawson City’s heritage buildings that date back to the Klondike gold rush are protected under the guidance of Parks Canada. They include abandoned, broken down structures that have undergone no repairs other than stabilization, and others that have been restored to pristine condition. The 3rd Avenue Hotel Complex (top photo) is a popularly viewed example of the former. The builders of the time did not understand the issues associated with building on permafrost, and when interior heating melted the ice below, the foundations sunk unevenly. This resulted in the inconsistent tilting of the different sections of this structure. The ruins of the original Red Feather Saloon, on the other hand, were removed and the building was reconstructed from scratch, incorporating only some token original materials.
These images were photographed hand-held in twilight, benefiting from the Pentax K-1’s excellent in-body image stabilization.