Yukon’s Own ‘Game of Thrones’
Yukoners have been using the outhouses for a long-time. Sometimes they even race them. But whether they are made of old wood…
Outdoors
Whether it’s winter or summer, spring or autumn, there are always events and activities to enjoy here in the Yukon. Visitors and locals alike can find adventure and excitement on the water like kayaking, canoeing, swimming and even water bikes! On the land they can discover (and re-discover) a myriad of trails through the boreal forests of the north or up into the many majestic mounts found in the Yukon. From major events like the Yukon Quest and Yukon River Quest to organized nature walks and festive bird counts or just finding that special campsite, there is no end to the possibilities in the Yukon’s Great Outdoors.
Dog Culture: Milo
Milo, always young at heart, loved walking the Whitehorse trails at any temperature. She always led the way…
The Beauty Of Yukon’s Winter
Early winter in the Yukon is a special time of year, and yet it can also be a very bleak time of year. The shorter days feel dreary…
Snowmobiling Is A Year-Round Activity
It may sound crazy, but long-time snowmobile enthusiasts will agree with us when we say snowmobiling really can be a year-round activity.
Hunters Should Definitely ‘HEED’ This Course
The Yukon’s Hunter Education and Ethics Development (HEED) course is a great, free tool for new hunters to begin their first steps.
Connection and Healing: The Distances We Go
Learning to appreciate how much time and travel is needed when living in the Yukon can actually provide a calm perspective on life.
The cooking fire …
A cooking fire isn’t just a miniature bonfire, and to make a good one takes luck, experience or some advice from someone who’s got a reputation for being a good campfire cook.
KD, rice and Pilot Biscuits
If you have a big budget and a small appetite, freeze-dried meals will work to keep you healthy on the trail. I have always found the servings too small and I’d need two of them to fill me up. They are certainly convenient and super light to carry. With a little imagination, you can end …
What’s on the river? – A winter warm-up to the Christmas Bird Count
It’s snowy and cold outside, and most of the Yukon’s migratory birds, such as swans, pretty yellow warblers, ducks and shorebirds, have long fled the territory. There’s always a few species, however, that linger. A favoured habitat for some of these birds is the Yukon River, just below the Rotary Centennial Bridge (“blue bridge”) near …
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Yukon See It Here – By Matt Cook
I took these photos while out kayaking on Fox Lake and enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the middle of the lake.
Attempting world-class status with mediocre skills – Part 4 of 5
World-class mountain biking trails on Montana Mountain are internationally famous. Riders flock to Carcross to try their hand at riding them.
The life and times of a beaver (and steadfast overachiever)
In Canada, the beaver is the largest member of the rodent family. The largest beaver I ever live-trapped was 63 pounds.
Footwear and foot care
Our feet suffer less and work longer when they are cared for and housed in proper fitting, good quality footwear.
The White River Ash, the mega eruption next door – Part 4
Past volcanic eruptions in Alaska have resulted in massive displacement of peoples and widespread environmental damage in the Yukon.
Let’s get some mud on them trucks!
The annual mud bog competition is back on July 21 on Robert Service Way
Learning how to ride and not die
It can be intimidating starting a new sport, especially one that is generally about riding downhill, on unpaved mountains, with perilous things like rocks and trees that don’t seem to move out of your way.
Going from Whitehorse to Dawson on the Yukon River? You better believe that’s a paddlin’
The world’s longest annual paddling race is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with the largest slate of international teams and racers ever.
Bike maintenance for idiots
I enjoyed hiking but wanted to explore more of the Yukon. It was a decision between a kayak for the rivers and a mountain bike for the mountains.
Top 10 tips for your first summer in Whitehorse
Here are some tips and tricks to starting out in Whitehorse as a Cheechako (which is the name for being new to the north of 60th parallel).
Be Prepared
It is absolutely amazing how even a little preparation can get us through challenges that could be insurmountable without a bit of prep time.
Are you prepared to survive Yukon’s wilderness?
The Yukon is a pretty incredible place, but with so much wide, empty wilderness, few people and limited technology capacity in backcountry areas, it’s important to remember to prepare, plan and train before you venture out there.
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 genuinely interesting characters that live in the tiny village of Skagway truly are one of a kind. Hiking and camping are certainly a great way to get out and explore …
Keeping the weekend weird
Thaw-di-Gras, Dawson’s spring-or-late-winter carnival, is adding a day this year, with events beginning on Friday, March 16 and running through Sunday, March 18.
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.
Helping the community climb to new heights
Chris Gishler, owner and operator of Equinox Adventures, has spent the last 15 years building and developing his outdoor adventure and education company as the Yukon has continued to grow. Back in 1999, Gishler arrived to Whitehorse in preparation for a Mount Logan trip in Kluane National Park, only to discover plane issues, which led …
Winter’s white on white
Before I was married, and my wife Lisa and I moved to the Yukon, my home was built on the northern borders of the Township of Oro-Medonte, in Central Ontario, where I just happened to be the deputy mayor. It is a land of rolling hills, valleys and rippling cold water streams, where many a …
Knowing the beaver
Evolution is an amazing thing and for the beaver, it has taken millions of years. Once almost 8 feet long some thousans of years ago, now the beaver, even though it continues to grow all its life, it will be lucky if it reaches four feet in length and hardly more than 65 pounds. If …
Bringing Up a Family the Old Fashioned Way
What has bringing up children in outdoor experiences and enjoying the life of camping, fishing and hunting done for the children?
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 month of October is also very attractive for an amateur photographer like me, even if the coloured leaves have almost all fallen to the ground. Here are some suggestions for …
Big City Girl in the Land of the Midnight Sun
Chapter 1: The Midnight Sun June 7, 2017 I am writing this at 10:30 p.m. with no lamp. This is my third night here in Dawson. I think it’s crazy that the days and nights blend into each other. Dark is not dark. Dusk is not dusk. Dawn is not dawn. It’s the land of …
Whatever the season, hypothermia can be dangerous
It may come as a surprise, but more people are affected by, and die from, hypothermia in summer and other seasons than in the winter. That may be due to people being more prepared and being more careful in winter. Taking extra warm clothing with you at any time of the year can be a …
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Colours of Autumn
Fall is the favourite season of many Yukoners. Avid photographer and outdoors person Jozien Keijzer provided this gallery of early-autumn scenes captured in various locations west of Whitehorse. “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun…” -John Keats: To Autumn
An Unkindness of Ravens
It is easy to laugh at the antics of ravens. They are quirky, curious and yes, funny. A well-known title they carry among First Nations people is that of Trickster, known for their pranks and intelligence. They also carry darker histories, in literature and folklore: wise, feared, revered, portents of death. wreathed in mystery. I …
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 this weekend. This is the second time around for this event, which is jointly sponsored by Parks Canada and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC). Viktor Zsohar is a …
The Week that Was…
Once summer arrived, along with consistent plus 25 temperatures, it was time to enjoy some swimming, hiking and generally the beautiful weather in Yukon. (In the Yukon, if you see a single day of plus 20, there is a likelihood it will come to fruition, but a few days showing the same, you’re guaranteed good …
Getting Further, Going Lighter
Even from the isolation of our north of 60 towns, one is able to equip themselves without reaching onto internet shelving any more than necessary. With so many amazing, new, big-ticket items, some of the things that have really changed the way I pack – and, subsequently, the way I hunt – are often under …
Yukon Search and Rescue: The Basics
Yukon Search and Rescue (YSAR) is a volunteer-run organisation that provides ground and water search and rescue support for the territory. Prior to 2014 each community had their own search and rescue organization, but since then the amalgamation with one head administrative office in Whitehorse has allowed a better centralised support system for the territory. …
The Week That Was…
The week began with my English friend finally making it with her CanaDream Camper – a one-month, one-woman journey from Calgary to Whitehorse. For the special occasion , to celebrate her arrival, we decided to head to Takhini Hot Springs; my first time. The boiling hot water is pleasant and it’s a pretty quiet Wednesday …
Capturing the Beauty of Miles Canyon
If you’re a Yukon resident, you’ve no doubt walked, biked or skied the trodden path of the Miles Canyon trail. Perhaps you’ve observed the gradient of the canyon’s rocky columns, watched canoeists paddling from atop the suspension bridge, or glanced down at the emerald waters pulsing below. But have you ever had the firsthand experience …
Girls Gone Wild(erness)
Martha Henderson didn’t expect to get one of the six Young Nature Leadership Grants awarded by Nature Canada this year. “I’m a bit stressed honestly,” she laughs. “I was like, ‘Oh no, people are expecting things of me now!’” All jokes aside, the 25-year old Whitehorse resident says she’s flattered and honoured to have been …
Orchids In and Around Whitehorse
The calypso orchid, sometimes called the fairy or venus slipper, was already blooming by the end of May and the rest will follow soon. I suspect that the Platanthera obtusata, known as the northern bog orchid, will follow soon. The height of bloom for orchids in the Yukon is mid-June. Most Yukon orchids can be …
Already Six Weeks
Forty-five days ago, I placed my feet on Canadian soil, with the goal of changing my life completely. Things are going pretty well!
Dreamtime, Bourbon Time
I’ve always loved the stories where people slip out of the present and into a different time; kid’s stories like Tom’s Midnight Garden, or the Narnia series, or, in adult fiction, The Time Traveller’s Wife. There’s something compelling about the notion of arriving in another time, unmoored from the present, where the universe bends and …
Gypsy Goulash
When you’re in the backcountry, sometimes you don’t have a lot, but you need something fast, tasty and hot. This is a simple, highly adaptable dish that can be made almost anywhere, with a wide variety of ingredients. This version uses kidney beans, but any kind will do. Only the eggs and tomatoes are essential. …
Thunder and Lightning
Thunder and lightning do not seem to be as common here in the Yukon as in southern Canada. However, lightning strikes are probably the most common cause of our forest fires. Lightning is a gigantic spark jumping between a charged cloud and the earth, but what actually causes lightning is still an item of debate. …
Yukon Wildflowers that Bloom in April
Last year we had an early spring and I found the first prairie crocus blooming on April 1st. Most years the crocus blooms near the end of April. If you want to become a crocus hunter, don’t wait for all the snow to melt. If the daytime temperature is above zero for three weeks, start …
Portable Burn Barrel
On a recent half-day ice-fishing adventure with our son, I got to experience some of the benefits of a portable burn barrel that he has been using for the past five or six years. He puts it to use throughout the year, but spring/autumn hunts and hard-water fishing are when it sees pretty consistent use. …
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 you’re deep in the backcountry it’s just too much fuss to pack in all the things you need to make a decent cake. The last time I made this, I …
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 outdoor adventure. There are some semi-emergency or worse situations where we need the fire going right now and a few minutes is just too long. Getting warm is an immediate …
May the Force Be With You at This Year’s Hut to Hut Ski Event on Saturday
The EDI Hut to Hut, taking place this Saturday, is a family, social event that aims to encourage skiers of all ages and ability to participate while discovering new trails and three trail huts. Those huts will be heated and stocked with snacks, drinks and special treats. Pat Tobler is a branch manager at EDI …
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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 the day. By prepping the first part of this three part recipe for dinner, you have yourself a hearty, quick breakfast, as well as lunch or dinner the next day …
Pacing Ourselves to Pigeon Spire
On my third day in the Bugs I team up with my friend Andrew, who is one of the late-comers. We wake up when our bodies decide to and have a leisurely morning. Our objective for the day is the West Ridge of Pigeon Spire – a very easy technical climb, but one made popular …
High on Life
Between the years of 1991 and 2011 my husband and I used to pack up our son and drive to a mountain summit a few times every winter. They were once our favourite places to be: those white wide-open expanses. An active community of winter lovers is still going to the summits: skiers, snowboarders, snow …
Fishing on a Budget
The equipment needed to start out fishing can be very expensive and it’s really easy to spend a lot more than you need to. One of the first things a prospective angler needs to learn is that the huge rack of lures and accessories was made more to catch you than to catch fish. There …
Colour The Yukon
Erin Dixon is an artist with a passion for Yukon landscapes. “I was into colouring before it was hot,” she says with a laugh. A self described avid colourer, Dixon noticed a vacancy, “I know that colouring is really popular right now and I wanted to fill the void for Yukoners and visitors wishing for …
From the Catch to the Table
For those who don’t like the taste of fish, the reason is because of the lack of proper handling of the fish from the time it is caught to the minute it is served. It might come as a surprise to some, but a fish starts to deteriorate the minute it is hooked. More often …
Like the Beauty of the Yukon? You’ll Love Hiking Japan
He would leave home at 6:30 a.m. and return at 10 or 11 p.m. When Japan’s economy faltered, he wanted a change. He came to Canada, trained as a mountain guide, and moved to the Yukon to set up its Yamnuska branch in 2007. Today, he still works in an office, marketing and organizing. “But …
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DIDEE & DIDOO: Embrace Winter
You can go dog mushing. You can go snow shoeing. You can go skiing. You can go skating. You can make a snowman. You can see the northern lights. You can make an igloo. You can go for a ski-doo ride. You can go sliding You can go skijoring. You can go ice fishing. You …
Heading Out? Check it Out!
For many Yukoners, enjoying the backcountry is an integral part of their lifestyle whether they love to ski, snow machine, snowshoe or run sled dogs. They rely on their own experiences and common sense to keep themselves safe. Some have tuned into avalanche forecasts that have been available since 2011 on the Canadian Avalanche website …
Winter Sports Smackdown
So much winter, so little time. With Yukon’s abundance of winter recreation options, how do you choose your sport?
Yukon Trees in Winter
Trees that naturally grow in and around Whitehorse There are only three families of trees represented in the southwest Yukon. Sounds easy enough? It isn’t, so don’t feel bad if you can’t see the trees for the forest. The willow family (Salicaceae): willow and poplar The birch family (Betulaceae): alder and birch The pine family …
The Lake Below
Another strange phenomena occurred that happens to me in the mountains. We looked up the side hill for Nancy, but we couldn’t see her at all. We wondered where she had gone, It turned out that she indeed was climbing in plain view, and sure enough she could easily see us on the lake. We …
I’m a Survivor
We fundraise in the community every year, to cover the team and recreational paddling expenses, so that participating in Paddlers Abreast is not an impediment to anyone. We do not receive government funding. Any donations above $20 is eligible for a charitable donation receipt. When we have a surplus, we donate money to Karen’s Fund, …
The Lure of the Aurora Borealis
Tourists visit the Yukon to see the aurora; it’s the heart of the winter tourism industry. Visitors who have done their research will also have other activities in mind. People arrive from around the world – including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Korea, and of course the United States and other parts of …
A Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)
I am pleased to announce that I recently had my first encounter with a sandhill crane. I have never gone to the Crane and Sheep Festival in Faro, which is held in May, and the time and place when the cranes fly over the town. Years ago, I saw flocks of sandhill cranes in November …
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 around for hundreds of years and although always heavy, was brought from Europe by the early settlers to North America. The large cauldrons and kettles, now no longer in use, …
Trail Snacks: GORP and Fruit Leather
GORP, aka Good Old Reliable Protein, and fruit leather are can be bought. Quality varies depending on how much you pay. They’re both easy to make and satisfy hunger pangs. Kids can make them; it’s a good rainy day project. GORP Read store bought GORP for tips on what you will make at home. It …
On Living With Things That Might Want to Eat You
“You just take a cup full of piss,” he says, “And then you throw it up high – like, splash it around on your roof, up in the trees, as high up as you can get it. Then, when the bear comes by, he’ll smell it way, way up and be like ‘holy crap, that …
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Boat Launch Etiquette
This was an extreme situation, but I once pulled up to the ramp to put my boat in the water and a Zodiac owner had just pulled his inflatable out of the water and onto the ramp. He and his companion then proceeded for at least half an hour to disassemble and pack up their …
Wildflowers on the Mountaintop
Breaking out of sheer rock, on the barren ground, or beside a mountain stream, hundreds of different kinds of wildflowers grow in the Yukon mountains. Some bloom as early as the snow melts in April, some continue blooming well into September. The seven alpine flowers described below all grow on mountaintops close to Whitehorse.
Continuing the Legacy of Alex VanBibber
The late Alex VanBibber had a favourite refrain: “An outdoor life is a healthy life.” This is according to his friend, Harvey Jessop. Jessop wrote some remarks about VanBibber’s life for the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board, pertaining to a new scholarship it is offering in VanBibber’s legacy. The Alex VanBibber Sharing the Land …
From the Ashes of A River Fail: Two Cocktails
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about heading off on a trip down the Wind River. I was concerned that our group, with all our goods and chattels for the 17-day journey, was going to be overweight for the flight to the put-in at McCluskey Lake. Well, turned out there was no need to …
Especially Good Fun
There is something special about watching Special Olympics athletes compete. If you know people with an intellectual disability involved with the Special Olympics, then you know what it’s like to watch a person give everything they’ve got. It’s just like watching any athletes perform the sports they love – except there is an underlying air …
PFDs are Only Good if You’re Wearing Them
I have often wondered just how I would feel if after falling out, I was 30 feet away from my drifting boat where my life jacket was draped over the driver’s chair. I have always been a strong swimmer, but the Yukon water is very cold and we are often bundled up in layers …
How To Do Your Part to Reduce the Risk
On July 2, 1998, as Canada Day weekend celebrations carried out across the Yukon, a wildfire ignited. It was one of the largest and most expensive wildfires in the history of the territory. It was preventable and began after a campfire was not properly put out. It started at the north end of Fox Lake, …
Camaraderie in a Canoe
Nine ladies in a voyageur canoe whose ages range from 23 to 62; 715 kilometres; paddling for Yukon Cancer Care Fund. Stix Together is a team of Whitehorse women participating in the 18th Annual Yukon River Quest. The race begins with a mass start at noon on Wednesday, June 29. Participants gather at the gazebo …
Managing Yukon Wildfire: How, When and Why
Wildfire is as common in the Yukon as camping and bear sightings. There are roughly 150 wildfires in the territory every fire season.
Summer: A Kid’s Perspective
Finally summer is here! This is the most funnest season of the year, but my horse, Hollywood, probably loves it more than I do. This is the only time of the season that he can get out of his pen and run around, eat grass, chase his shadow, nap in the sun’s heat and eat …
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 I watched my neighbour gleefully set up his patio furniture and lovingly polish his brand-new stainless steel barbecue. Several millennia ago, so the story goes, we oozed our way out …
The Bee Diaries – April 2016
The gentle, warm summer breeze touched our faces as we stood watching the bees. The bees were just doing their thing: flying in and out of the hive, gathering pollen. Suddenly we noticed a large black cloud forming in the southwest. Within minutes of us spying that dark cloud the bees started flying back to the …
Bushmom
What am I doing? It is -45 C and I am starting to feel trapped. I haven’t left the house – unless you count visits to the outhouse or to grab more wood, which at these temperatures are so quick that they hardly bear mentioning. I haven’t left the house in 15 days. I haven’t …
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 all the info we give on our hunting spots. If you know where that is, you know the Yukon better than I do. Looking up the side of the mountain …
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 wet to get anything but thick smoke and little flame. A short time spent on preparation can help to get at least a good cooking fire anywhere. In other articles …
Kinnikinnick
Kinnikinnick’s Latin name, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, comes from arctos and ursi meaning bear and staphylos and uva meaning bunch of grapes. Amazing: the taste of those little grapes! I just tried something I had never tried before, but had read about several times. As it happens, I was treating a certain condition I had. I always …
Fish
It will not surprise many that this little planet called Earth is covered by seventy percent water. What may surprise many is that the water on this planet holds close to an estimated 17,000 different species of fish. Fish have been found in waters in altitudes of 15,000 feet and in waters 35,000 feet in …
Yukon’s Best Friend: DOG CULTURE, Kevin Taylor
Rebelanne and Halo canoeing on the Six Mile River, Tagish. Meet our dogs, they live for us, we live for them. Send us your pet photos.
Visiting the Glaciers
We always said that when the kids were old enough we would take them for an Alaskan kayaking expedition, just like the one we had gone on before the kids were born. So last summer we did just that, and what we learned is that an eight-year-old and a 13-year-old are awesome ages for such …
Ode to Kusawa Lake
Boxing Day: we drive out to Kusawa Lake. My beloved lake, Kusawa. The joys of the lake for me include swimming, boating, floating, skating, to be in it/ on it or crossing the lake. I have even bicycled on it and now I walk on it. I have often sunbathed on its sandy beaches or …
One-Two-Tweet…
There’s nothing like a bird count to inspire new and seasoned birders. This Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place Feb. 12-15 and it’s a family-friendly event for any skill level. The GBBC helps to give a snapshot of bird life throughout Canada, the continent, and the world. Last year 5,090 species were recorded – …
There Goes my Life
My hunting partner is the best. I know we’ll head out on more adventures, but it may be a while. Hayley is graduating & heading to law school.
A Place to Wander… and A Place to Stay
You can’t beat the price: $35 for a bed, $80-$95 for the private couple/family room or $25 for a place to pitch your tent, including free internet and parking, access to all the facilities, kitchen, shower, piano, and guitars. The a piano and guitars are not usually part of the deal at most hostels, but …
Tips on Winter Birding
Yes, baby, it’s cold outside. But birding can get you out of the house, connect you with nature, and other people. During December’s Christmas bird counts – an annual winter birding tradition – hundreds of participants recorded birds in 14 different communities. (The numbers aren’t all in yet.) In Whitehorse, 46 people gave up Boxing …
Axes: Use and Abuse
Winter is the busiest and most abusive time of the year for axes. They get a solid workout in the fall when we split the majority of our firewood, but all winter long they are used for making kindling as well splitting the rest of the wood. For some reason we have gotten into the …
Things the Forest Hides
Talking to my friend Mary Whitley, a fellow explorer, we started discussing how many trails we had found this summer that we did not even know existed. She was finding them on her side of town around Mount Lorne, and I was finding them on mine around the Mendenhall Subdivision. So, on one of those …
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 drinks cool. Coolers come in various shapes, sizes and prices. A really large one seems like a good idea until you try to lift and carry it after it has …
The Chilkoot Pass: The Challenge Of My Summer
This summer my family and I hiked the Chilkoot Pass. When we kids learned we were actually going, the first response was “Why?” and “I don’t want to!” We got over it and realized that we were, in fact, going to go no matter what our opinion was. Eventually, when we were actually hiking, we …
Laughter Is The Same In All Languages
Temperatures were in the mid-30s while we were in Munich. Many of the people spoke English, but many others did not. Neither Joanne nor I speak German. We did experience moments of frustration because of miscommunications, but some of that kind of thing was to be expected. In the late afternoons we would retreat to …
Living with Wildlife: Richard Brochet
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] I got this sweet picture of a mama Grizzly. A family of three was hangin’ out near the carcross desert. The cubs were chewing on roots while …
What to Do in Dawson in the Winter
Those who think that the Klondike is just a sleepy little place in winter between the tourists and the Yukon Quest would be mistaken.
Beyond Thought
walking trails. We live not close to nature, but in nature. What is great is that so many of us are out there daily on the walking trails enjoying it. But we are also busy folks. We go to our jobs, get the kids to school and back, volunteer, coach and generally spend time being …
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 were on the first one. At first the newbie often just stuffs the pack and gear boxes in no particular order and, unless they are lucky, has to go through …
What Not to Eat: Water Hemlock
When I first began eating wild mushrooms, I was studying squirrels. I watched which mushrooms they picked to stash in trees, and figured that whichever ones they ate were probably not (or not very) poisonous. These days I know a little more and am glad I didn’t base my entire wild diet on this type …
Three Books for Adventurous Souls
It’s the fall season, which means two things: the slow-creep of cold weather and a near-existential dread of the aforementioned. It also means, for thousands of Yukoners, a frantic dash to enjoy those last, fleeting moments of liveable outdoor weather in the form of fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking or whatever your outdoor poison …
Lost, Who Me??
I bet almost every backpacker, hunter or any other outdoor person has been lost in the bush, at least for a short time. Most won’t admit it, but will agree that they were, “temporarily unsure of their location” or “I got turned around.” It’s a blow to your ego to come clean and admit …
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 half years living in the total comfort of a warm bed, running water, and the ability to flush her business down a toilet anytime she wants. That all changed last …
Exploring Atlin and the nearby volcanic field
Atlin Mountain might have lost some of its white stripes, but Atlin itself is still as much fun as ever – all inhabitants 100 percent colourful, all sights 100 percent amazing. Sometimes, on a long weekend, the girl gang and I drive down on a Saturday morning, spend the night and drive back Sunday evening. …
Ramble in T.O.
My dance practice is rooted in uncultivated, wild, outdoor spaces. I often perform site-specific dances outdoors for audiences and/or camera. However, my latest collaborative project, Ramble (45 min), was performed last month inside a black box theatre in a busy city (Toronto), within a busy theatre and dance festival (the 25th edition of SummerWorks). …
Didee & Didoo: My Gym
’When I mention my gym, it doesn’t have a basketball rim. My gym is the great outdoors, I share it with animals on all fours. I share my gym with the bear where there’s lots of fresh air. I share my gym with the porcupine where there’s lots of sunshine. I share my gym with …
Hiking: Other Essentials
In previous columns, I’ve talked about food, tents, packs, boots, foot care and outer garments. Now let’s look at other things that range from nearly essential to nice-to-have. Cleanliness needs can be met with biodegradable products, or with a part bar of soap from the bathroom and a small shampoo from the travel section of …
A Northern Diary
Carolyn Vincent taught in the Yukon in the 1970s and also cooked for an outfitter for a few months in 1976. She typed out a diary of what her life was like during that time. We are reprinting it here with minimal editorial tampering. Last time we left her, hunting season was just starting. Here …
A smoky pinnacle beckons in a hiker’s personal Shangri-La
Yes! This month, Jane Vincent is coming with me on an attempt to climb the pinnacle. It’s a pinnacle I now call Dragon Mountain. Recently, hiking there on my own, setting my own pace, very aware of my surroundings, I was in tune for miracles. The mountain was un-named; a mountain in a range of …
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Boulder On!
Do you like climbing rocks? Do you enjoy hiking in a gorgeous valley? What about making friends? Walking a tightrope suspended between two giant boulders? Do you like having fun and being happy? If you answered yes to any of these, you’re in luck. This Saturday, the local climbing community will host a revival of …
The Camp Knife
Too often, I have seen people wearing knives that are really too big to take on any task except chopping down trees. These are often visitors, but locals sometimes wield these big blades as well. If we had junglelike undergrowth, maybe these machete stand-ins would have a legitimate purpose. I’m guessing that folks who really …
Head in the Clouds
The motto on the Montana licence plate is Big Sky Country. I went to Montana before I knew the true meaning of ‘big sky’ — I was raised on the slope of a mountain in the narrow-valleyed interior of British Columbia. I had a déja vu-like inkling of the meaning, though. The Pacific Ocean gave …
Clothing to Keep You Safe and Warm
Time on the land can be uncomfortable and even very dangerous if you aren’t ready for the weather nature sends to greet you. On a summer day in the alpine, all four seasons can assert themselves. The hiker who is prepared with good clothing, equipment, and attitude can actually enjoy the weather experience. Ill-prepared hikers, …
On Backpacks
Since people come in different lengths, so do packs. Most quality packs have frame adjustments to lengthen and shorten the unit. Some have no adjustments, but that’s fine if it fits you at the length it is. Don’t buy it simply because the price is right.
Life on the Edge of the Forest is a Hoot
It’s a cold morning. While I’m writing, the twin deer are in the yard — last year’s fawns, without their mother now. May was full of summer weather and I often had breakfast outside. Yet, a deer never walked up to me during those quiet morning times. However, on one lovely morning in May, suddenly, …
Orienteering: What to do when Things Go Wrong
It is up to the orienteer to choose the routes between controls. The key to staying on track is to look at the map often, because it can take up to three glances before you realize the surrounding terrain is not what you are expecting from the map. Looking at the map more frequently ensures …
Slim’s River West Trail
I am making my way up a mountain. I am alone, tired, and very thirsty. The nearest road or person is 30 km away. The sun has just disappeared behind a mountain; I know it will be dark shortly. I must make it back to my tent soon, or risk crossing a rushing creek in …
Learning from the Locals
Returning home after traveling can bring culture shock that’s just as discombobulating as that experienced when heading off to the far side of the globe. I’m learning that staging the return helps ease the transitions of climate and jet lag, as well as culture. One of my main reasons for traveling is the fresh perspective …
A Hike or a Walk
Both hiking and walking use feet for propulsion. A walk is often more leisurely, unless it’s your mode of exercise, and it’s done without a load. A walk is usually undertaken close to home, it doesn’t usually cover too much distance, and it usually ends where it started. A hike, on the other hand, often …
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 the meat. Leave them attached to lift meat up into a plane or a high truck bed. • Use a child’s crazy-carpet snow toy, or a quadruple folded tarp, to …
April Ain’t Cruel
In The Debt to Pleasure John Lancaster wonders if T.S. Eliot invented the link between April and suicides, just as painter Joseph Mallord William Turner invented sunsets (Google it. I did). But, Lancaster goes on. Before talking about the glory of roast lamb in April (The Debt to Pleasure is a dark, twisted, informative read that …
My Yukon Bison Hunt
There’s something special about waking up in a cabin with a bunch of peers who all want the same thing: to catch a bison. It puts a goal in everyone’s head, a sense of unity. There is also the excitement and thrill that this could be the day, the day we finally get that elusive …
The Aishihik Rock Slide
For three consecutive Sundays, my husband and I have been going to a place we both fell in love with. He found it when hunting for bison, and I knew the spot from hiking up to the tors along the Aishihik Road. We discovered the rockslide while being there. Initially we liked the spot because …
Homage to a Yukon Birder
Yukon birds, and its birding community, have lost a true friend. When he died last month, at 75, Helmut Grünberg had spent over 40 years promoting the enjoyment, study, and conservation of Yukon’s bird life. He found his way to Whitehorse in the early ‘70s when, en route to climb Denali in Alaska, he was …
Adventures in Tombstone Territorial Park
Tombstone Territorial Park, and the highway that leads to it, evoke the images of the Yukon we love so much: vivid colours, vast, open land, and jagged-steep beautiful mountains. As such, pictures of the park regularly adorn Yukon calendars and postcards. Naturally, I felt a strong pull to this place when I moved to the …
Living With Wildlife: Maggie Leary
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] This photo submitted by Maggie Leary The pine grosbeak was sitting in a tree in our backyard, planning his launch onto the birdfeeder. I took this …
February Seedlings
Anything can happen in February, weather-wise. It can be -30°C one day and 5°C a few days later. The sun can be very warm and the spring starts diminishing the snow and icing up the roads. January is a month of hibernation and rest. But February is a month of cabin fever; hence Rendezvous. February, the …
SOS
My phone rang at 2:27 pm. Janessa was on the other end: “What’s going on dad?” “What are you talking about?” I said. It turns out the technology I use to reassure my family that I am okay works very well to inform them when I am not. As it should. She told me that …
Cold Water Immersion
The 1-10-1 principle refers to time: one minute, 10 minutes, and one hour. “One minute” deals with cold-water shock; when you first fall into the cold water. There will be an immediate deep gasp followed by hyperventilation and possible panic. Controlling panic and your breathing are critical to survival. This situation will pass in about a …
An elusive mountain creature: Mary Whitley
As her husband describes her, Mary Whitley is an elusive mountain creature. Mary’s favorite bird is the northern wheatear. I am proud to say that Mary is also my good friend and hiking partner. Many Yukoners may know Mary as an avid outdoors woman, and for her knowledge of birds. I was happy that she …
The boulder you get
The sport of bouldering does not end with “conquering” a boulder but, rather, “understanding” it. The sport’s founder is a mathematician and accomplished gymnast, while its most successful participants do not necessarily possess great strength. The Ibex Valley Bouldering Festival (not “Competition” … but “Festival”) is a good chance to see this sport and to …
‘Forward, onward, says the wind.’
For our children: Tashina, Alysia, Aprile and Joshua My eyes are closed, but I can feel the gentle wind blow my hair lightly into my face. Forward, onward, it says. The fragrance of moist earth, decaying leaves and living things, envelope my senses. Branches creak and leaves flutter, letting me know what I’m leaving behind. …
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 truly gung-ho. This is the time when calendars come out, the grand trips are planned and all the winter’s empties head to the recycling depot for a sweet boost of …
Wine Indoors or Out
Two weekends ago, a friend and I drove up the road from Rabbits Foot Canyon, to Fish Lake, to take her dog for a walk. While the roads were mostly dry, there was still a good foot or two of snow scattered intermittently along the path that we walked. The sky was blue and the …
Search and Rescue Association: a fine-tuned operation
Sebastien Weisser considers himself a fortunate man. When his snowmobile broke down in a remote location on the Top of the World highway near Dawson City, he wasn’t worried. “I knew someone would come and get me,” he says. “It was just a matter of waiting.” Weisser knew that when he didn’t return home at …
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Get a Good Summer Workout in the Garden
By becoming active in your garden, you have the perfect opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors while feeling good about yourself and your garden. Gardening is a wonderful way to work all of the major muscle groups and even lose a few pounds. Here are a few noteworthy statistics: mowing the lawn with a power …
Seeing With Both Eyes
My first introduction to the CHAOS program involved driving up Grey Mountain to meet a group of grade 9 students and educators as they completed an extended hike on their final day of school before summer break. CHAOS, which stands for Community, Heritage, Adventure, Outdoors and Skills, is a new experiential education program for Yukon …
Easing Into winter
OK, so it’s been a bit cold out, the light is going, your skis have cobwebs on them and you can’t find your mitts. Enough excuses already! As I write this, Whitehorse is approaching record snowfalls for the month of November. November is often a month suitable only for the diehards, picking their way among …
Rally Round
Kendall Sullivan knows exactly how she and her daughter contracted Lyme disease. “I was rock climbing in Banff 16 years ago.” says the one-time Yukoner. After the climb, her friend noticed a tick on her head, which they promptly removed and brought in for examination. They were told if they’d gotten the whole tick, she …
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, how to pack properly for a multi-day hike, and you get to have fun and relax while you’re doing it,” says Nansi Cunningham. Cunningham is speaking about the annual Yukon …
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 Association’s 25th annual Outdoor Education Camp takes place July 2-9 and it should provide an amazing experience for the group of youth between 13 and 16 years old who get …
A World Beneath the Ice
As Oliver Barker tells it, fish taught him how to walk. “My family had this fish tank balanced on a crate in our living room,” he explains. “I used to haul myself up using the edge of the crate to see the fish—but every time I did that the fish would spook and swim to …
The D.O.G. System
Are you struggling to stick to that resolution to shed a few pounds, made a few months ago under the inducement of a glass of champagne and the promise of a new year? Are you frustrated and bored with generic workout programs and searching for inspiration? Do you find your motivation to exercise regularly lagging? …
A debut Yukon novel
Enthusiasts of outdoor stories, adventure and romance will find all three at the preview of Roy Ness’s first novel, Rutting Season, at the Parking Lot Reading on Friday, July 27. The self-published book is a stand-alone adventure with a liberal dose of romance. In a September storm in the Selwyn Mountains grizzly bear eco-warrior Hannah …
Navigating Point to Point
Every second Wednesday throughout the summer, you can find a full cross-section of Whitehorse’s population—children, seniors, families, teens, young professionals, even excited dogs—out in the woods, maps and compasses at the ready. The Yukon Orienteering Association brings them together for bi-weekly orienteering meets that cater to the full gamut of abilities, from absolute beginners to …
From Archery to Zumba: Up Off the Couch!
Is it possible to write a sports column that covers kayak polo, fighting kites, ice climbing, skinny dipping, and broomball? And if it is, would you still call it a sports column, or the ultimate bucket list of things to try at least once while living in the Yukon? Well, my friends, perhaps the answers …
