Wilderness in northwest Canada
Reading / Listening
- Kings of the Yukon by Adam Weymouth
The bucket list events by Rat Race always give me an opportunity to explore something new, the trip to the Yukon was no exception. This was a test pilot, and the idea of these excursions is to see what’s possible and whether it would be good for a larger group of participants. Why the Yukon? It was where the Klondike gold rush happened in the late 1890s, with an estimated one hundred thousand people trying to make their fortunes in the region. It’s an interesting piece of history and the journey was a useful chance to learn more about it.
Before meeting up with the Rat Race team, I would spend a couple of days in Vancouver which I hadn’t been to for years. It was time to sample some great food and the comfort of a hotel bed before heading for the delights of camping in the Yukon.
Whitehorse & Carcross
The first day was a meet up in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon and the region’s largest city. It felt quiet and friendly, very different to the past couple of days spent in the big city of Vancouver and clearly for people who like being outdoors. There was good assortment of cafes and restaurants and plenty of places to get outdoor equipment. This was our base for the night before heading to Carcross the next morning, the national park mandates that everyone using the trail has an induction course and we would be heading off along the Chilkoot trail.
There is an old historic railway that goes from Carcross to Bennett which is fun to experience. From Bennett railway station, it’s a short walk to the start of the trail.
Hiking on the Chilkoot Trail to Linderman Camp was our introduction to the test pilot, 11km long with a little over 400m elevation. At Linderman we set up a tent for the night, eat our dehydrated meals and put any food and toiletries into the bear lockers (just in case one roamed into the camp).
After an early morning wake up (6am), dehydrated granola for breakfast and a cup of green tea, we hiked back to Bennett to catch the historic train back to Carcross. Due to restrictions between the USA and Canada, it wasn’t possible to hike the full trail but it was good to sample it.
Carcross and Carmacks
The next two days involved cycling just short of 254km from Carcross to Carmacks. The roads were long and straight, and we even stopped off for what must be the world’s largest cinnamon buns. It took three people to finish it.
Canoeing came next, and after a slightly wobbly start from Carmacks, we managed 50km on day 1, 80km on day 2 and 50km on day 3. Along the way seeing beavers, bald eagles and a black bear crossing from one island to the next, swimming across the river and scrambling up the other side, quite amazing to be so close (50-100m) from the real animal. One more formal camp, and two wild camps with real wood fires by the water’s edge. Just magical.
Three more days with distances of 75km, 80km and 70km took us all the way to Dawson City (one day early). In time for the legendary Sour toe whiskey cocktail, including real human toe and dinner at a Greek restaurant before sleeping overnight in our tents at an RV camp.
The final day and night in Dawson City were spent exploring the town, Saturday market, Museum and walking the board walks. A fish and chips lunch in the sunshine and the back to the hotel briefly to grab a shower before dinner at the Triple J hotel. The last session was at the Cancan show, this is an experience.
Highlights and Learnings
- Waking up on cold morning in the tent, to feel of a warm campfire close by before breakfast
- Seeing bear paw prints in the sand close by our campsite
- Watching the northern lights early in the morning while wild camping
- Learning more about the history of the Canadian First Nations people
- How basic the equipment was for those first Gold Rush explorers and how few of them got rich trying
BOHOMAROON 