Victoria Day Musings and Meanderings
For some, it’s drinking beer and camping; for others, it’s cleaning the yard and gardening: Victoria Day is just around the corner…
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Camping
Camping! The beauty, majesty and ruggedness of the Yukon landscape attracts campers from all over the world who crave a unique experience under the midnight sun. The Yukon has it all. Mountains, lakes, rivers and endless trees – all creating the perfect backdrop for an RV adventure or tenting under the open sky. Dozens of government operated sites are open to tenters or those traveling in vehicles and RVs and some of those campgrounds offer boat launches, swimming areas and even playgrounds for the kids. Most have easy access to quality trails for hikers and cyclists and offer excellent opportunities to catch a glimpse of the Yukon’s famous wildlife like foxes, moose, caribou, bison and even bears. Regions where camping at government-run sites is available in the Yukon include, Campbell, Klondike, Kluane, Silver Trail, Southern Lakes, Liard, Northern and Arctic and Whitehorse. In all, there are over 50 road-accessible (and day-use) recreation site in the territory. However, camping in the Yukon is on a first come, first served basis. Don’t forget your fishing rod, axe for splitting wood (all Yukon campgrounds offer un-split fire wood), cozy camp chairs, marshmallows, friends, family and the dog (or dogs) and get ready to take in as much beauty and majesty as you can during your outdoor adventures at one of the many Yukon campgrounds (or all of them for that matter!). For more information check out the Government of Yukon at: https://www.travelyukon.com/en/plan/accommodation?params=camping-rv-parks
Minimize Cleanup: Cook In Foil
Aluminum foil, commonly called tinfoil, is a great way to cook many dishes and leaves you with no dirty pots and pans
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Poops Gone Wild
We all know that wilderness in the Yukon is plentiful, and many Yukoners enjoy disappearing off the grid for a weekend or more…
Returning Home to the Yukon
Tears streamed down my face as our airplane began its descent, preparing to land at the Whitehorse airport.
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Cat Camping
Camping with a cat can be both rewarding. Howie the cat got his first taste of camping in the Yukon and made some memories along the way.
Government Camping Fees Set to Rise This Year
World Class. That’s an adjective that sums up the beauty, majesty and ruggedness that is the Yukon landscape. So it’s no wonder that people from
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Vibing High with Sled Dogs Under a Winter Night Sky
Winter camping! Natalie wasn’t comfortable dogsledding trails melted into slick iceShe offered an alternative. “We can take the Skandic!”
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Grey Matters: Age-friendly outdoors
“Mr. Spock,” my 1998 camper van (pure luxury) is put to bed. My old arthritic bones will no longer take sleeping on the cold, hard ground.
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Old Boler, older bones
The Boler trailer was built in Manitoba around 1973. It’s not as old as my old bones, for sure, but there are a number of similarities.
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Hot tips for cold camping
Let’s start from the ground up. There’s a reason thick sleeping pads are a hot item, so to speak. The more insulation you have from the ground, the more you’ll increase your warmth.
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Camping: Timesaving tips
Foul weather can wreck more than your mood when you’re out camping and hunting moose. Simple tips and tricks.
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Fire – RIGHT NOW!
Many situations need a fire, right now! An emergency or something you come upon. May not even be an emergency or survival situation, yet.
Ziplocs and vacuum-sealing
Great for camping, canoeing and hunting, ziplocs are watertight. It can rain for days and the items in your Ziploc bags will still be dry.
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Skagway: A ‘bluebird day’ with blue skies…
It’s May long weekend and we’re driving to Skagway, and it seems as though most of Whitehorse has decided to do the same with a
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Doomsday camping on Top of the World – Part 5 of 6
Grandpa, if a giant asteroid was on target to collide with Earth and everyone knew the exact day and time of the explosion to blow up the planet, where would you want to go camping for the last night?
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Five camping food hacks to get you through the rest of your summer
Over the past couple months I’ve stumbled across a couple of really great hacks that make creating awesome meals while camping way easier.
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Fending off bloodsuckers with sweet-smelling spray
Apparently insects hate the scent of marigolds.
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Old tramways and new ziplines on Windy Arm
Conrad, on Windy Arm, is just the first of a new wave of Yukon campgrounds with eyes to the future.
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Kathleen & Kokanee in Kluane – Part 3 of 6
Kathleen Lake, which is the only place in Kluane National Park you can sleep (legally) if you have rubber wheels for your mode of transportation (rather than flying machines, skis, hiking boots or birchbark).
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Atlin: Boom town to burnt down … to boom, burn, bust and boom again – Part 2 of 6
Of all the cities, towns and villages in northwestern Canada, Atlin’s journey through the turbulent 20th century was more dramatic than most.
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Axes
Axes are very useful tools here in the north where campfires, bonfires and wood stoves are a big part of life. Everybody has at least one tucked away somewhere.
A Kenai kickoff to a new series – Part 1 of 6
Homer, on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula, is the farthest south you can drive and became my favourite place to RV camp in Alaska because of this surprise: it felt like California.
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Finding the keys to safer camping
On the Canada Day long weekend in 2012, the Congdon Creek Campground, located on the shore of Kluane Lake near Burwash Landing, played host to a furry teenaged visitor. A medium-sized grizzly found its way into the campground and proceeded to lounge around in the central meadow, feeding on the tasty flowers.
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Top 10 items needed for all camping trips
From my experience, here are the top 10 items you must have when camping
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Wood-fired, bacon-wrapped shrimp
Summer is coming! For the next few weeks all the recipes you’ll be seeing will be in preparation for the long summer days spent outside
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Skagwegian Camping 101
Our American neighbours do things a little differently… I have not made the trip to mainland Alaska yet, but my experience of those oddballs and
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Low impact on the land
The sites you choose look good to you or you wouldn’t set up there. Make your best effort to leave them as you found them.
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Ropes and the rope bag
Ropes are the long standing traditional way to fasten or tie things down. These days, those ratchet devices with straps and hooks have replaced knots and loops. For some of us older people, ropes are still the logical tie-down tool.
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When I Go Camping
I always bring my piano. I always bring my TV. I always bring my computer. I always bring my microwave. I always bring my fridge.
My fishing buddy, the chairman of the board
When one walks along the rim of the autumn of one’s life, they can’t help but to look back to the yesterdays – the “good
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Camp guns for bears
A “bear gun” in camp or at the cabin is very common in the Yukon. It’s primary function is for protection of the humans in camp.
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The wall tent camp
Sleeping on good quality cots with a wood stove it was so comfortable that I stayed eight nights and prob-ably slept better than at home.
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Didee & Didoo: At my camp
I’m the doctor I’m the minister I’m the police I’m the carpenter I’m the cook I’m the gunsmith I’m the blacksmith I’m the butcher I’m
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Late Fall Season in the Kluane National Park
The colourful fall season is over very early in the Yukon – much earlier than in my home country, Switzerland. But I found that the
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Turn Your Eyes to the Skies
Yukoners – and others – who enjoy celestial pursuits may want to follow the stars to Kluane’s “Northern Nights” Dark Sky Festival at Kathleen Lake
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Yukon’s Best Friend: DOG CULTURE, Don McMillan
DOG CULTURE: Submitted by Don McMillan “We’re going camping, we’re going camping!!” Sophie and Greg Meredith in their 1974 VW Westfalia. What’s Up Yukon is
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Two Breakfast Wraps to Stock Your Freezer
Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Wraps INGREDIENTS: 2 Tbsp butter 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp chili powder One 19-ounce can of black beans, drained One 12-ounce
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Music gets the campfire cooking
They decided it would be fun to spend the summer playing as many of the Yukon Parks cook shacks as possible. Music in the campground.
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Camping Etiquette
Winter has released his icy grip on the Yukon, and that brings my favorite season: camping season. In early May I along with several friends
Start South, GoNorth!
Winter in Whitehorse is beautiful, but long. By the end of April 2016 we traveled down south to find Vancouver fully in bloom already. A
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Wonder What to do with a Pike?
Pike Chowder Supreme This will take some time, but it is time well spent. Ingredients: 1 pound of freshly caught pike fillets, cut into stew-size
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Camp Fire Cake
Sometimes, you just need cake. I’ve baked this from scratch before, but this is the one time I’m going to advocate boxed over homemade: when
Firelighters
“It will take a few minutes.” Almost all the time, taking a few minutes to get a fire going is an acceptable part of the
Let Me Get to Know You. How About a Little Bicycle Trip?
When Hélène met François, she’d been dreaming of a long-distance bicycle trip for years. I think the fact that François was an experienced cyclist just
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Bush Gypsy’s Banquette
Sometimes when you’re in the bush you need lots of calories, but you don’t have lots of time (or energy) left at the end of
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Cast Iron
Long before Teflon or other spray coatings were on your pots and pans, cast iron was easy to use and easy to clean. It’s been
Heavy Metal Mountain
As Tom unpacked he took inventory: sub-Arctic self-erecting tent, sleeping bag, water/bear proof ruck sack full of high protein granola and astronaut food, zinc for
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On Simple Pleasures
There is a microwave placed awkwardly in front of the little, old fashioned split-glass window. The curtains are open and on the other side of
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Summer Vacation
A question that pops up every now and again is, Would students be better off without a summer vacation? This stance claims that the luxurious
Farewell Winter, Hello Summer
After a long Yukon winter, you look forward to packing away your warm winter coat. We all look forward to the warmer days.
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Family Camping
My daughter’s dad and I started taking our daughters for Dempster Highway camping adventures around 1991, and the magic and fun times of those trips
It is All Just About BBQ Jealousy?
When it comes right down to it, perhaps human evolution has all been for naught. My mind started drifting on that particular stream recently, as
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Putting the WOW in Tombstone Park
Looking for a memorable northern road trip? The 17th annual Tombstone Weekend on the Wing (WOW) offers three days of fabulous hiking, a birding festival
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Victoria Day Activity Guide
May two-four, the unofficial Canadian start of summer, is finally here. The question is how are you going to spend it? We have put together
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Getting in Sheep Shape
We drove four hours from Whitehorse to one of my favourite fishing lakes, then an hour and a half across. As a sheep hunter that’s
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MAKE A BETTER FIRE
Except above tree-line, good firewood is available in most places in the Yukon but a few days of rain can make pretty good wood too
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Cooler Tips
These days the word “cooler” can mean a pre-mixed alcoholic beverage, but it’s also the name of an insulated box to keep your food and
Lists, Colour Coding and Labels
People new to outdoor activity such as hunting, hiking and camping are likely a bit more organized on the second or third trip than they
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Welcome to the outhouse
I’m not saying my daughter Emily is soft when it comes to roughing it. She just happened to have spent her first three and a
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Chainsaw-chip Fire Starter
We get pretty good at fire-starting if we light enough fires, but there are some ways to make it even easier. Solid-fuel fire-starters work well
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Water under Moss
My favourite childhood memories are when Mom would take us to Fish Lake, just a few miles out of Whitehorse. We spent our summers there
A Northern Diary
About 11:00 p.m. I finally got a glimpse of McClure when our trail passed near the deep ravine the river made. I had been vainly
Biking Whitehorse to Haines Junction
Welcome to the first of four articles on beginner bike touring around the Yukon. I’ll share a rundown of trips and some tips, as well
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Camp Tips and Ideas
Meat care: • Pre-cut ropes for hanging quarters. Make them six to seven feet long with a tied loop on one end to fasten to
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Sleeping bag selection
Sleeping bags are available from $25 to $2500, depending on your needs and budget. They will all be satisfactory if used as intended, but none
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How About a Winter Road Trip?
Winterize the camper, stash the emergency parkas and boots, pack all the necessary clothing for three seasons (fall, winter, and spring), get coffee to go,
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2014: Atlin Arts and Music Festival
Atlin Arts and Music Festival is an institution. Now in its 11th year, the event draws visitors and performers from across Canada and beyond.
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Beginner’s Luck
We pulled into Frenchman Lake campground late at night to find it full. The day was like every other Friday, too busy to take care
Mayo Campground Has the One Thing Kids Look For
MAYO 5 Mile Lake in Mayo doesn’t have a campground playground. Not right in the campground, mind you, but there is one down the short
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Tatchun Lake is for Us Paddlers
Tatchun Lake Campground has 20 campsites and none of them are a pull through site; there is a boat launch and a cook shelter. That’s
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Federal Campground is Nice, Too
HAINES JUNCTION There are numerous campgrounds in and around Haines Junction. Your YTG Campground permit will let you camp at most of them … but
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A Cure for Those Camping Time Blues
Whether it’s the weather or the yard work, some commitment on the weekend or the fact that you have family coming to visit in a
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One Thing We All Agree On …
Heading into summer = a wonderful time. And no matter how much extraneous snow may continue to fall, nothing can dampen the spirit of the
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Can, Is Where Your Heart Is
The camping season here in the Yukon is well underway and, so far, under lots of warm weather and blue sky. When we head out
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Mirage
Sometimes, when you need a refuge, a magical place appears. It was late at night and I was driving to the Tombstone Mountains for the
Understanding the value of a road
How many memories are created by a simple family vacation … Depending on how you look in the rear-view mirror, the road behind can seem
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Camping in April is Possible
”The bears aren’t out yet,” stated Louise in a confident tone of voice in response to a concern expressed about spring camping. “It’s too early.”
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Lightweight Foods to Lighten The Load
Here are two lightweight and quick-to-prepare recipes sure to deliver loads of flavour and little weight while being carried in your pack, canoe or kayak.
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Out and Away: The Camping is the Food!
No recipes here. Too little space, too many ideas and I don’t think I have ever cooked the same thing twice
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The low of coming home
I don’t like to admit it, but I hate the feeling I get coming back home after a long motorcycle trip. There is so much
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I Love the Smell of Camping in the Morning
The first camping trip of the year is unique in many ways. For one thing, there’s the anticipation of finding out which critical thing you
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Wine on the Go
Last week I was cornered by someone who asked what her options were for taking wine along on a paddling trip. For me, part of
Honing Their Outdoor Skills
“You get to learn how to notice the plants around you, how to shoot a rifle, how not to ground your boat in the river,
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Pushing Their Limits
Fourteen lucky young Yukoners will get the opportunity to take part in an outdoor education camp this July for free. The Yukon Fish and Game
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Looking off the beaten path
Searching for wines is a little bit like a scavenger hunt at times, and sometimes it calls for looking at the outliers of the wine
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Winter Camping and Skiing? Get Out and Get the Sun!
Winter weather … cold, crisp and clear. When the sun shines, get outside. Ski, snowshoe, sled or run your dog to get that sun full
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