YT
102
BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS
Whitehorse:
It's Time
KLUANE NATIONAL PARK AND RESERVE • PARKS CANADA/FRITZ MUELLER
Whitehorse, surrounded by postcard-perfect nature, makes
it the genuine starting point for many Yukon journeys.
Whitehorse has long been a transportation and
commercial hub for explorers and adventurers. In
summers past, fortune seekers and daring Gold Rush
entrepreneurs floated their boats downriver toward the
goldfields. Through long winters, sled dog teams moved
mail and supplies along frozen waterways. It's time to
follow in their exciting footsteps!
ULTIMATE OUTDOOR
EXPERIENCES
Tackle a mountain biking trail under the
midnight sun; canoe a heritage river; dogsled,
snowshoe or cross-country ski through
snowy woodlands; or sign up for a "celestial
experience" under the northern lights.
Experienced guides open the door to
authentic Yukon-sized activities. Yukon
Wild is a one-stop collective of licenced
adventure experts who explore the famed
Canadian backcountry in an eco-friendly
manner (www.yukonwild.com).
The iconic Yukon Quest is three short sled
dog races, bringing some of the world's best
mushing teams to the territory's historic
winter routes (www.yukonquest.com).
Yukon Wildlife Preserve promises
guaranteed wildlife spotting. New are
interactive VIP tours and wintertime
kicksled rentals—exciting ways to explore in
addition to interpretive bus tours, walking,
biking and cross-country skiing (www.yukon
wildlife.ca).
HONOURING FIRST NATIONS
HERITAGE
Whitehorse lies within the traditional
territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation.
Drumming, singing, dancing and feasting
are ways to experience the rich heritage and
culture of the Yukon's 14 First Nations.
Exhibits at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural
Centre celebrate the uniqueness of the First
Nations People (www.kdcc.ca). The Centre
hosts the annual midsummer Adäka
Cultural Festival, featuring art, music,
drumming, dancing and storytelling to
celebrate Yukon's First Nations heritage
(www.adakafestival.ca).
UNCOVER YUKON'S HISTORY
During the late-1800s Klondike Gold Rush,
an estimated 100,000 quirky and strong
prospectors crossed through Whitehorse
heading north to Dawson City in a quest
for riches.
The MacBride Museum's exhibits tell the
stories of Yukon history, First Nations culture,
the importance of the Yukon River, mining
history, the wildlife and the magnitude of the
Gold Rush. On-site is the original cabin of
prospector Sam McGee, immortalized in
Robert Service's poem, The Cremation of Sam
McGee (www.macbridemuseum.com).
The Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre's
displays and dioramas show life on the
prehistoric subcontinent of Beringia—the
dry, unglaciated land bridge once linking
Alaska and Siberia (www.beringia.com).
The restored S.S. Klondike National
Historic Site is open in dry dock for summer-
time public tours. The craft was the largest
steam-powered sternwheeler to travel the
upper Yukon River between Whitehorse and
Dawson City (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/
ssklondike).
The Old Log Church Museum is one of the
oldest buildings in Whitehorse, with
exhibits on Yukon's spirited history
(www.oldlogchurchmuseum.ca).
KLUANE NATIONAL PARK
AND RESERVE
Canada's highest mountain, Mount Logan, is
found in the high-peak ice ranges of Kluane
National Park and Reserve. Kluane's wilder-
ness hooks avid paddlers, mountain bikers
and hikers. Sightseeing flights cross over the
world's largest non-polar icefields
(www.parkscanada.gc.ca/kluane).
For more information, contact:
www.travelyukon.com
