In the heart of the Yukon, between the small, forgotten towns of Mayo and Chicken, lies the enigmatic Misty Lake. This secluded body of water, perpetually cloaked in a thick, eerie fog, is a place where silence and shadows dominate.
Thus opens the Destination Guide description for the Misty Chicken Lake, the latest (at the time of writing!) landscape designed by the Second Life partnership of Konrad (Kaiju Kohime) and Saskia Rieko, and located within their Homestead region of Natthimmel.
Part of this route – again, assuming the Mayo and Chicken of Canada / Alaska are intended to be the same as those mentioned in the setting’s DG description – passes along the Top of the World Highway, running from the wacky world of West Dawson (home to locals such as Caveman Bill, who raises chickens in a cave whilst himself living in another cave close by) to Little Gold Creek (aka Poker Creek on the US side), where the friendly joint border crossing resides, before continuing onwards into Alaska, where a turn onto the Taylor Highway will bring travellers by raise and fall and twist and turn, to Chicken.
Misty Chicken Lake, Nathhimmel, November 2024
Certainly, this remote part of the world has more than its share of hills, mountains, woodlands, lakes and rivers, so inspiration might have been drawn from one such body of water along what is regarded (when open to traffic – which tends not to be the case in winter, I believe) this most isolated and get-away-from-it-all holiday trails for the adventurous. However, given its overall description and design, I suspect that Misty Chicken Lake owes far more to Saskia and Konrad’s fertile imaginations than anything the physical world might offer. This is something perhaps supported by the rest of the setting’s engaging Destination Guide description:
This secluded body of water, perpetually cloaked in a thick, eerie fog, is a place where silence and shadows dominate. Tall, ancient pines encircle the lake, their dark green needles shrouded in mist, casting ghostly silhouettes along the shore. The trees seem to guard Misty Chicken Lake, their towering forms swaying slightly, as if murmuring secrets to the fog. Even on still days, a damp chill clings to the air, hinting at mysteries hidden deep within the shadowy waters. Locals say the pines remember everything, and that under a full moon, the forest whispers to those brave enough to listen.
From this description, it should seem obvious that Misty Chicken Lake is a place of mystery, caught under a perpetual, misty evening sky out of which surrounding mountains loom as pale phantoms rising into the darkness overhead, at times hidden from view by the darker fingers of the many pines occupying the lake’s shores and inland areas. The night setting lends a sense of foreboding depth to the setting, something added to by the mist seeping through the tall grasses and wildflower and creeping between the trees while wrapping itself around their trunks as if laying claim to them as it rises from the waters of the lake.
Passage through the landscape is best achieved via the raised boardwalks, illuminated by lanterns and lamps. Starting from the Landing Point, these will guide you through the trees and across the waters of the lake. The boardwalks will also provide access to several – but not all – of the locations tucked among the trees and awaiting their opportunity to greet visitors. Arachnophobes like me may initially be alarmed by the carpeting of cobwebs found throughout the landscape to give it a frosted look in the pale light; but while they may in places come close to overrunning the boardwalks, be assured you’re unlikely to run into any of their creators.
Chief among the locations waiting to be found are the converted containers. Designed by Konrad, they offer four vantage points / places in which to sit and pass the time, all of similar design but varied in complexity. Each comprises at least one container converted for use as a retreat, with large windows cut into or replacing side panels and tops. Three stand on their own, either on the ground or atop frames of weathered iron girders, each with its own interior lighting and seating and, in the case of two, heating and refreshments (a stove and a radiator for outer warmth and tea for inner).
The most complex of these structures sits to the north-west; three containers stacked together on their own frameworks of girders, the stairs switch-backing up from the boardwalk to reach them, the uppermost offering both indoor and outdoor seating, the lower two with outdoor decking.
However, these are not the only places where visitor might sit and pass the time; as hinted at in the introductory story available at the landing point (touch the greeting stones on the ground there to receive a folder containing it and other information), there are a couple of camp sites to be found here as well, and an open deck for sitting – although as I’ve noted, you’ll have to depart the boardwalks to find some of them.
Whilst on the subject of available information; this includes note on the Natthimmel gallery, which has often been a feature of the region, together with a landmark to reach it. However, when I attempted to use the latter, I was redirected back to the Landing Point.
Given the late evening / night environment within the region, photography can be both highly atmospheric and a little tricky; fortunately, should you require more light, the region works under a range of environment settings, adding to its photogenic beauty. As always, a visit is recommended.
SLurl Details
Misty Chicken Lake, Natthimmel (New Moon, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 