Category: Northern Travel

My wife was away,  and I was flying solo for the week, so I decided to do a mid-week hike with the kids,  and Fish Lake trail was a great option.  It’s easy to access and close to town,  with spectacular views.  After getting the kids on board,  we made some sandwiches, loaded up the dog and headed for the hills.  

Fish Lake is only 15 kilometres from Whitehorse, and is a very popular outdoors spot year round.  During the summer,  it’s a great place for hiking, fishing and boating.  There is an adventure ranch nearby, and if you’re so inclined,  you can take a horseback tour of the surrounding area.  We’ve done this a few times,  and it’s a great way to see the back country. 

To access the trailhead you drive along Fish Lake Road until you reach the lake. Once on the dike, turn right and follow the road until it turns into a narrower dirt road and arrives at a fork with enough room to turn around.   You can park here,  and the trail head is straight ahead of this point.   

You are going to make about 1100 feet of elevation gain from the trail head to the summit,  with the majority of the climb in the tree line.  Once you break into the sub-alpine,  the incline starts to level out, and you will reap the visual rewards of your efforts.  The trail moves through the scrub along a well worn trail to the base of the first summit.  From there, it’s an easy ascent,  with spectacular views of Fish Lake, and the valley behind.  At this point,  you’ll see the topography between the first summit and the second summit forms a saddle,  and it is an easy hike to move between them.  

The trail itself from the start of the subalpine follows a seasonal creek bed, that was still shedding winter run off in spots.  You’ll find this part of the trail a little muddy and slick.  The trail is used by the horse tours, so you’ll run across sections of manure as well, so watch your step.  Also, this is the Yukon,  so bring your bug spray!   Once you break the tree line the wind helps to keep the bugs at bay,  but in the trees you’re a moving buffet for mosquitoes and no-see-um’s, and they’re hungry. 

For me,  a large part of hiking is self reflection,  and I learned something on this hike;  I’m getting older.  For years I always slowed my pace to keep the hike enjoyable for the kids,  and in a very short amount of time they have physically matured to the point that it seems like they could sprint up the mountain,  and I found myself bringing up the rear going up and coming back.  Although I am infinitely proud of their abilities,  I can’t help but feel my age.   Somewhere along the way hiking poles have crept into my standard gear,  and rest breaks seem to come a little more frequently.  I could make excuses like this was an evening hike after a long day of work, and the temperature was 25 degrees above, etc, etc…, but none of that changes the fact that I am starting to feel the march of time;  and this reinforces my feeling that I need to do more,  I want to do more,  and I can do more….but I really need to recalibrate the work life balance.  The views from my office will never compare to these.

With that in mind,  if you have the time,  this is a very enjoyable hike.  From a difficulty level, I would rate it as easy.   The path is well marked, it’s easily accessible,  and you get to move through the different zones of the forest, sub-alpine and alpine.   The views are spectacular,  and you get a really good perspective of the surrounding landscape on both sides of the valley;  and I guarantee that if you are stopping to have dinner on the summit you’ll have the best view in the house. 

Whitehorse is a wilderness city.  The city is surrounded by pristine boreal forests, and there is no end to outdoor actives you can dive into.  You also don’t have to travel very far to see evidence of the rich history that led to the modern Yukon we know today.  

Miles Canyon is located about 7 kilometres south of downtown Whitehorse,  and if you’re visiting the Yukon,  this should be top of your list to visit.  The Yukon River converges at this narrow canyon, which is walled by basalt columnar joints, left over from cooling lava millions of years ago.  It’s this volcanic process that gave the canyon its spectacular views.  

Before the hydro electric dam was constructed in 1959,  the river was much lower than it is today,  and waters were much more turbulent.  For Stampeders making their way to the Klondike,  this Canyon was a treacherous gateway on the road towards Dawson, and many of them lost their lives trying to shoot these rapids.   A little further north of this canyon was another set of rapids;  they churned with whitewater that resembled the manes of running horses, which is how Whitehorse got its name.   

The challenge of the rapids created an opportunity for intrepid entrepreneurs.   A group of pioneers opened an encampment 1.5 kilometres south of Miles Canyon they called Canyon City.   There, they established a wooden log tram system,  and charged stampeders three cents per pound to move their goods around the canyon.  At one point this location hosted a hotel, saloon and restaurant, as well as a Northwest Mounted Police outpost;  a way point for weary travellers. 

Today,  this is a great hiking spot,  and you’ll be rewarded with some stunning views.  Once you’re at Miles Canyon, cross the suspension bridge and pick up the trail head for the Upper or Lower Canyon City trails.  This a short, 1.5 kilometre hike,  with very little elevation gain.    I would rate the difficulty level as easy,  with only a few section of scrambling required to ascend the ridge line on the upper trail.  For the best experience, take the upper trail in, and the lower trail back; you’ll get an entirely different perspective. 

Once you reach Canyon City you’ll be able to find evidence of where the original outbuildings were located.  There is a tram car like the ones used by the early pioneers, and lots of side trails to explore the entire site.  You’re going to come across numerous middens full of empty cans from the original settlement, and ground depressions that indicate log cabins once stood in their place. From here,  you can also pick up the trail head to the Yukon River trail, which extends for another 6.7 kilometres,  but it was getting late so I needed to leave this one for another day.  

There’s something peaceful and relaxing about solo hiking.   You can move at your own pace,  and loose yourself in your thoughts.   I must admit,  I break a cardinal rule when I’m hiking on my own.  I love to listen to my iPod along the way;  the issue is that I won’t be able to hear predators should I happen to cross their paths.   Bears and Lynx are active in the Yukon,  and you do need to pay attention.  Hopefully you’re not reading the news one day reading about a hiker who went missing only to have his iPod found in a pile of scat.  I’m sure the headline will be something like, “Bear eats hiker, while listening to dinner music”. 

Once you’re finished your hike,  you can drive up the hill to a lookout that will give your a spectacular view of Miles Canyon, the Yukon River,  and Grey Mountain on the opposite side of the valley;  and at the bottom of that hill you can follow the road along Schwatka Lake as you head back to town.    Happy exploring! 

May long weekend in Canada signals the kick off to summer.  It’s the first holiday of the season, and hikers, campers and adventurers alike head out to explore all that the  campsites, trails and backcountry has to offer. 

In the Yukon,  people head out early in the week to stake out their spot at the many government campsites in the southern Yukon.  If you wait until Friday,  good luck finding a spot at the more popular campsites in close proximity to Whitehorse.   

Knowing this,  we were prepared to head out further afield,  and we had an ambitious plan to try and make Keno City.  Unfortunately,  we got out a little later than we had planned,  so we switched gears on the fly and headed to Carmacks.  From there we branched off the Klondike Highway, and headed northeast towards Faro Yukon on the Robert Campbell Highway.  En-route we looked up a few campsites and decided to check them out.  Approximately 80 kilometres after the turn off,  you will reach an access road for Frenchman Lake Campground 10 kilometres off the highway,  followed by Nunatuk Campground 12 kilometres past that. 

The road to the campsites is a reasonably well maintained gravel road, with only a few washboard sections to contend with.  If you continue on this road for another 51 kilometres it actually loops around and connects you back with the Klondike Highway,  which is how we headed back home at the end of our trip. 

The campground at Frenchman Lake was completely full, so we pushed on to Nunatuk,  which was almost empty.  We were able to get a spot right next to the lake, with no one else around.   The lake was absolutely spectacular,  and the views were stunning.  My only regret is we didn’t bring the canoe with us…something for next time, and a great reason to bring us back in the future.

Camping is one of those quintessentially Canadian activities;  there is something very relaxing about being in the solitude of the backwoods,  campfire roaring, and wildlife roaming in and out of camp.   I’m not sure if there is a food pyramid for camping,  but if there is, I’m sure s’mores, hotdogs, and beer are at the top of the recommended items. 

Driving on the Klondike Highway you’ll have lots of animal spotting opportunities.  We passed deer and elk on the drive back, not to mention the numerous species of  birds along the way.   Although many of the lakes were still partially ice covered, the trumpeter swans are slowly making their way north, and can be spotted in most areas where the water is starting to open. 

On the Klondike Highway,  you’ll also pass Five Finger Rapids, which has a lookout about 25 kilometres north of Carmacks.  You can stop and get some beautiful pictures of the Yukon River from the road;  but if you have the time,  there is a descending staircase that lets you access a trail head where you can hike down to the river.   It’s an easy 3 kilometre hike,  with some beautiful views of the rock formations that give the rapids their name.   Depending on the time of year, you can see canoeist run the rapids from above,  which is really impressive,  given how fast the water moves through the narrow rock channels. 

Heading back to Whitehorse,  you will pass Braeburn Lodge, about 90 kilometres south of Carmacks.  This iconic roadhouse is a surviving testament to the numerous road houses and highway stops that used to line the highways in the Yukon.  Better roads and more efficient cars have rendered most of these locations ghost towns, leaving nothing but abandoned buildings,  but a few have managed to survive.   I think Braeuburn’s secret is gruff hospitality, and their world famous, obscenely large cinnamon buns, which are the size of a small football.  Plan on sharing,  likely with more than one other person. 

The May long weekend is enshrined in the Canadian psyche as the start of summer,  and has long been associated with camping and outdoor activities.  For me, it’s about a little road trip,  a little junk food,  a roaring campfire, and a whole lot of beautiful scenery.   What more could anyone ask for on the first long weekend of the summer.   

 

I have a goal this summer.  I want to get out and do more hiking.   The true Yukon needs to be experienced from the path least travelled.  I have done quite a bit of hiking over the years,  but I want to take a more focused approach this year.  I’ve downloaded a copy of the Yukon hiking guide,  and will be using this as my trip planner this summer.  Here’s a copy of the link: http://www.yukonhiking.ca

The snow hasn’t totally melted,  but as luck would have it,  Yukon Wildlife was hosting a guided hike at Brownie Mountain,  also known as the M’Clintock West Ridge.    This was the perfect opportunity to get my first hike of the season under my belt,  and after confirming our attendance,  me, my wife and our friends were committed. 

The trail head is approximately 40 kilometres south of Whitehorse;  two kilometres north of the Swan Haven access road.   The start of the hike is in a gravel pit at the base of the hill.  Once you start your ascent you’ll be able to pick up the trail without any problem.  

Although the Yukon Hiking Guide rates this as an easy hike,  and it is only 2 kilometres return, the ascent is quite steep.  With 250 metres of elevation gain, it does create some tricky spots on the descent.  I would suggest its closer to a moderate hike rather than easy.   I found the trail leading to the first lookout was easy to follow,  but the trail leading to the second lookout isn’t as well worn.  If you follow the ridge line you won’t have any trouble finding your way.  

From the lookouts,  you are rewarded with a spectacular view of M’Clintock Bay,  Marsh Lake and the surrounding mountains.   Mount Lorne lies directly across the lake and towers above the other hills, and the views of the mountain from the first lookout are stunning.

This was an evening hike for us,  and we were treated to a beautiful setting sun, peaking out from behind the wispy clouds.  Both lookouts afforded a great opportunity to sit on the rock bluffs, relax, and take in the serene views.  You can’t help but appreciate the majesty of the Yukon landscape. 

Although wildlife is abundant in the Yukon, we only crossed paths with a Ruffed Grouse near the base of hike,  and a Spruce Grouse on our decent.  You always hope to see wildlife,  but you never know what you might see;  just remember to bring bear spray with you, this is the time of year they are starting to emerge from their winter hibernation,  and they can be ornery.

Here’s a few quick tips for this hike.   Hiking in the springtime in the Yukon is always mucky,  so make sure you have good waterproof hikers.   I also recommend bringing hiking poles with you,  I find they make the decent much easier;  and wear layers. Once you start your ascent the temperature will drop a few degrees, even more if the wind is blowing;  and lastly,  take your time.   It’s a steep ascent,  but the views are worth the effort. 

Arrival of spring is one of my favourite times in the north;  the snow is melting,  warmth is returning and the bears are starting to emerge from a long sleep.  One of the surest signs that spring is here is the arrival of migrating birds and from mid April to early May,  Marsh Lake comes alive with their return.  Marsh Lake is one of the first bodies of water in the Yukon to lose its winter layers of ice.  M’Clintock Bay is the first to see the ice retreat.  This area is where Marsh Lake and the Yukon River converges, creating a safe refuge for migrating birds where they can rest, and forge for food, before resuming their northward journey to the tundra.   

There is a large abundance of species that return at this time of year,  but the most impressive of them are the Trumpeter and Tundra Swans.  They can be seen in the open water along the ice sheets around the lake,  but for the best views, Environment Yukon has set up a viewing station at Marsh Lake called Swan Haven.  They have a visitor centre on site, that it’s staffed with wildlife officers who complete daily species counts on the bird populations, provide educational awareness and host viewing programs.   There is also a large viewing platform with spotting scopes to view the birds from above,  and a staircase for visitors to access the lake and walk out on the ice to get a better view. 

When our kids were younger,  this was always a great activity to get out and enjoy the outdoors.   You can walk along the ice covered shores of Marsh Lake for several kilometres,  and bird spotting aside,  the views around the lake are spectacular.   The surrounding mountains are still snow covered and the sounds of the birds echo across the lake. Even now that our kids are older,  this still remains an annual tradition for us,  and the celebration of the swans arrival is also a celebration of the end to winter, and the anticipation of summer.

There is no cost to visit Swan Haven,  but here are a few tips to make your visit more enjoyable.  First, don’t worry about walking on the ice,  the water level of the lake is quite low at this time year,  and the ice sheets are still quite thick,  but come prepared with a good pair of muck boots,  it can start to get quite slushy and muddy.  I also recommend that you dress in layers.  The wind can blow hard across the lake,  so temperatures can vary dramatically once you leave the cover of the trees.  Swan Haven is also about 40 kilometres south of Whitehorse, so bring snacks and drinks with you, there isn’t anything nearby.   

Lastly,  don’t forget your camera and binoculars.   Although there are spotting scopes at the visitor centre, you’ll appreciate having your own binoculars when you’re walking along the lakeshore.  This is one of natures amazing displays,  and you won’t be disappointed to see these beautiful creatures in their environment. 

Check out the attached link to listen to the sounds of the Trumpeter Swans;  you’ll hear how they got their name!   

Trumpeter Swan Video