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Yukoners are an adventurous bunch – living near the top of the planet surrounded by remote wilderness and the largest mountains in Canada tends to make you that way! Their home is one of extremes, with a sun that shines more than 20 hours each day during summer and winters that can reach temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius. These extremes bring with them outdoor experiences that are amplified to a grand scale.  Read on for three ways to live like a Yukoner.

Dog mushing at Sky High Wilderness

Learn how to mush

Mushing a dog sled across a frozen Yukon lake, with the only sound being the happy panting of your canine friends, is truly the stuff of bucket-lists. Sign up for the wilderness adventure of a lifetime at Sky High Wilderness Ranch, just 30 minutes from Whitehorse, set on the spectacular Fish Lake. Get to know your team of huskies and learn how to manage them, and then set off on a week-long winter camping expedition that will take you back to the early days of transportation by dog sled. 

Hiking Tombstones

Take a hike

The long (sometimes 24 hours long!) summer days of Yukon mean one thing to many Yukoners: time to hike! Lace up those boots and retrace the steps of the gold prospectors from more than 100 years ago, as they made their way to the Klondike goldfields via the Chilkoot Trail. Alternatively, spend a day trekking through Tombstone National Park or Kluane National Park, with trails and terrain to suit all levels of experience. Closer to home, the capital city of Whitehorse is home to more than 700 kilometres of world-renowned hiking trails, including the waterfront Millennium Trail and the historic walk to Canyon City. Keep your camera close at hand as the local wildlife comes out to say hello. 

Lake side campfire

Pitch a tent

Yukoners firmly believe in immersing themselves in the abundance of nature found in the Territory, and there’s no better way to get amongst it than by pitching a tent. Rent all of your required gear in Whitehorse, or hire an RV and head out to any of Yukon’s tranquil camping sites. Stay at Kathleen Lake nestled at the edge of Kluane National Park, where you’ll spend your days fishing and hiking, or head north to Kluane Lake for truly exceptional scenery and a chance to spot one of the local furry residents – grizzly and black bears, and moose. Dawson City, a scenic six-hour drive from Whitehorse, has a number of campgrounds, offering the perfect base for a journey rich in gold rush history and outdoor fun.