Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/651528
TRAVEL GUIDE TO CANADA Known as The Land of the Midnight Sun, the light-fi lled days and nights of summer are perfect for canoeing, biking, hiking and fi shing. The June solstice sun doesn't set at the Arctic Circle, so golfi ng at midnight or hiking into the wee hours are both possible. After a long day, relax in thermal hot springs. CONNECT WITH A CANADIAN WILDERNESS LANDSCAPE In this northern place called Yukon, more than 80 percent is still pristine wilderness. Much is protected in vast, uninhabited parks like Kluane, Ivvavik and Tombstone, and along world-famous paddling and rafting rivers. The chance of encountering wildlife is excellent. There are more caribou and moose than people; bears and mountain sheep create "wildlife jams" as passersby spot them beside the roadways; grizzly bears are found across the territory. The wilderness knocks at the back doors of the Yukon's few urban areas—the city of Whitehorse and the historic town of Dawson City. Dense, endless greenery edges unhurried highways and, in summer, brilliant magenta fi reweed, the Yukon's territorial fl ower, lines many roadsides. Mountains, lakes, rivers and some of the country's most majestic glacier fi elds provide a photographer's dream. IN THIS PLACE, HISTORY STILL SHINES Everywhere there are markers of the territory's 1890's Klondike Gold Rush history, a time when desperate stampeders surmounted unimaginable hardships to reach stream beds they believed were thick with gold nuggets. Few found these riches and many lost their lives or their savings in the quest for instant wealth. Gold is still a vibrant part of the Yukon economy, but modern machinery has replaced the gold pan, although visitors can still pan for gold in the creeksides. Small museums showcase local history and folklore, weaving together the heritage of First Nations peoples and tales of the Gold Rush. For the Klondike gold seekers, the Yukon's many waterways were the highways into the north. Today's paddlers trace many of the same water-borne routes—this time in search of canoeing and kayaking adventures on the territory's many lakes and 70 wilderness rivers. In winter, the frozen rivers are the routes of world-class sled dog endurance races. WHAT'S NEW? 2016 marks the 100 th anniversary of the passing of storyteller Jack London, author of Yukon classics like White Fang and Call of the Wild. Learn about the Gold Rush days at the Jack London Museum in Dawson City, located in a cabin built from the logs of London's actual home ( www. dawsoncity.ca). Base Camp Trips at Ivvavik National Park are an Arctic adventure of a lifetime with fi ve-day catered trips and seven-day self-catered trips. The new Parks Canada program includes ranger-led day hikes on terrain that varies from fairly fl at to uneven and sometimes steep ( www.pc.gc. ca/eng/pn-np/yt/ivvavik/ne/Camp1.aspx). CITY LIGHTS Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon, gained its name from the roiling White Horse Rapids on the Yukon River. Whitehorse is the urban heart of the territory, with historic and heritage sights, a vibrant arts community, and a wide range of dining and accommodation choices (www. travelyukon.com). Unusual Dawson City preserves its storied Gold Rush past with historic false- fronted buildings, rustic log cabins, can-can dancing and a frontier energy. Downtown Dawson has been declared a national historic site (www.dawsoncity.ca ). THE GREAT OUTDOORS In Yukon's unspoiled wilderness, outdoor enthusiasts can explore on foot or mountain bike or retrace the prospectors' footsteps by hiking the challenging Chilkoot Trail. Angle for trophy fi sh in a northern glacier-fed lake or climb a mountain—majestic Mount Logan is the highest point in Canada at POPULATION: , CAPITAL CITY: Whitehorse TERRITORIAL WEBSITE: www.travelyukon.com INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY: erik nielsen Whitehorse international airport, 8 km (5 mi.) from downtown SLeD DoGS • toUriSM Yt/f. MUeLLer