Yukon is the stuff that legends are made of and indeed, hundreds of books have been written about it and it’s been the backdrop of dozens of films. It is no longer called “The Yukon” but simply “Yukon”, which means “great river” in Gwich’in. It is dominated by Mount Logan, the highest mountain in Canada and the second highest in North America at 19,551 feet.
The motto of Yukon is “larger than life” and it certainly lives up to that! People come from all over the world to see the unspoiled natural beauty; there are a lot of guides and outfitters there that take hunters, anglers and nature lovers to all sorts of places that most people can only dream about. Sports enthusiasts come to kayak, canoe or raft the rivers and ride or walk the trails. There is skiing and snowboarding at some very nice resorts or the backcountry, ice climbing and dog sledding. There are many national and local parks to enjoy, too.
There are also cultural activities year round that attract artists, artisans and art lovers from around the globe. There are sporting events, the world renowned Yukon International Storytelling Festival, the Frostbite Music Festival, the Sourdough Rendezvous and more. The Whitehorse fish ladder attracts thousands of visitors who are amazed at the salmon returning to their spawning grounds.
Yukon Quest is a quite famous 1,000 mile international dog sled race run each February between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon. It is the most difficult sled dog race in the world because of harsh conditions, tough trails and limited support. Those who have attended and watched the skills and determination of the racers and their magnificent dogs say it is something they will never forget.
Yukon’s economy depends on the mining of gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and asbestos. Tourism is big here, of course. It also benefits from the manufacture of furniture, clothing and crafts. Trapping and fishing, which traditionally supported nearly everyone in the province, have declined. The government is actually the biggest employer with 5,000 workers out of a 12,500 labor force.
Houses start around $100,000 and go up from there with the average being $300,000. Rentals start around $800. While most communities are small (Whitehorse, the capital, has about 23,000) the educational system is up to date and rivals those of the big cities anywhere. The next largest town is Dawson with 1,400 people and there are dozens of other smaller communities.
With long, cold winters and short, cool short summers Yukon is the ideal place for those who love to be close to nature and live in closely knit communities.
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