Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/809166
or hiking into the wee hours are both possible. In Whitehorse, the June sun brings an average of 269 hours of sunshine. There are all sorts of ways to connect— across the territory you'll fi nd both accessible experiences and off the beaten path escapes. HEAD OUTDOORS—THE GRAPHICS ARE AMAZING! The Yukon can lay claim to true wilderness like nowhere else south of the 60 th parallel. More than 80 percent of the territory is still pristine forests, tundra and even desert. Throughout 2017, Canada's 150 th anniversa- ry celebrations include free admission to all Parks Canada sites, including the protected lands in vast, uninhabited parks like Kluane, Ivvavik and Tombstone. The chance of encountering Yukon wildlife is excellent. Bears and mountain sheep create "wildlife jams" as passersby spot them beside the roadways; caribou, moose and 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 greenery edges ribbons of highway 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 glaciers provide a photographer's dream. CULTURAL FOOTPRINTS The territory's dynamic 1890s Klondike Gold Rush history is still on display. Museums, roadside stops and the entire downtown of Dawson City are the lessons of 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. 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 adven- tures 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; some commemorate the wintertime "highway of the north" along the frozen Yukon River, the traditional route to the gold fi elds of the Klondike. The people long connected to the land are the members of the First Nations. Across the Yukon, visitors can observe or immerse themselves in authentic experiences like drum making, herbal nature hikes, circle healing and sweat lodge ceremonies. WHAT'S NEW? Inconnu Lodge, one of the Yukon¹s iconic fi shing lodges, has added personalized, small-group, all-inclusive fi ve and seven-day packages to introduce visitors to the northern lights, while enjoying fi shing, glacier-viewing and excellent opportunities to observe local wildlife ( www.inconnulodge.com). Chilkoot Trail Village is one of Parks Canada's new Northern Iconic Experiences. Accom- modation is in Gold Rush-themed canvas wall tents with a full range of comforts and amenities. Packages include historical walking tours on sections of the Chilkoot Trail, an historic trail followed by the gold seekers ( www.chilkootvillage.com). S.S. KLONDIKE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE • PARKS CANADA/FRITZ MUELLER SPECIAL EVENTS FEBRUARY • AVAILABLE LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL, WHITEHORSE • YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA, WHITEHORSE • YUKON QUEST INTERNATIONAL SLED DOG RACE, WHITEHORSE TO FAIRBANKS, ALASKA • YUKON SOURDOUGH RENDEZVOUS FESTIVAL, WHITEHORSE MARCH • PERCY DEWOLFE MEMORIAL MAIL RACE, DAWSON CITY • THAW-DI-GRAS SPRING CARNIVAL, DAWSON CITY • TREK OVER THE TOP, DAWSON CITY APRIL • DC INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, DAWSON CITY MAY • DAWSON CITY INTERNATIONAL GOLD SHOW JUNE • DA K Ų NÄN TS'ÉTTHÈT DANCE FESTIVAL, HAINES JUNCTION • DUSTBALL INVITATIONAL SLO-PITCH TOURNAMENT, WHITEHORSE • KLUANE CHILKAT INTERNATIONAL BIKE RELAY, HAINES JUNCTION • KLUANE MOUNTAIN BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL, HAINES JUNCTION • NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DAY, TERRITORY-WIDE JUNE – JULY • ADÄKA CULTURAL FESTIVAL, WHITEHORSE • YUKON RIVER QUEST CANOE AND KAYAK RACE, WHITEHORSE TO DAWSON CITY JULY • DAWSON CITY MUSIC FESTIVAL • HÀ KUS TEYEA CELEBRATION, TESLIN • YUKON GOLD PANNING CHAMPIONSHIPS, DAWSON CITY AUGUST • DISCOVERY DAYS FESTIVAL, DAWSON CITY • YUKON RIVERSIDE ARTS FESTIVAL, DAWSON CITY SEPTEMBER • KLONDIKE TRAIL OF '98 INTERNATIONAL ROAD RELAY, SKAGWAY, ALASKA TO WHITEHORSE www.travelyukon.com/explore/events YT 142