The Vast Yukon Territory

At 186,600 square miles, the Yukon Territory is almost twice as large as the United Kingdom, yet its population is only 35,000. Although I never saw any bears or moose in the Yukon Territory, I was told that there is one bear and two moose for every person living there. On the morning of July 29, we were bound from Whitehorse to Dawson City, a distance of 340 miles, on the North Klondike Highway on a comfortable motorcoach owned by Holland America Line.

Along the way, our sharp-eyed and entertaining driver/guide, Mike Harris, spotted a bald eagle on a tree and came to a sudden stop to allow all of us to snap a picture. Shortly after that we stopped at the Braeburn Lodge, where some of us indulged in the largest cinnamon rolls I've ever seen. If you're ever there and dare to try one of their monster buns, ask for them to be served warm with butter. We also stopped at Five Finger Rapids, the most dangerous part of the Yukon River. The deadly Five Finger Rapids were named for the four rock islands that split the river into five dangerous channels and many Klondike Gold Rush stampeders lost their lives when their makeshift boats hit these treacherous rapids in 1898. However, on this beautiful summer day in 2010, the Five Finger Rapids didn't present us with any obstacles as we jockeyed for position to take a great photo. Later in the afternoon we stopped at Moose Creek Lodge for a short break. Population of Moose Creek: 2 great guys and gals and 3 friendly dogs.

We were lucky to have two days in Dawson City as it gave Steve and I the opportunity to hike in Tombstone Territorial Park and to attend the bi-annual Moosehide Gathering. Although we wanted to see wildlife in Tombstone Territorial Park, it was a beautiful walk despite the fact that we didn't see any animals. Our guide was knowledgeable about the flora and customs of The Yukon's First Nations people. They were a very resourceful people who were familiar with the medicinal qualities of plants, understood that moose scat could be used to kindle a fire and used the super absorbent sphagnum moss as diapers for their infants. Our guide told us that they compared quaking aspen to a woman's tongue. Gold was of no practical use to The Yukon's First Nations people so they must have been particularly bewildered by the disease known as "gold fever."

During the Klondike Gold Rush, the First Nations people of the area were disregarded as their land, culture, and way of life were a hindrance to those seeking riches. As thousands flocked to the area and overran Tr'ochëk, a First Nation fishing camp where Dawson City was founded, Chief Isaac, then the leader of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, made arrangements for his people to move five kilometers downriver to a settlement named Moosehide. Today, Moosehide remains a place of rest and refuge for the descendants of these displaced people and it was where Steve and I attended the bi-annual Moosehide Gathering.

Although the Moosehide Gathering is primarily a celebration of the heritage of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, everybody is invited to the party. Steve and I made our way to the boat ramp and were given a short ride downstream to Moosehide where the people were friendly and the salmon was delicious. During dinner, we met Mabel, a First Nations woman who was from the town of Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. Mabel was visiting Moosehide to research her family tree. She told us that her mother was often asked by the local radio station to tell stories about days gone by. I wish I had remembered to ask Mabel why her people compared a quaking aspen to a woman's tongue. I bet it would have been a good story.

Compared to southeastern Alaska, which is teeming with tourists, the Yukon Territory is an undiscovered gem with a hugh personality. Dawson City still bustles with the rebellious and wild spirit of the gold rush, and thanks to its designation as a National Historic Site in the early 1960s, its boardwalk-lined streets and historic buildings remain largely unchanged.

When I asked how cold it gets in Dawson City during the winter, a local replied, "Cold enough for your spit to freeze before it hits the ground."

More photos of the Yukon Territory