Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/1499370
YT 101 BY E. LISA MOSES Air North: Taming the Yukon's Wilderness Skies NORTHERN LIGHTS DANCE OFF THE TIP OF THE WING EN ROUTE TO YUKON • NEIL ZELLER Whether flying into the north from Canadian hubs such as Toronto or Vancouver on Boeing 737 jets, or soaring around the Yukon on ATR 42 turboprop airliners, Air North passen- gers are treated to pleasant guest experiences. Each ride includes a meal, beverage service or snacks— and two pieces of checked luggage. That simplifies bringing gear and clothing for different activities and all sorts of weather. Founded in 1977, this specialty airline is 49 per cent owned by Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. Its mission is to connect the Canadian north and south, making air travel an uncomplicated and relaxing experience. The Yukon is a magnet for visitors of all ages and tastes, and Air North takes them to key jumping-off points where they can rent gear and vehicles if they have not brought their own. International adventurers include extreme cyclist racers, backcountry skiers and dog mushers. Hikers can choose from an unlimited number of trails with levels of difficulty ranging from easy to strenuous. Horse riders can take in the fresh air, mountain sights and river treks from the saddle—sometimes coming eye to eye with wildlife such as Dall sheep, muskox, bison and moose. Dawson City, home of the Klondike Gold Rush, is a big draw that has inspired countless songs and stories. Author and gold prospector Jack London's famous book, Call of the Wild, awakened the world to the Yukon wilderness life. Robert W. Service's ballad, The Cremation of Sam McGee, performed by many artists including Johnny Cash, is also an ode to life up north. Today's visitors can see the sights described in these writings, learn about the Gold Rush and immerse themselves in First Nations heritage while enjoying the midnight sun, fall colours or northern lights. In the village of Old Crow at the conflu- ence of the Crow and Porcupine rivers, Air North is a lifeline for visitors and residents in the absence of road access. On the traditional territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, it is 60 kilometres south of Vuntut National Park—the setting for the longest land mammal migration in the world. More than 200,000 animals in the porcupine caribou herd wander back and forth, grazing and calving over 250,000 sq.km of northern tundra through Alaska, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The area surrounding Old Crow is rich in ice age fossils, and has yielded evidence of Yukon giant camels, mammoths, steppe bison and other species. The territory's main travel hub is the cosmopolitan city of Whitehorse, where incoming flights offer passengers their first glimpse of the Yukon. From there, the sky is the limit for exploring a wilderness playground like no other (www.flyair north.com). SIMON BLAKESLEY