At the 45th United Nations World Heritage Conference, the Klondike became Canada’s latest World Heritage site, and the Yukon Territory in Canada where it is located has also attracted people’s attention.
Cultural experience: getting closer to the Klondike Aboriginal people
The vast and sparsely populated Yukon has a total population of no more than 40,000. 70% of them live in Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon Territory. This is the first stop for most visitors to the Yukon.
Since Whitehorse has a short history, if you want to know more about the Yukon Territory, you must go to Dawson, the original capital.
More than 100 years ago, the influx of people brought by the gold rush made this place the most popular place in the Yukon. In 1896, local miners discovered gold here. From 1896 to 1899, people with gold mining dreams quickly poured in. In just three years, more than 100,000 people came here to pursue their dreams.
Although tourists can no longer see the fine gold dust on the ground, various cultural and artistic activities are still going on. With historic boat tours on the Yukon River, still-presenting shows at the Carnival Theater, and tour guides dressed in Gold Rush-era costumes, although Dawson is no longer a gold mine, the fun here never stops.
Before the Gold Rush, Dawson was a hunting and settlement place for the Klondike Witchings and the center of their homeland.
The gold rush at the end of the 19th century had an unprecedented impact on the lives of Aboriginal people. Archaeological and historical resources here reflect how Aboriginal people responded to these changes.
This group of sites reflects different aspects of the region’s colonial history, including sites where Aboriginal people interacted with settlers, as well as other sites that show how Aboriginal people responded to the effects of colonization. There are eight such sites throughout the Dawson area.
Dark Sky Resources: Midnight Aurora Party
Yukon is one of the easiest places to see the aurora in Canada and is also known as the reliable Northern Lights capital. The Northern Lights can be seen here every year from the end of August to the beginning of May. Whitehorse City and Dawson are both excellent aurora-observing locations.
We had a longer stay in Dawson, so we participated in the Dark Sky Aurora Experience here. To get away from the town lights, we had to drive to darker, higher ground.
Although it was only the end of September, the night temperature in Dawson had already exceeded freezing. With almost no urban heat island effect, it was extremely cold in the jungle. I put on all the thick clothes I had brought, and they were as tight as a hockey player.
The cabin is very warm, with a fireplace for heating, and coffee, tea, and desserts prepared for us in advance. After listening to the guide’s brief introduction, I calmed down, but as soon as I opened the door I was shocked.
This is the easiest aurora I have ever seen, no waiting, no praying. Just walk out and see it. The forest stretches long from one side of the sky to the distance. Although the colors are not as bright as in the photos to the naked eye, the rapid changes and dancing-like shaking make me particularly excited.
Natural scenery: the pristine ice fields at the top of Canada
Mount Logan, with an altitude of 5,959 meters, is the highest peak in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America. It is located in Kluane National Park in the Yukon Territory.
Kluane National Park’s ancient glaciers feed the Alsek River, which flows through the vast Alsek Valley. There are nearly 150 species of birds inhabiting the park, and goats, reindeer, wolves, brown bears, etc. are the most common wild animals that tourists can see.
In 1979, Kluane National Park and several other surrounding areas were jointly listed as a World Heritage Site. The highest peak here, Mount Logan, was first climbed in 1925.
Mount Logan is named in honor of William Logan, the founder of the Canadian Geological Survey. This team began their plan to climb Mount Logan in early May 1925. They hiked more than 200 kilometers and established a camp 10 kilometers away from the Logan Glacier.
The most convenient way to travel in Kluane National Park is by car, but hiking is also popular. We drove through the uninhabited national park, and we were amazed by the snow-capped mountains on both sides of the road.
If you want to get a better view of Kluane’s snow-capped mountains and glaciers, a small plane tour is recommended. Overlooking the clear lakes, snow-capped peaks, and glaciers that are tens of thousands of years old from the air, you will feel that the beauty of Yukon is irreplaceable anywhere.
On the way back, we passed Lake Catherine, and the quiet and distant sky seemed to have not changed for thousands of years.
The reflection of the mountain peaks in the lake occasionally trembles slightly with the ripples caused by the breeze. The originality and purity of the Yukon stayed deeply in my heart at this moment.