Forest fires are nature's way of clearing old growth, which allows organic matter to decompose rapidly into minerals which - in turn - supply fuel for speedy plant growth.
Some trees cannot survive without forest fires. Lodgepole and jack pines,…
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Mining and prospecting have always been a gamble. When the gamble pays off, good things happen. Still, in the mining business, nothing lasts forever.
Since the 1880's, small amounts of gold had been taken from the creeks and sandbars along…
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There are a number of Yukon place-names which pay tribute to animals.
The Slim's River which flows into the south end of Lake Kluane can be raging torrent of water when the spring run-off from the glaciers begins to flow.…
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Liquor played a significant role in everyday life in the Klondike during the gold rush. Saloons were scattered around Dawson like Bonanza Creek nuggets, and finding the booze was usually easier than finding the gold. But not for a moment…
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There was always something magical about the Morley River lodge on the Alaska Highway. We always felt good when we reached the place after a long drive from Dawson Creek over the then-dusty, unpaved road.
It probably had a lot…
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The Yukon has always been a special place for mountain climbers. The vast landscape of the St. Elias has provided challenges for mountaineers around the world. In 1967, Canada was involved in all manner of special projects to celebrate 100…
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It flies proudly throughout this land - a symbol of the rich heritage of the Yukon. Yet what do its parts mean? The Yukon’s flag came into being as the result of a contest sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion…
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It’s spring. New life begins popping up everywhere. Goodbye darkness – hello sunshine. And welcome back to the feathered harbingers of spring - the robin.
In the Yukon, these birds usually begin to arrive in early April, and leave in…
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It wasn't the first time the Yukon had established a defense force, but it was the first time such a force would be used against another Canadian city.
In 1966, the Yukon formed a defense force. Its goal was to…
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The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous celebrations of the Sixties had a magical feel about them. The Yukon hadn’t seen winter carnival celebrations since the late forties, so it was like a breath of fresh spring air when Rendezvous rolled…
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Dick North has always quietly gone about his business of research and writing. And now, quietly, he has joined elite company, including Wayne Gretzky’s dad and a former Supreme Court judge, as the newest members of the Order of Canada.
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I could find no record of his prowess as a hunter in the Yukon, but George Black was no slouch when it came to shooting rabbits on Parliament Hill.
George Black was born in 1873, in Woodstock, New Brunswick, where…
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When I first met Hank Karr back in 1965, he was the hottest property to hit the Yukon since sourdough pancakes and fresh oranges. He was a ball of musical energy. This Saskatchewan-born son of the soil could deliver any…
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Have you ever driven behind a caravan of trailers on the Alaska Highway and wondered how you were ever going to pass them all? It’s a reality. Trailers bunch up on the highway. So imagine a week back in the…
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