Travel Guides to Canada

HERITAGE AND CULTURE When the news of "Gold!" echoed from the Klondike, tens of thousands of gold seekers set off, lured by dreams of riches. The history of the Gold Rush is still at the hub of many Yukon experiences. In 2023 the territory celebrated the 125 th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush! The Dawson City Museum is the perfect spot to learn about the town at the heart of the Gold Rush (www.dawsonmuseum.ca). Watch the award-winning film, City of Gold, narrated by Yukon-native Pierre Berton. Dawson City likes to show off a rich literary heritage. Along Writers' Block (Eighth Street), stop at the Robert Service Cabin where visitors are treated to readings of his poems and some insights into the more idiosyncratic aspects of the author's personality. Next door is the log cabin that was once home to storyteller Jack London, author of Yukon classics such as White Fang and Call of the Wild (www.dawsoncity.ca). At the expanded MacBride Museum in Whitehorse, learn how stampeders once panned on the Klondike creeks and peer into prospector Sam McGee's cabin (www.macbridemuseum.com). Many communities have First Nations cultural centres—Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre in Dawson City and Big Jonathan House at Pelly Crossing are just a few spots where visitors can learn about the traditions, crafts and history of the First Nations. The Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre transports visitors to the unforgiving prehis- toric landscape of Beringia—the dry, unglaciated land bridge that once linked Alaska and Siberia. Multimedia displays and dioramas tell the story of a time when woolly mammoths and gigantic mastodons roamed the region (www.beringia.com). Every summer musicians and music lovers come to the Yukon for the Dawson City Music Festival, a world-class showcase of North American talent (www.dcmf.com). MUST SEE, MUST DO Rent an RV and take the ultimate road trip along iconic northern roadways like the Dempster Highway across the Arctic Circle or the winding Silver Trail to historic frontier mining towns. Explore Dawson City, the "heart of the Klondike Gold Rush," that bustles with the history of a wild era when prospectors rushed to follow dreams of riches. At Montana Mountain in Carcross, about 40 km (25 mi.) of trail have been built for the enjoyment of hikers, mountain bikers, snowshoers and skiers (www.destination carcross.ca). Winter or summer, take a sightseeing flight by small plane or helicopter over the spectac- ular Kluane National Park Icefield Ranges, one of the world's largest non-polar icefields (www.kluaneglacierairtours.com). Try a traditional First Nations adventure tour or cultural experience, outside Whitehorse with traditional Southern Tutchone First Nations culture operator, Long Ago Peoples Place (www.longagopeoplesplace.ca). Learn from the experts about stargazing and viewing the aurora colours of the night sky at Northern Nights: Kluane's Dark Sky Festival (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/kluane), or through one of the northern lights packages offered with Yukon Tours by Klondike Travel (www.yukontours.ca). SCENIC DRIVES The Golden Circle Route's 600-km (373-mi.) begins in Whitehorse and circles to include Skagway, Alaska and Kluane National Park, showcasing spectacular alpine scenery. The secluded Top of the World Highway, open seasonally only, hugs the top of mountains for outstanding scenery. At the east end of the unpaved drive, hop on the free car ferry and cross the Yukon River to Dawson City. Bring your passport—the crossing from Alaska to the Yukon is the most northern international border crossing in all of North America. The breathtaking and bumpy Dempster Highway, a wilderness route, is best travelled in summertime. The 740-km (460-mi.) gravel roadway is Canada's only all-weather road across the Arctic Circle. The paved Alaska Highway is one of the continent's great wilderness drives. In 1942, a workforce of thousands of U.S. soldiers and Canadian and U.S. civilians built the lengthy highway in record time. It winds through eight communities, Kluane National Park and major attractions including the Sign Post Forest, the Northern Lights Centre and the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre. FAMILY FUN All kids brighten up at the chance to spy some wildlife. The Yukon Wildlife Preserve features 12+ species of northern Canadian mammals in their natural environment—including woodland caribou, lynx, moose, mountain goats, wood bison and foxes. Open year-round, the preserve can be explored on self-guided walking/biking/skiing trails or by interpretive bus tour (www.yukonwildlife.ca). YT 86 EMERALD LAKE • TRAVEL YUKON/ARCHBOULD PHOTOGRAPHY

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