Let There Be Light
The longest night, the shortest day. Either way you measure, if you celebrate during or near midwinter, or Winter Solstice…
Search Results for: lynx
Reindeer Nation
Canada is home to many species such as the beaver, the common loon, the Canada lynx, moose, wolverines—and the list goes on.
Furry Wildlife and Little-Known Facts
Beavers are found in most provinces and territories. They used to be eight-feet long and weigh about 200 pounds.
Breaking Trail
The new moon brought winter, including swans and more ducks taking a rest on our little lake. We will soon be breaking Trail.
At Home With Art
Lemker is at home with art and calls Whitehorse his home, as well as an endless source of inspiration to create.
Yukon Dogs – A Children’s Book
Phil Finds a Friend is a children’s book for youngsters. It tells the story of Phil, who goes adventures around the Yukon, to find a friend.
The Trapper’s Life
What is trapping? I had no idea. But I slowly but surely found out that hunting and trapping is a passion. Serious, gorgeous and grounding.
Summer: The wait is (almost) over!
What to do in the Yukon? Since summer begins on June 21, I have compiled a list of 21 super-fun things you can do in the Yukon,
Nathalie Parenteau: The Accidental Artist
It was never Nathalie Parenteau’s intention to be an artist. She still views her vocation as something she stumbled upon.
I’m not even an animal yet …
I’m not even an animal yet …‘Cause I’m not as strong as a grizzly bear ‘Cause I’m not as big as a moose ‘Cause I’m not as fast as a fox‘
Vanessa Ægirsdóttir’s magical place
Meeting Bahm set her on a new personal journey, and professional path informed by his Tlingit heritage and traditional approach to trapping.
Come and see the wildlife!
The Yukon hasn’t seen many nice days yet this summer, but there are still ample outdoor opportunities. The Yukon Wildlife Preserve, for example, has a full season planned.
Spring Cleaning
I shovel dog poop. I shovel moose poop. I shovel caribou poop. I shovel rabbit poop. I shovel wolf poop. I shovel squirrel poop. I shovel ptarmigan poop. I shovel marten poop. I shovel lynx poop. I shovel sheep poop. I shovel crow poop. I shovel weasel poop. I shovel wolverine poop. I shovel mink …
Another Silly Poem
If I were a turtle, I wouldn’t need a bulletproof vest. If I were a kangaroo, I wouldn’t need a pocket. If I were a giraffe, I wouldn’t need a ladder. If I were a bear, I wouldn’t need a fur coat. If I were an elephant, I wouldn’t need a forklift. If I were …
Candy for the carnivores
Yukon Wildlife Preserve annual Wild Trick or Eat event. Stuffed pumpkins have been added to the menu for special carnivore feeding.
Bear words
As I continue my conversations with Joe Copper Jack, I begin to understand that it is not just about the content, or events of the story, but what the story teaches. Traditional stories are the way to learn from the past. When we hear them repeatedly, we can sink into the story. Here, we can …
And baby makes five—from cat in a wolverine suit
Having our second child was an interesting event. My lap had always been owned, lock stock and barrel, by Farley, our cat. As my pregnancy progressed and his lap space got smaller, he relocated his perch to more of a cross-belly lounge.
The art of pelts, skulls and antlers
Cindy Klippenstein is a small-business owner with a degree in fine arts degree, who spends her days fleshing, tanning and mounting hunting trophies as the Yukon’s only full-time taxidermist. And she couldn’t be happier.
Living With Wildlife: Kylie Campbell
Ski patrolling at Mount Sima reminds us all the time that we live in the wilderness. The elusive lynx was too fast to take a picture, but I captured its large paw prints. On Sunday we had two furry fox friends who were unafraid to say hello and kept us company all day! Camera: iPhone …
Skagway shenanigans
Early morning at 7 a.m. on Saturday, December 23 I began my journey to Skagway. The brisk Whitehorse temperatures of -27ºC would be a distant memory once I got to Alaska. I arrived to a balmy -6ºC in Skagway and I started the trek up to Upper Dewey Lakes on the steep snowless tracks, regretting …
A wild and wonderful night
This weekend the Yukon Fish and Game Association (YFGA) is hosting their annual Wild Game Banquet at the High Country Inn. The event will include the usual camaraderie as well as the awards from the Big Bull Night, which took place in November, a silent auction, and a feast of Yukon harvested wild game. Cocktails …
Memoirs of an Atlin School Marm
Simply stated, the best narrative I’ve read about country lifestyle in the contemporary north and the only one featuring Atlin and the Yukon.
Didee & Didoo: OLD CROW ZOO
YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF CARIBOU. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF MOOSE. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF MARTEN. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF SQUIRRELS. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF WOLVES. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF FOXES. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF RABBITS. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF MIKS. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF DUCKS. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF FISH. YOU’LL SEE LOTS OF WEASELS. …
Forget the Tortoise…
The lynx waits patiently by an animal trail at edge of the forest. A snowshoe hare emerges and the chase is on! Within a handful of leaps, each pushing their long hind legs and padded feet through the snow, the lynx is triumphant. She will be in prime condition to nurse her kittens come spring. …
Living With Wildlife: Michele Newell
Hello Everybody, We invite you to share your photos of Yukon wildlife. Email your high-resolution images with a description of what’s going on and what camera equipment you used to [email protected] My Mom Joanne Newell from Sardis B.C was visiting me this summer. She stayed with a friend for a week up by Destruction Bay. …
Northern Bard: Nicole Berger “The Relocation of Niggy Bee”
The Relocation of Niggy Bee It’s a story as old as the one of the gold They found in the rivers up north. Why people get stuck and find their luck In the Yukon wilds ‘round Whitehorse. – So this tale, you see, follows Fräulein Niggy Bee Who one night received a call. “I got stuck …
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Yukon Wildlife Preserve
The Yukon Wildlife Preserve has been helping injured, orphaned, and sick animals for over ten years. Located 25 minutes from downtown Whitehorse on the Hot Springs Road, It is a very important place in Whitehorse because if animals need a home they can take refuge there and be safe. Staff at the preserve’s rehabilitation centre …
Squirrely Taxidermy
Sure, you’ve seen a moose head mounted on a wall before. It probably had really big antlers, too. But was it re-enacting a scene from Dirty Dancing? Or perhaps guarding a chest full of pirate treasure? This month, Cindy Klippenstein’s new exhibit Fur and Loathing is open at Northern Front Studio in Waterfront Station. The …
Living with Wildlife: Devon Berquist
This is a lynx skull, found by my boyfriend’s dog. We were out at Hunker Creek, just outside of Dawson City, last summer. A few friends and I were building a stage for a music event we put on, and the dog, Frett, wandered off and came back playing with the skull. I was fascinated …
Ecologically-inspired Cuisine
When I first arrived in Kluane as an aspiring biologist, it seemed fitting that I would land in the place where the famous lynx-snowshoe hare cycles had been studied since the ’70s. Famous – at least to ecology students and trappers – graphs showing their staggered 10-year oscillations had figured prominently in my university courses. …
Yukoners Show Off Fashions to Visitors
There was a group showing of fashions close to home on Feb. 22. One Alaskan and several Yukon designers showcased their talents at the evening round-up of the Business Without Borders conference held at the Westmark Whitehorse. Local models promenaded in a tea-room style fashion show in the banquet room of the hotel. The audience …
Soooo Cute
Some pretty cute babies have been born at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve this spring. There are several sheep lambs, four lynx kittens, a mule deer fawn and a caribou calf. And their cuteness is drawing people out to see them. “Babies are the big hit,” says Marjorie Powers, a volunteer at the preserve. “They all …
Klondike Korner: Lovely Artworks Carry Disturbing Message
One of the many projects under the umbrella of the Dawson City Arts Society is the ODD Galley, which is housed on a corner of the ground floor of the Odd Fellows Hall. The gallery mounts works by local, regional and international artists — leaning somewhat towards the avant-garde. The latest exhibit is by Veronica …
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Freedom Opens for Stace Pshyk
It’s seldom that the Yukon Gallery clears its walls to feature one artist. Solo shows haven’t been the focus of the commercial gallery and frame shop. But gallery owner Brenda Stehelin has made space for Stace Pshyk’s work to take centre stage. Pshyk’s show, Freedom, marks his first solo show in the territory, though his …
The Moose Run
Part 6 of 6 I was on Skype, talking to my old friend, Ed, back in England. “Have you seen much wildlife?” he asked. “I certainly have, Ed,” I replied. “I’ve seen porcupine, eagles, caribou, bison, grizzly bear, black bear, wolves, even a lynx, but my most extraordinary encounter was with something else …” I …
Yukon Trail Building, Animal Tracking
All winter I worked on a trail going due south from the house. My initial goal was to reach a little hilltop in the middle of the Takhini Valley. First, I followed the firebreak to the highway, and some days that was as far as I went. If I saw fresh elk or deer tracks, …
Get Off the Couch and into the Wilderness
When Whitehorse was re-branded The Wilderness City it made me think of all the activities and events that are held here annually. As a director of the Yukon Fish and Game Association (YFGA) I am engaged in a lot of outdoor events that help contribute to this reputation. I was told when I moved here …
Didee & Didoo – Poem “WILDLIFE ALPHABET”
WILDLIFE ALPHABET MARTEN BEAVER CARIBOU DUCKS EAGLE FALCON GROUSE HAWK MINK JACKFISH KING SALMON LOON MOOSE SNIPE OTTER PORCUPINE SQUIRREL RABBIT SEAGULL TERN MUSCRAT RAVEN WOLF FOX LYNX GRIZZLY
Exploring the Wonder of Yukon Wild
Rob peered intently through his binoculars. He was doing his best to count exactly how many baby mountain goats were on the steep rock cliffs somewhere in the middle of the 700 acres covered by the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. “Look straight ahead.” “Yes, I saw that one. There are two babies with her, just below …
An Inspirational Elder: Alex Van Bibber
One could easily write a page-turning book about the life and accomplishments of outfitter, trapper, residential school survivor and honoured veteran Alex Van Bibber. I was lucky to have coffee with Van Bibber one morning in January when he was in Whitehorse. His list of errands included picking up his cowboy boots, which he had …
Who Goes There?
In the summer I am forever identifying wild flowers, but in the winter it’s animal tracks. For me identifying animal tracks is a little simpler, but that’s just because I have only one reference book: Field Guide To Tracking Animals In Snow, by Louise R. Forrest. I am often puzzled trying to determine the maker …
Work that Satisfies
I love being busy. I like to wake up in the morning knowing that there are many projects I could work on. I even like knowing that, by the time one is finished, several more have inevitably piled up. I also like variety in my “other duties as required”. Since there are endless “other duties” …
Swap Your Stuff
The leaves are down, the hills are white and there are ski swap signs around town. “When’s the Swap?” is one of the most commonly asked questions at the ski club office in September. Followed closely by, “Can I help at the Swap this year?” For an organizer, it’s one of the busiest days of …
Welcome Visitors of the ‘Non-Human’ Variety
Recently, I was sitting at my desk when a red fox paused outside of my window. Just near the edge of the decking, he rather abruptly came to a halt, assuming a stalker-like position. His tail was straight out from the back of his relatively little body, and his one paw was mid-air, reminiscent of …
When a Moose Waits…
Rocky was waiting for me. For three days in a row, Rocky, one of our moose bulls, was waiting. To put this into perspective, I had been working at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve for about two months before I got within a kilometre of any moose. The day I did, I called home, woke my …
Memories ‘Preserved’
As we approach the holidays and the new year, I find myself spending more time reflecting on the past 12 months. I think we are inherently drawn into personal reflection, but I am also a junkie when it comes to the seemingly endless Top 10, 25 and 100 lists filling television and radio, newspapers and …
Fierce Bunny Charms
In the basement of a Takhini home, artist Sonja Ahlers sews soft-sculpture bunnies that function as dolls, talismans or jewelry, depending on the buyer’s mood. Ahlers calls the white-walled 10×12-foot room her “sweatshop” these days. Working solo, she’s making hundreds of bunnies for the One of a Kind show, Toronto’s largest craft fair, starting November …
Winter Runners Refuse Off-season
When Nancy Thomson talks about winter running, I want to grab my sneakers and start moving. Thomson, Athletic Yukon’s Director of Trail Running, is describing her enthusiasm for winter running to me just before she dashes out for an evening run in the cool fall air. Thomson runs throughout the spring, summer and fall. Athletics …
Volunteers Will Make It Happen
Not only do we own the podium in Whitehorse, but we also have to store it and recondition it for the Haywood Nationals which will take place in less than a week. Nearly 200 volunteers will be wearing the royal blue jackets that were sponsored by Lotteries Yukon and Apogee, a Montréal garment company. And …
The Preserve is for Kids
On my very first day at the Preserve, I met someone. It was a beautiful, cold and sunny February day and I was engrossed in a solitary stroll when a car drove up and stopped beside me. Since the Preserve was closed, and I was new, I was definitely surprised. The driver introduced himself and …
100 Ways to Celebrate 100 Years
“I find women in the Yukon, and Dawson in particular, an incredibly strong group,” says Penny Soderlund, a member of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Dawson Regional Women’s Committee. “There probably isn’t any other place where the majority of women own their own chainsaws.” Living in the Yukon surrounded by female cabin-builders, dog …
Underground Vibe Upstairs
A hidden gem is tucked away in the lot behind the Hougen’s centre, above Triple J’s Music Café. Accessible by a narrow, graffiti-covered staircase – and with a tattoo studio just off the display area – Gallery 22 is a small, one-room space with an artsy, underground vibe. It’s an eccentric showroom for both established …
Didee & Didoo – Poem “Cabin Fever”
All winter trappers trap beaver But then they catch cabin fever. They quit trappin’ for mink an’ squirrels ‘cause they want to see the can can girls. Sourdough rendezvous is about to happen so the trappers forget about trappin’. During the long winter they trap for lynx Now they go to the 98 Bar for …
Visitors Countdown
Sawdust, grass and gravel are flying, there is painting to be done, tidying and dusting—the rural museums around the territory are gearing for the tourist season. “Opening is always a great flurry,” says Sharron Chatterton, manager of the George Johnston Museum in Teslin, with an exhalation of all the tasks yet to be completed, “all …
Glorious 40 Below
Sunday we woke up to -40. Minus forty is the same in Fahrenheit and Celsius. To me that means everybody understands: no matter which system you use, – 40 is -40. But to really know how that feels, you have to live it. At 40 below things do change. From the usual cold it is …
Rehab at the Wildlife Preserve
It has been a real pleasure utilizing our new facility, which is filled with unique and exciting features that allow us to provide excellent care for injured and orphaned wildlife. Check it out: in-floor heating and advanced lighting that can be individually controlled for each animal care room. Lighting is fade-adjustable to create sunset/sunrise-like transitions. …
Art Galore at YAC
The Yukon Arts Centre teems with art this month. You can check out the ATCO Play Your Part Art Contest, Anna Crawford’s photographic exhibit North, and Surface,a show of this year’s additions to the Yukon Permanent Art Collection. As part of its support of cultural activities during the Arctic Winter Games, ATCO invited students in …
Skiing the Animal Trail
Bison and foxes and sheep. Oh my! The Yukon Wildlife Preserve on the Takhini Hot Springs Road offers all of these and more—and it’s recently added a series of track-set ski trails to give visitors a new way to get up close and personal with the animals. The Wildlife Preserve covers over 700 acres of …
Breaking the Stitchin’ Trail
Sarah McHugh has sold many mittens over the past winter. The Dawson City artist’s hand-stitched hide and fur garments have been shipped to five different countries—France, Japan, Germany, Italy and the U.S., including 48 lower states and Alaska— and across Canada. Closer to home, her craft keeps Iditarod musher Karen Ramstead, Yukon Quest musher Mike …
