Yukon is Unique
 Canada's
True North is rugged, beautiful, pristine and larger than life.
The Yukon is more than 80 percent wild, compared to a North
American average of 40 percent. This means unparalleled outdoor
opportunities is at your doorstep in this immense land. Much
of the Yukon's most spectacular wilderness is preserved within
national and territorial parks and other protected areas. Its
one of the few places where you might spot a mother grizzly
with two playful cubs by the river's edge or a valley overflowing
with caribou. Aside from the wilderness, adventurers can take
part in world-class skiing, snowmobiling, camping and fishing,
and a multitude of other outdoor activities.
For thousands of years, the First Nations people have inhabited
the Yukon and have passed down legends about the creations
of the earth and the first human inhabitants. Along with these
stories, archaeologists believe that the first people to inhabit
the area crossed a land bridge from Asia to northern Canada
during the Ice Age 25,000 years ago.
Much more recently, the Alaska Highway 97 completed in 1943
brought tens of thousands of U.S. Army personnel into the
Yukon. When the highway was completed, most of the troops
left, but
the highway remained and changed the landscape forever.
People started establishing communities along the highway
and locals
were increasingly drawn away from their native lakes and
rivers.
With over 480,000 square kilometers of land, the Yukon
is home to a number of unique communities surrounded
by wilderness
and wildlife.
Whitehorse, the Capital city, is the administrative,
transportation, and communications centre of the region.
Located at kilometer
1,489 on the Alaska Highway 97, Whitehorse is known
as a quiet retreat from the bustling cities to the south.
Spread
along
the Yukon River, this delightful city enjoys waterfront
scenery and an abundance of fishing, kayaking and other
water sports.
To explore the landscape, try horseback riding, snowmobiling
or hiking through the surrounding terrain.
 The area around Whitehorse is one that is steeped in
history as many of the residential areas dating back
to the turn
of the century. Even today, Whitehorse retains a
frontier feel
despite being home to two-thirds of the Yukon’s population.
There are a variety of places where visitors can discover Whitehorse’s
amazing history. The Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre focuses
on an area of the Yukon that, during the last Ice Age, was
untouched by glaciers. The family oriented site has many interactive
displays that recreate the unique environment of the time.
Another attraction is the meticulously restored SS Klondike,
one of the last and largest sternwheelers used in the Yukon.
If you’ve got an eye for art, visit one of the local
art galleries where you’ll be sure to find something
eye-catching for a reasonable price.
Watson Lake is a highway community just 10km (6mi)
north of the Yukon border. There’s a lot to do at Watson Lake,
the surrounding landscape is perfect for everything from jet
skiing to golfing. If swimming, fishing and water skiing aren’t
for you, take a relaxing hike or spend a day cross-country
skiing and ice fishing. Here, visitors are keen to
visit the signpost forest. A homesick highway worker
put down the
first
signpost in 1942, and now there are over 50,000 and
growing.
Dawson City, which used to be the Yukon capital,
was born during the Klondike gold rush when prospectors
came to
the region
to find buried wealth. Conveniently located at
the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers,
Dawson
City quickly
became the centre of mining activity. During
this time,
saloons,
theatres and dance halls sprung up to accommodate
the many miners who
came from all around. But once the gold was gone,
so were the crowds that kept the many businesses
alive.
Nowadays,
many
of those buildings remain standing and serve
as heritage sites. Robert Service’s cabin, the Bank of British North America,
the Post Office and Winaut’s Store were carefully restored
in the 70s and 80s and provide visitors with a remarkable glimpse
into yesteryear. Nowadays, placer gold mining and tourism are
the major economic activities at this well hospitable northern
city. Travellers take the time to enjoy one of the many tours
offered and to visit Gold Dredge #4 Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling
Hall, Canada’s first Casino.
Mayo, like many other towns in the Yukon, is
a prospecting and placer mining community.
But if
you take the
time to explore the historic buildings you’ll be pleasantly
surprised to find a handful of interesting buildings
dating back to the
turn of the century. Another defining characteristic
is its proximity to the Silver Trail, which lies just
southeast
of the city. This town is perfect for the curious explorers
who
like to discover hidden gems on their own. Serious
hikers can take part in a six-hour trek to the summit
of Mount Haldane,
which with its night-less summers in June and July
gives a
whole new meaning to the idea of an overnight hike.
Exploring the human history of the Yukon is
as intriguing as exploring the history of
the land
itself. Most
of the Yukon’s
pristine wilderness is protected in numerous territorial
and national parks. Hershchel Island, Tombstone, and
Fishing Branch
Territorial Parks are well worth the effort for those
willing to invest the effort to reach them. Herschel
Island offers
a dry polar climate, which supports a surprising number
of plants and vegetation. Tombstone, the newest territorial
park, lets visitors experience the amazing scenic beauty
of northern
mountain tundra with dramatic vies of unusual landforms
and
craggy peaks. Finally, Fishing Branch protects a northern
wilderness full of unique features such as limestone
caves, salmon runs,
and grizzly bears.
Kluane, the most accessible of the Yukon’s National Parks,
encompasses countless ice fields and Mount Logan – Canada’s
highest peak. Vuntut and Ivvavik National Park are
much more remote, and are found in northern Yukon,
above the Arctic
Circle. The sole purpose of these parks is to protect
the wild Porcupine
caribou herd and northern wetlands, which provide vital
habitats for over half a million migratory birds.
Every year, more and more people come to discover the beautiful
and majestic landscape of the Yukon. With world-class hiking,
mountaineering, kayaking, fishing, and the endless days of
summer, it’s no wonder people are drawn back year after
year. The Yukon is truly a land of wilderness getaways.
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