The Yukon Territory, in Canada’s far northwest, is perhaps best known as the site of the Klondike Gold Rush. Towns such as Dawson City still offer a snapshot of the spirit of those times of boom and discovery at the turn of the last century. Even the food across the Territory recalls the meals of prospectors, such as sourdough bread and pancakes. You can still enter certain bars in the Yukon and sip at tipples such as the 'Gold Rush' cocktail, a blend of gold foil and whisky - two of the Territory's most important exports.
However, what might intrigue adventure- or nature lovers more
than its human history is its landscape of endless skies, gigantic lakes and sharp, clean air. The Yukon Territory consists mainly of mountain ranges cut by the mighty Yukon River and its tributaries. Indeed, Canada's highest mountain, Mount Logan, is situated in the Yukon. Another popular draw to the Territory is its high recordings of the Northern Lights (
aurora borealis), ribbons of color that illuminate the vast night skies. This unspoilt wilderness is relatively well served by roads left over from the days of the gold rush and from an attempt to exploit oil reserves. The Yukon Territory therefore combines the best of scenes with the best of facilities and accessibility.
Whether you seek solitude or escapade, everything is catered for here – and by nature itself.
GeographyThe Yukon Territory, Canada’s ‘last frontier’, is a largely mountainous and forested wilderness located in the northwest of the country. It borders the US State of Alaska to the west, Canada’s Northwest Territories to the east and British Columbia to the south. The Yukon Territory is bisected by the valley of the Yukon River, which passes to the west of the Mackenzie Mountains. Mount Logan, in the St Elias Range on the border with Alaska, is the second-highest peak in North America at 5959m (19,550ft).
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