It’s Easier to Adventure in the Yukon Than You Think
Two grizzly bears paw the ground with razor-sharp claws, digging for roots and tubers. Three hundred metres away, I stand as still as a tree, clutching bear spray in one hand, and my camera in the other.
I’ve never seen a bear while hiking before, and it’s a humbling experience. It feels appropriate to have this quiet yet meaningful moment in the Yukon. Since disembarking our first Air North flight, it’s become clear to me that this is a unique place with warm people and rugged wilderness. The harmony of beauty and resilience makes this an ideal place for adventure.
And it’s closer than you think.
Whitehorse: Wilderness City
Flying from Vancouver to Whitehorse takes only 2.5 hours with Air North, Yukon’s Airline. The territorial capital boasts colourful historic structures on Main Street. Visit Mac’s Fireweed Books, sip Bean North coffee at Burnt Toast Café and get your gifts at Midnight Sun Emporium. Then, head to Miles Canyon.
Nine million years ago, burning hot lava covered this area. It settled into spongy basalt rock columns and created space for a gorgeous turquoise-hued river to flow through. We crossed over the suspension bridge and walked down a cliffside trail along the fast-moving glacial water.
Farther south, you’ll find aptly named Emerald Lake, then stumble across the world’s smallest desert. Finally, you’ll arrive at the quaint community of Carcross.
Days later, accompanied by a guide, we ventured to Kluane National Park and Reserve for a hike we’d never forget. After camping at Kathleen Lake, we trudged up the remote 22-kilometre Bullion Plateau trail—with 915 metres of gruelling uphill. Close to the plateau, my partner Tavis spotted two grizzly bears ahead. Our guide Derek from Yukon Guided Adventures monitored the situation to ensure it was safe. We watched the two grizzlies—and they watched us—across a ravine until their foraging took them safely over a distant hill. We clinked cups of spruce tip tea at the summit in exhausted commemoration.
More adventures await farther north, where you can travel back in time to the Gold Rush era. We hopped on a plane for a quick 70-minute flight to Dawson City with Air North.
Dawson City: Paris of the North
Wooden boardwalks sway, creak and whisper beneath your feet like the northern wind in lieu of concrete sidewalks in downtown Dawson. To preserve the permafrost, the roads can’t be paved, so dirt lanes full of character remain in front of Western façades.
This living ghost town, est. 1896, is a National Historic Site. We learned about Dawson on a walking tour with Parks Canada, in which the guide, dressed in period clothing, unlocked the doors to the Old Post Office and restored Red Feather Saloon, which appear stuck in the Klondike Gold Rush era.
As a welcome surprise, Dawson City has a modern vegan café and rooftop spa featuring a large hot tub, wood barrel sauna, infrared sauna, steam room, swim spa, lounge chairs and cold plunge on a rooftop deck. We relaxed as the sun set, then walked to the Downtown Hotel for a comfortable sleep before tomorrow’s epic adventure.
Klondike Experience picked us up for the ultimate bucket-list tour: a fly-and-drive day trip. We drove the remote Dempster Highway to rugged Tombstone Territorial Park. On the North Klondike and Goldensides trails, we hiked through fall colours, mesmerized by the yellow willow and red dwarf birch. Then we boarded a six-seater Cessna for a scenic flight over the majestic, otherworldly mountain ranges and golden tundra. I’d never been so close to uninhabited mountain tops before, soaring parallel to the peaks.
We celebrated our adventure with a rite of passage: the Sourtoe Cocktail. This infamous drink is a shot of Yukon Jack garnished with a sterilized, mummified, human toe.
You can join the Sourtoe Cocktail Club by knocking back a shot of 40-proof-plus alcohol with one of several donated toes swirling around inside. As the Captain told me: “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips must touch this gnarly toe!”
The experience was… memorable. I’m very squeamish, but I had so much fun. We washed it down with a pint of IPA at the Pit, a Pink Panther-hued hotel oozing with history that houses a watering hole where a group of locals, including one of our guides, played tunes on the guitar, harmonica and jaw harp.
To close out our time in Dawson City, we cheered as Diamond Tooth Gerties’ famous Gold Rush Girls performed the cancan on stage, accompanied by musicians and singers. As Canada’s oldest and only non-profit casino, all proceeds go back into the community, so we played roulette with the locals. (How do I know the locals go? Because we ran into one of our guides there, too.)
How to Get There
Air North, Yukon’s airline, connects Whitehorse and Dawson City with daily flights, and connects across the country with other airlines. Their low fares are inclusive of carry-on luggage plus two complimentary checked bags, so you can pack for all weather conditions and bring home ample souvenirs. There are no additional or hidden fees.
On board, we were served complimentary moist blueberry carrot muffins; turkey, ham and veggie sandwiches; and warm, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, perfectly paired with local Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters.
It might seem daunting at first, but the Yukon has endless epic adventure opportunities—and it’s closer than you think.
Whitehorse is located on the traditional territory of the Taa’an Kwächän and the Kwanlin Dün; Dawson City is located on the traditional territory of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin.
This article was sponsored by Air North
We believe air travel should be both memorable and enjoyable. Complimentary freshly made meals from our Flight Kitchen make your travel experience one that will also appeal to your taste buds—especially when the scent of warm cookies or other delightful treats waft through the cabin. Air North is 100% owned by Yukoners, including the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.
