Some of the Yukon's Spectacular Scenery

Of all of Northern Canada, the Yukon is perhaps the best known to visitors. This is probably because it is by far the most easily accessible, and is located on the main land route between Alaska and the rest of the U.S.A.. The Yukon is also particularly remarkable for its rugged mountain scenery, varied wildlife, and its history - the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1800s is legendary the world over. The leisure opportunities in this wild land are incredible; hiking, canoeing, rafting, fishing, mountain climbing, and wildlife watching instantly come to mind. The western frontier atmosphere is very vibrant here. The streets of the capital Whitehorse and the town that was the centre of the gold rush Dawson City are steeped in history. It is not difficult for visitors to imagine being back in the glory days of the 1890s, when for a brief time the Yukon seemed like the centre of the universe. This territory seems to be full of colour: bright blue skies, magnificent sunsets and sunrises and long summer evenings seem to blend perfectly with the wild landscapes and brightly painted historic buildings.

HISTORY AND ECONOMY

The original settlers of the Yukon were all Dene people. Europeans did not reach the Yukon until the 1840s. Robert Campbell was an explorer for the Hudson Bay Company and was the first white man to visit present day Yukon. Whalers, fur traders and missionaries soon followed. In 1870 the Yukon became part of the Northwest Territories. In the late 1800s gold prospectors began to reach the Yukon from British Columbia and Alaska. The most significant date in the history of the Yukon however, must be August 17th, 1896. Three prospectors by the names of George Carmack, Skookum Jim and Tagish Charley discovered gold on Bonanza Creek, close to what was to become Dawson City. Shortly thereafter pandemonium ensued. People from all over the world made it to the Yukon, in what was certainly the most celebrated gold rush in the world. The population of Dawson City grew to around 38,000 (in comparison to the 1,300 of today), and it became the largest Canadian city west of Winnipeg. Many people perished in the arduous journey, in the wilderness or on the perilous rivers. Although over $100 million in gold was unearthed, few of the prospectors got rich. In 1898 the Yukon was declared a separate territory and Dawson City was made the capital. However the gold got increasingly difficult to mine, and extraction became more expensive. Prospectors found life much more difficult than they had imagined, and were easily distracted and moved on to other places. By 1906 Dawson City was already in decline. In 1913 the mining of silver and lead commenced, and fur trapping also provided a limited livelihood.

The next big development for the Yukon was in 1942 when the U.S.A. and Canada constructed the Alaska Highway. This was initially built for strategic reasons after the Japanese occupied the Aleutian Islands. Thousands of U.S. and Canadian soldiers helped in its construction in very tough conditions. The 2450 km (1522 mi) of graveled highway that led from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, through the Yukon to Fairbanks, Alaska was completed in only eight months. This was a miracle of 20th Century engineering. At this time the highway cost the still astronomical sum of $US 135 million to construct. This highway really opened up the Yukon for development and exploitation. One of the grave consequences or the arrival of so many soldiers and outsiders, was that thousands of the indigenous population died from diseases introduced to them, from which they had no natural immunity. Over the years the highway has been developed to a modern paved facility with services approximately every 50 km (31 mi). In 1953 the territorial capital was moved from Dawson City to Whitehorse, because of its location on the Alaska Highway and the railway. In the last four decades the mining industry has slowly grown, and resources mined now include zinc, tin, lead, copper, silver and of course gold. Tourism is becoming an increasingly important part of the economy.

CLIMATE

	A Yukon Meadow

The summer here is usually pleasantly warm. Although the season is short, the days are long, and perfect to enjoy the Yukon's many attractions, activities and adventures. Winter offers a myriad of opportunities for winter sports lovers, including the Sourdough Rendezvous Festival held in Whitehorse during February. All this activity is highlighted by the spectacular Northern Lights which fill the night skies with their splendid colours. Early spring is also a good time to enjoy the snow, but with warmer temperatures and longer days.

TRANSPORTATION

The Yukon has a fairly extensive system of highways linking the territory from British Columbia, Alaska and the Northwest Territories. Greyhound Canada also links the Yukon from the rest of North America. Where there are no highways, the only means of access is by air. Whitehorse and Dawson City are connected by scheduled airline service from British Columbia and Alaska. There are several airlines providing service within the Yukon.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YUKON

Grizzly Bears Feeding on Spawning Salmon

The amount of wildlife you can see in the Yukon is amazing. This is the place to see large herds of wood bison, muskox, elk and caribou. Dall sheep and mountain goats are also plentiful. An unforgettable experience is to see or even hear a wolf pack - a good vantage point for this is from a river. The black and grizzly bears here love to feed on the copious amounts of salmon that can be found spawning in the Yukon's rivers. As well as salmon in the fish ladders and spawning in the rivers in late summer, fish include northern pike, Arctic grayling, Arctic char, and lake trout. There are fishing resorts where you can fish to your heart's content. In the wetlands and lakes you may see one or more of the Yukon's 60,000 moose, or beavers and muskrat. The Yukon has a large amount of bird life too. Perhaps the most amazing event for bird lovers occurs every March when the trumpeter swans begin to arrive. There are also ospreys, and bald eagles, hawks, falcons, snow buntings, woodpeckers, several species of owl, finches, chickadees, longspurs, and many more. The flora here is also remarkable. Depending on the latitude and altitude, flowers blanket the ground in many areas for a brief period in summer - usually some time in July.

Modern day Dawson City is a memorable experience for any visitor. With the conservation and restoration of Dawson City's historical buildings and attractions, and some original relics, a visit here is a great experience for everyone. A good start to your visit to Dawson City is to take a walking tour of the downtown area. Costumed interpreters lead these tours. These guides are extremely knowledgeable concerning the history of the town. The whole town of Dawson City has been declared a National Historic Site. Parks Canada is currently responsible for 35 different historic properties. These include the Old Post Office - dating from 1901, and the elegant Commissioner's Residence from 1912, which has fabulous gardens. To see how people spent their leisure time during the Gold Rush, Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall authentically recreates a saloon of 1898, with dancing girls, casual gambling, and even honky-tonk music. The profits from the gambling operation go towards further restoration of the town, so visitors can somewhat justify their losses. The Palace Grand Theatre stages the Gaslight Follies nightly. The theatre was built in 1899 and is typical of a grand theatre and opera house of the time. It also served as a dance hall.

It is also possible to visit one of the last riverboats, the SS Keno, which has gone through modern day restoration. To see a very different perspective of riverboats, it is possible to visit what is known as the 'Riverboat Graveyard.' When the highway was completed, the paddleboats that used to ply the river were redundant. Several of them were abandoned downstream from Dawson City, and it is still possible to view their remains by taking a twenty-minute hike from downtown. For many the period of the Yukon Gold Rush is synonymous with the poetry of Robert Service, and the stories of Jack London. The Jack London Cabin and Interpretive Centre and the Robert Service Cabin are both housed in the cabins that these writers lived in while in Dawson City. Exhibits of their life and recitals of their work are held daily during the summer season. A visit to Dawson City would be incomplete without a visit to one of the actual gold mine sites in the area. Dredge No 4 is a huge dredger that tore up the valley in the quest for gold. The ore residue that this machine left behind has very much marred the landscape, and this shows that the Gold Rush had some negative effects on the environment, as well as being a time of adventure and excitement.

	Kayaking in Kluane National Park

Kluane National Park and Reserve is renowned for some of the finest scenery on the North American continent. The park covers an area of 22,000 sq km (8494 sq mi); because of its topography and unique glacial features, it has been designated as a United Nations World Heritage Site. The park is located in the southwest corner of the Yukon and one of its advantages is that it is reasonably accessible by road. The St. Elias Mountains dominate the skyline of the park, and two thirds of the park is glacial, representing the largest non-polar icefields in the world. The rest of the park consists of alpine forest, deep valleys, meadows and tundra. The landscape in Kluane really is breathtaking. Canada's two highest mountains are here - Mount Logan which is 5950 m (6507 yd) high, and Mount St. Elias at 5488 m (6002 yd). Kluane is full of wildlife and has a wide range of flora. Activities available here are varied and include hiking, mountain climbing (a climbing permit is required), kayaking and canoeing, excellent fishing and boating. In winter the cross country skiing is first rate, as is the ice fishing.