There's always room for a story …
I never had the chance to share this photo during my Yukon series. But I was going through images this weekend, stumbled onto it, and had the need to post it.
It’s my cousin and I. As you can see, we had some fun making giant snowballs on the way to Skagway, Alaska. My dad snapped this photo at one of the pull-offs.
It’s been almost three months since I was in the Yukon, and in another three weeks, I will be packing my bags for another great trip; this time, Sweden and Norway!
While I was in Whitehorse, I had the chance to visit the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. The conservation is about 15-20 minutes away from the city. According to its website, the preserve features “13 species of northern Canadian mammals in their natural environment. Encompassing over 700 acres with various natural habitats, the Yukon Wildlife Preserve offers unparalleled wildlife viewing and photo opportunities.”
We spent almost three hours walking around, snapping images and exploring the area. The moose were incredibly friendly, sticking their heads out to say hi, and grabbing the branches from our hands. We also ran into a little red fox, who raced down the hill, posed for photos and quickly fell asleep.
If you’re interested in wildlife, I highly recommend the stop. It’s a great value for the experience. Click here for more information.
My outerwear for this trip is proudly sponsored by SAIL. Follow my adventures on sail.ca.
Another one of my big goals while in Whitehorse, Yukon was dog sledding. And, that’s right, I did it!
We booked with a family-run business called Yukon Horsepacking Adventures, which is at the south end of Fox Lake, 43 kilometres north of Whitehorse. According to their website, “Yukon Horsepacking Adventures was established in the spring of 2000 … and is also a member of both the Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon and the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon.”
The entire experience lasts about an hour and a half. You start by meeting the dogs, attaching their collars and leads to the sleds.
After that was complete, our teacher, Armin Johnson (who owns/operates the company with his wife), taught us the basics about the sled, like how to stop and how to use the floor pad for additional breakage.
To start, my cousin took the back sled, and I stayed in front with Armin.
We took the trail around Fox Lake, a variety of mixed forest and lakeside. Halfway through, we switch, and I hopped on the back of the sled. On the way back, I got to control the second sled – from steering to stopping. It was pretty neat, and I don’t think I did too bad for my first try!
My outerwear for this trip is proudly sponsored by SAIL. Follow my adventures on sail.ca.
After driving around Ontario, chasing the Northern Lights for months and coming up short, I FINALLY found them right here in Whitehorse, Yukon.
My dad and I went out with the tour group Northern Tales on Thursday evening for an INCREDIBLE aurora borealis viewing party. And guess what? We had beginner’s luck; our first night out, and we spotted them.
Our tour guide, Wolfe, picked us up around 10:45 p.m., drove us about 30 minutes north of the city near Mayo Rd. Once we arrived on site, there were two cabins, a bon fire, warm drinks, and snacks — making our experience comfortable. We also met tourists from all over the world (about 65 were there in total), some who camped out for numerous evenings waiting for the dancing colours.
I am so happy to have witnessed this! It’s rare for a Toronto-area girl. I am also blessed to have seen them with my dad. A memorable, wonderful experience.
My outerwear for this trip is proudly sponsored by SAIL. Follow my adventures on sail.ca.
If you ever get the chance to drive from Whitehorse, Yukon to Skagway, Alaska, DO IT! It’s about a three-hour drive each way (176 km), surrounded by a canvas of rockies and black fertile ground.
For us, we started our road trip with some snowy conditions, and heavy cloud coverage, but by 11 a.m., when we were about 15 km past Carcross, the sky opened up – beautiful, vibrant blue and grand white mountains.
The drive takes you along the Klondike Highway from Whitehorse, through Fraser, British Columbia, back through the Yukon and finally, to Skagway, Alaska. While adventuring, you’ll see the ruins of the Venus Mine, the headwaters of the Yukon River, several glaciers, waterfalls, and the White Pass Railway and Trail.
NOTE: You’ll also encounter at least two avalanche zones — so be sure to check the weather conditions and border services before heading out.
But quite possibly the most SPEECHLESS site was the drive back. We stopped by Carcross (formerly Caribou Crossing), when we were greeted by the unreal mountainous-mirrored view of Lake Bennett.
No words.
My outerwear for this trip is proudly sponsored by SAIL. Follow my adventures on sail.ca.