Page 26 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2023

THINGS TO DO IN THE YUKON
IN LATE SUMMER
Though late August to late September is technically still summer on the calendar, it seems like fall in the Yukon. Leaves begin to change colour and you can see beautiful fall foliage on the ground and stunning auroras in the sky—minus the cold and the crowds of peak aurora viewing season in winter. During my late summer trip, I panned for gold in the Klondike, rode a paddlewheeler down the Yukon River, hiked trails, explored museums, took a road trip, saw a bear, enjoyed a flightseeing excursion, and watched the Northern Lights dance in the sky.
CATHIE ARCHBOULD
PHOTOS: GREG OLSEN | TOURISM YUKON/PETER MATHER | TOURISM YUKON/TOBIN SAEGEL | TOURISM YUKON/
Here’s a shortlist of the top three things to do in late summer when you’re not watching the Northern Lights.
TAKE A HIKE: There are many exceptional hikes to enjoy in the Yukon. Enjoy views of the Yukon River as you stroll or cycle along the five-kilometre paved Millennium Trail in Whitehorse. Miles Canyon is another easy to moderate hike with fantastic views of a historic gold rush passage just outside Whitehorse.
GO FLIGHTSEEING: Enjoy a scenic float plane ride with Alpine Avi- ation over the Chilkoot Trail, one of the most popular routes into the Klondike during the Klondike Gold Rush. The trail is littered with gold rush artifacts and is Canada’s largest National Historic Site.
PAN FOR GOLD: There are still active gold mines in the Yukon. Goldbottom Mine Tours will take you to their active mine site near Dawson City and teach you all the ins and outs of gold mining in the Yukon—including the best techniques for gold panning. If you get gold fever, you can purchase a gold pan at Canadian Tire in Whitehorse or several locations in Dawson City and try your luck panning at Free Claim #6 near Dawson City before you give up your day job and make your own claim.
CAN YOU SEE THE AURORA BOREALIS IN LATE SUMMER?
Auroral activity happens year-round in Yukon Terri- tory but you can only view the resulting light show when skies are dark. In the peak of summer, it never gets dark in the Yukon, so you can’t view the Northern Lights. By late August, skies are dark enough to see the show.
About 30 minutes after midnight, I notice the first wisps of colour moving across the clear night sky and by 1 a.m., broad green waves of light are dancing above the trees. I photograph the aurora from dif- ferent angles and then I sit back, relax, and watch the show. It’s a magical moment I will never forget. DS
26 DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2023
i
TRAVEL PLANNER
Fly to the Yukon from all the major Canadian cities on Air North and you may even experience the Northern Lights from the sky! Find all the information you need to plan your trip on travelyukon.com.