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The Yukon
Territory
by Hans van Klinken |
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There's a land where the mountains are nameless,
And rivers all run God knows where;
There are lives that are erring and aimless,
And deaths that just hang by a hair.
There are hardships that nobody reckons;
There are valleys unpeopled and still;
There's a land-oh, it beckons and beckons,
And I want to go back-and I will.
From the
"Spell of the Yukon" by Robert Service |
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In the year
2000 a lot of people including myself wanted to do something
really special. Personally I just wanted to have a good trip
as I went through some serious medical problems over the
last few years. So I have decided to do everything now while
I am still capable. I know a lot of people who say, "I will
travel when I am retired" but unfortunately not many of them
make it. When I make up my mind to do something it is very
hard to convince me otherwise. |
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I
always try to plan well and follow through to the finish and
make it as good as possible. There were three locations in my
mind to visit and I started researching them in October 1999.
One of the options was going Down Under to New Zealand, another
choice was the Eagle River in Labrador and then there was my
dream to catch the Arctic grayling. The trip to New Zealand
became too complicated to organize because it didn't fit into my
work schedule. I have been in Labrador before so another North
American destination become more and more interesting. I think
there were a few good reasons that I finally chose for the Yukon
Territories. I never had been there before and we had heard
extremely good reviews when we visited the northern part of
British Columbia in 1998. The travel to the Yukon has been
improved enormously and checking it out was easy. Yukon has a
lot of Arctic grayling and is less crowded then BC, whose
population and city sizes has amazed us quite a lot. I also
discovered that fly-fishing in the Yukon is pretty young too and
people who have been there have told me that there wouldn't be
any fishing pressure at all. There were even places that have
never been fished by fly before. So our Y2K destination was the
Yukon Territory and let me start by telling you something about
this land of magic and mystery first! |
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Yukon "The land of
magic and the mystery"
I have started this story with a part from a poem. I did that
for a reason. Firstly I like this poem and secondly this is
exactly how I felt after I returned back home. I will go back
there this year whatever happens. I am not very good with poems
but believe me when you are in the Yukon there are two minor
things you will get into whether you like it or not. The first
is the
Klondike Gold rush
and secondly the words of
Robert Service. When I prepared myself for this trip
I read a special book about the Yukon. It's called "Land of the
Midnight sun" It have been written 45 years ago but I don't
think any other book can describe the history of the Yukon
better. |
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The Yukon
Territory covers about 483.450 square kilometers, of which
only one percent is inland water and more then half is
wooded. That's almost the size of Spain except that there is
a population of 32.000 in the entire Yukon and 23,000 of
them are settled in Whitehorse. I think this will show you
well how sparse this Territory is populated. There are
several explanations about the origin of the Territory name. |
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John
Bell, the first European who stood on the banks of the upper
Yukon River, said that the Indians called it Yuocon, or White
Water River. In the old native language of the Kutchin
"Yu-kun-ah", means Great River. Whatever the truth will be it
finally turned out into The Yukon! |
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From the
northern coast at sea level the land rises up to 6000 meters
at the top of Mount Logan in the southwest of the Yukon. For
people who love mountains this is probably the most
beautiful area in the Yukon. Most of the Territory is
mountainous and the chains running from the northwest to the
southeast. Tourist will discover quickly that the land has
many contrasts. Huge broad valleys will give some extra
dimension and will offer you some awesome photographic
possibilities and great views. |
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It also makes
it possible to see the wildlife much better. We already
spotted our first grizzly after driving just 15 minutes away
from Whitehorse. It is this wide-open sight that makes the
Yukon so much different from many other mountainous
countries.
Geographical you can divide the Yukon into taiga and tundra,
which I really love due to my big outdoor experiences from
the past. The taiga including the forests and has a sub
arctic zone, the tundra is the vast rocky plain in the
north, where extreme temperatures has stunted the
vegetation. The summers are relatively warm with temperature
easily reaching 25º C and even more. During our stay the
highest temperature was about 28 degrees but we also were
able to explore a big snowstorm at the 12th of July. People
told me that in wintertime the temperatures easily can be
varied between + 4 and minus 50 ºC depending the latitude.
The weather in the Yukon can change quickly and mountain
winds have a great influence at it. |
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At
the 5th of July we had such an experience in which the weather
changed in just 5 minutes and made it almost impossible for us
to cross a lake by boat.
Above the Arctic Circle Yukon is known as the "Land of the
midnight sun" which we experienced and enjoyed well in the
northern part of Scandinavia for many years. Although we known
the northern lights from Scandinavia too it is nothing compared
with the much more powerful
Aurora Borealis you can experience in the Yukon and
Alaska. I know several people who specially going the Yukon,
Alaska and Labrador to see this natural mystery year after year.
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Boreal
forest |
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Canada's boreal forest is part of a great northern circumpolar
band of mostly coniferous forests extending across the sub
arctic regions of Russia, Scandinavia and North America.
Different habitats exist within the forest. White spruce, the
most common tree species, grows in a wide Boreal forest range of
moisture and soil conditions, and is largest along rivers. Lodge
pole pines grow in the drier areas with well-drained soil. These
areas often support large tracts of lichens, an important winter
food for woodland caribou. Trembling aspen grow well on open
slopes and in areas regenerating after fire. Aspens have a
smooth, whitish-green chalky bark but are famous for the leaves
that "tremble" with the slightest breeze. This is one of the
many things that make Yukon so mysterious. Black spruce grows in
areas with poorly drained wet soil, often over permafrost. The
permafrost itself is hard to recognize but I know it is there
and you can feel it like I did in northern Finland too.
Deep-rooted balsam poplars grow along river corridors and in
moist draws, where their roots are kept wet year-round. Dead
trees and fallen logs provide shelter for many small animals,
such as voles and red squirrels, which themselves are the main
diet of pine marten. Listen for the chattering of red squirrels
and the movement of grouse on the forest floor. The vegetation
is less dense as we explored in Atlantic Canada and BC and that
made hiking, fly fishing and wildlife spotting much easier. |
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Lakes and
wetlands
Still water includes some wetlands and lakes. Wetlands
include shallow bodies of water with heavy growth of aquatic
and shoreline vegetation. Many orchids grow in the moist
soil surrounding wetlands and bloom in June and July.
Wetlands with dense aquatic vegetation are good habitats for
Northern Pike (known locally as Jackfish) and moose. We knew
that fly-fishing for pike in the Yukon was excellent but we
never realized that it was much better then we ever could
imagine. The pike can be rather big too. Wetlands provide
nesting, feeding and escape habitat for waterfowl such as
Lesser Scaup, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, and
American Widgeon. Muskrat push-ups, seen on the surface
after the ice forms, remain throughout the winter and
spring. These are feeding and resting platforms built by
muskrats so they can gather food further from their bank
dens than they would otherwise be able to reach. Pointed
stumps and dome-shaped lodges with nearby underwater branch
piles are signs that beavers are nearby.
In summer, wetlands are
important feeding areas for moose and provide them with
escape routes from attacks by predators such as gray wolves
and grizzly bears. The summer diet of moose consists of
aquatic vegetation along with willow buds and leaves. Yellow
Warblers, waxwings and many other species of songbirds nest
in the vegetation surrounding wetlands. Some birds feast on
insects that emerge from the water during June and July.
Larger lakes provide abundant stocks of fish for Ospreys and
Bald Eagles. These lakes are the preferred habitat of the
Common Loon, well known for its haunting and mystic call.
Lakes also provide excellent habitats for Lake Trout, and
different species of Whitefish. In fall, they become staging
areas for waterfowl where hundreds of birds can sometimes be
seen.
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Flora and fauna
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The Yukon is
known to be home to four species of amphibians, 61 species
of mammals, 279 species of birds, 1,150 different kinds of
plants and over 1,500 species of insects. The insects are an
important feeding source for the birds and each spring and
fall the sky over Yukon comes alive when millions of birds
migrating from their winter stay up to their nesting grounds
all over the Yukon or returning back to their summer stay
somewhere south.
Dall
sheep |
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Population:
People 31,881
Moose 50,000
Dall sheep 25,000
Black bears 7,000
Grizzly bears 10,000
Caribou 185,000
Fish species 38
The famous
Porcupine caribou herd, which is, estimate at 120,000
animals winters in central Yukon. Across the Territory
tourist frequently spot Dall sheep, black and grizzly bears,
moose, foxes, caribou, coyotes, marmots, porcupines,
squirrels and many birds. We saw them all in just one single
sight seeing trip from only a few hours.
Coyote |
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The
flora is amazing especially when you are able to make a trip in
the highlands. We spotted deep blue lupine, yellow potentilla,
monkshood, pink flowered wintergreen and Arctic poppy at many
places. Beside the roads you can find pink fireweed, crimson
purple bear root and feathery foxtail grasses swaying gently by
the mountain winds. |
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The streams
and rivers
Many species of fish and birds inhabit rivers and streams.
It's a perfect area to get one with nature. Arctic Grayling
and whitefish are common species in most of Yukon Rivers.
They attract many predators to these areas as well. A mink's
diet, for example, includes muskrat, mice, snowshoe hare,
fish, frogs and sometimes birds. River otters prefer fish
but will occasionally forage on river bottoms for aquatic
insects or consume birds, muskrats, voles and shrews. Mink
and river otters may raise their families in abandoned
muskrat and beaver bank dens. Moose are also attracted to
river corridors to feed and we have seen dozens while
fishing and travelling by plane or boat. Harlequin Ducks
nest on the banks of fast flowing rivers and feed on aquatic
invertebrates, as does the American Dipper. The Spotted
Sandpiper probes exposed sandbars and muddy shores for
buried invertebrates.In most of the steep riverbanks,
colony-nesting Bank Swallows can be found.
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River
sandbars are ablaze with the colour of river beauty or dwarf
fireweed in July and August. Floating quietly downriver in a
canoe may reveal a bear that has come to feed on lush grasses
and horsetails. A gray wolf may serenade the night sky close to
your campsite. Be wary of grizzly bears especially near noisy
streams and rivers. Close encounters seem more frequent when
salmon are spawning in late summer and fall but keep your eyes
wide open at all times and I am talking about my own experience.
It's a big experience if a grizzly ever has chased you. A trip
down one of the Yukon's many beautiful rivers or on a quiet lake
may be the best way of seeing a variety of wildlife species.
Several lodges rent canoes or you can organize a trip through a
company specializing in canoe and rafting trips. Consult
Canada's Yukon, the Official Vacation Guide for a list of these
companies. I highly recommending a guided trip but if you have a
lot outdoor and want to travel down one of Yukon Rivers on your
own, it would be wise to research your trip very well. The
descriptions of rivers in this guide are not complete so do not
rely entirely on this source. Other books, however, can provide
you with detailed information about the dangers and difficulties
encountered on specific Yukon rivers. Please ensure that you
have the proper first aid and river rescue equipment, as well as
ample clothing and food to complete your trip safely. Never
fish, hike or travel alone in the Yukon wilderness either. |
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Fly Fishing
If fly fishing is your passion like it is for us then you will
be amazed how many streams and rivers will offer you some
awesome fly fishing. We highly promote catch and release and
using barb less hooks. Before you can wet your flies you must
have a valid fishing license to fish in Yukon waters. Licenses
are available at community Renewable Resources offices, the
Fisheries and Oceans Canada office, most highway lodges,
sporting goods stores, hardware and general stores and gas
stations. If you plan any fly-fishing for salmon in the Yukon,
you must purchase a Salmon Conservation Catch Card in addition
to a Yukon fishing license. In spite of poor controls be a good
tourist and buy your license they are cheap anyway. A Catch Card
can be obtained at the same place where you purchase your
fishing license. Fly-fishing in national parks requires a
National Park Fishing License as well. These are available at
the Kluane National Park Reserve Visitor Reception Centre or the
Parks Canada office in Whitehorse.
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Preparation
Most trips will start from Whitehorse and it is wise to do some
shopping first. I can advice you to buy some good maps, bear
spray, insect repellent and some angler guides. We bought all
our maps at Mac's Fireweed Books. You also can order some
information by e-mail for your preparation. The address is:
yukonbooks.com
and this is where I ordered my
book "Land of the Midnight Sun". There is a good fly shop named
"Caddis&Grayling Fly Shop" just outside Whitehorse that can give
you the latest local information about the fishing and river
situation. Here I bought my angler guides. They also know which
flies work the best for the Yukon. A visit at the Tourist Center
will be worth as well. There dozens of brochures and information
packages you can get for free. For a good preparation visit
their website at:
www.touryukon.com
If you want to stay overnight in Whitehorse be sure you make a
booking because there are many tourist and space is limited. I
highly recommend the
High Country Inn. A big room with Jacuzzi is amazing
cheap. If you have to make a long journey a wonderful lunch
packet can be ordered at Tim Horton's after your own
preferences. If you stay longer in Whitehorse don't forget to
take a cup of coffee in the Chocolate Claim you will enjoy it
very much.
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With special thanks to
the Yukon Tourist Department for their great help to realize
this story and for their permission to use some information and
background from the Yukon's wildlife viewing guide and several
other information packages
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