The Yukon: Canada’s True North

This winter, gift yourself a getaway to the Yukon, Canada’s epic, true north wilderness treasure. A nugget of gold north of the BC border, the Yukon is the ultimate snowshoe and adventure destination that should be at the very top of your winter travel bucket list. One of Canada’s best-kept secrets, it is a gold mine of wilderness thrills. Like a vault waiting to be opened, I am about to give you the combination.

A short, direct flight out of Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, or Yellowknife will get you to Whitehorse, the Yukon’s capital city basecamp for all of the Yukon snow play escapades.

Whitehorse is a small town oozing with big-time northern charm. No matter where you stay, access to the trails, mountains, lakes, and rivers are right outside your door.  In the middle of what can feel like no man’s land, time seems to stand still when you truly surrender to the winter beauty of the Yukon, Canada’s wildest frontier.

Big, bold, and majestic, the landscape and scenery are jaw-dropping and breathtaking. Throw in the famed Northern Lights, and it’s straight-up mind-blowing. The scenery and Aurora Borealis are reason enough to visit the Yukon. But there’s more than that here, so please be sure to give yourself the time you will need to explore.

person standing under Northern Lights in the snow in Yukon

The beauty in the Yukon during the winter is surreal. Photo Credit: Robert Postma

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Prep for Winter in the Yukon, Canada

If you fear the Yukon’s harsh, cold air and at times 40 below temperatures, it’s time to reconsider. Everything you want is on the other side of fear, and that holds for this vast wonderland that is the Yukon. Perhaps its winter weather has a bad rap. Still, contrary to popular belief, the blue skies, brisk air, and wilderness are exactly what makes the overall Yukon experience so unique and unforgettable.

Besides, the Yukon knows cold better than any adventure traveller, so it aims to make your trip that much more comfortable and inviting. Local outfitters like Men’s World provide gear rentals to incoming travellers. Here, you’ll find sub-zero parkas, gloves, and boots, so you don’t have to invest or overpack.

Read More: Snowshoeing for Beginners: The First-Timer’s Guide

looking down group of snowshoes

You can rent your equipment in town, which can save you packing. Photo Credit Lumin Pictures

In a nutshell, northern service is nice…very nice. Do, however, remember to bring plenty of base layers and cold-weather items like long underwear, hats (called toques in Canada), gloves, warm socks, thermals, solid winter boots (like these Men’s boots), and walking shoes. When packing, keep in mind that the trend up north is fur, fleece, toques, Gortex, and even Muk Muks.

These items are needed not just when on the trail but on the town circuit of après pubs, bars, and restaurants. Outdoor style is a go any time of the day or night.

Read More: Snowshoeing Dress Code: Tips for What Clothing to Wear

two people geared up for the trail

You’ll want to pack multiple layers and warm clothes for on and off the trail. Photo Credit: Lumin Pictures

Create Your Yukon Bucket List

So, now you’re geared up and good to go, now think like an explorer. Make a bucket list and put snowshoeing at the top. Snowshoeing is free, and the Yukon offers acres of land to explore, with few people competing for the outdoors. To put the landmass into perspective, the Yukon in Canada represents 4.8% of the country’s total land area, with only 36,000 people. Now, compare these numbers to California, which is 1/20 the size of the Yukon with a population of 39.5 million. Read to explore people-free?

The big decisions for most will be the simple things such as which guide to go with or which trail to blaze first. After spending days with our knowledgeable, friendly guide ‘Yukon Dave’ from Up North Adventures, I can say that he will surpass your expectations. Dave is the inside source on anything and everything you want to know about Whitehorse, from Yukon storytelling to packing in fresh baked goods and hot chocolate. Get ready for snowshoeing, some outdoor adventure, and life in the Yukon.

woman standing in Bonneville Ridge, Yukon under blue sky in winter

One of your bucket list items can be the beautiful Bonneville Ridge. Photo Credit: Lumin Pictures

Snowshoe Bonneville Ridge

First up, we have Bonneville Ridge. For those looking for a physical challenge, an extraordinary viewpoint, and scenery worth sweating for, Bonneville Ridge is the one for you.

As you are huffing and puffing up the 800-meter (2600 ft) incline to the ridge, the fresh Yukon air combined with warm exhales quickly coats your locks in frost. These conditions make for a perfect Yukon snowshoe selfie worth posting on social media.

The spectacular Bonneville Ridge Trail overlooks the pristine Fish Lake Valley, a popular ice-fishing locale. The workout getting to the viewpoint will have your blood pumping. Be sure not to layer too heavily on this trek. The cold Yukon air and the steady one hour incline up a well-tracked multi-use trail will have you warm in no time.

people snowshoeing on Bonneville Ridge with view of lake

Bonneville Ridge will get your heart pumping with a gorgeous view of the lake. Photo Credit: Lumin Pictures

Bonneville Ridge Trail is popular with winter hikers and snowshoers and a favourite daily grind for locals and dog owners. The term ‘popular’ in the Yukon translates to basically barren with a friendly face every km or so, making the trek that much more fun.

For anyone wanting to push beyond the ridgeline, there is an option to summit the peak, which only adds another 30-40 minutes to your total travel time. Blazing snowshoe trails like Bonneville Ridge verifies the Yukon’s claim to the cleanest, purest air in the world.

Read More: Snowshoes: An Arctic Traveler’s Best Friend

Snowshoe Miles Canyon & Chadburn Lake

Miles Canyon and the Chadburn Lake trail system on snowshoes are a must! Surrounded by bodies of water like Schwatka Lake, these interwoven trails are a smorgasbord to a snowshoeing diehard. It is to find the pot of Yukon gold you came to discover. Moreover, the lack of traffic on the Canyon City Trail is refreshing.

Shout out at the top of your lungs when high atop the Rim Trail and hear your echo as you revel in the moment of the perfect snowshoe experience. Being alone in the endless Yukon wilderness gave me a sense of freedom and a spiritual connection to nature.

people in the distance snowshoeing Chadburn Lake in the Yukon

The trail system at Chadburn Lake and Miles Canyon provides a vast number of snowshoeing opportunities. Photo Credit Lumin Pictures

In addition to the views, the suspension bridge, old Yukon mining carts from the Klondike Gold Rush, and the Bigfoot-like trail mapping signs, there are a few additional surprises in store.

Depending on your time limit and energy level, you could spend days exploring this trail system. Chadburn Lake trails are clearly marked and easy to self-guide. Although once you’ve had a guide like ‘Yukon Dave,’ it may be challenging to decide to go solo.

Read More: Canyon Hiking & Snowshoeing in the Northern Canadian Rockies

Dog Sledding

It should be illegal to go to the Yukon and leave without trying dog mushing. A true north winter tradition in the Yukon and Canada, this sport will have you blazing trails only a team of huskies would tackle. The crew at Sky High Wilderness Ranch has a reputation around town as the ultimate outfitter.

Congenial staff serve up meals and après snacks in the ranch’s onsite yurt adding to the overall amazing sledding experience. You are the driver, and you control your own pack of hounds. That alone is an adventure everyone should experience at least once in this lifetime, especially in the open wild of the Yukon.

Within the embrace of the mountain ranges, with the wind in your face and dog poop flying, you will learn how to use your brakes and never to let go of your sled. These are, after all, two key techniques every novice musher must master.

Not cheap, but worth every penny – visit Sky High Wilderness Ranch for pricing and bookings.

Read More: Chasing Winter Adventure in the East Kootenay Rockies of British Columbia

person dog sledding under bright blue sky in Yukon in winter

Dog sledding is an unforgettable opportunity when traveling to the Yukon. Photo Credit Lumin Pictures

close up of person and dogs while dog sledding in Yukon

Remember to hold on to your sled! Photo Credit Lumin Pictures

Glacier Viewing

Another Yukon must-do is a private glacier flight with Rocking Star Adventures. This is truly a once in a lifetime splurge that you will forever regret if you don’t do it. When in the Yukon, play hard and go big. You only live once, and big magic happens when you face your fears, even if they include small planes, heights, and confined spaces.

Know that you are in the best of hands. Pilots know the territory like no one else. They live to share the beauty of this province. Bring all the camera gear you can muster. These epic photo opportunities may never come again.

Flying high above the Kluane Region Mountains, the glaciers below are surreal. Do yourself a favor and make the trip out to Haines Junction for this unparalleled Yukon adventure. It is pure Yukon gold.

Read More: Snowshoeing in the Sky

aerial view of glaciers in winter in the Yukon

The view was immaculate! Photo Credit: Lumin Pictures

Accommodation & Apres

Spending so much time outdoors breathing in fresh Yukon air can take a lot out of you. Sometimes a little bit of rustic-luxe, as Inn on the Lake owner Carson Schiffcorn describes it, is like finding a little piece of Canadian heaven on earth. Rustic, but oh so posh.

This inn is nestled 50km (30 miles) from Whitehorse on Marsh Lake’s shores. We give Schiffcorn our stamp of approval for making guests feel pampered in the middle of nowhere.

Inn on the Lake near Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Feel pampered at the Beautiful Inn on the Lake Lodge. Photo Credit Lumin Pictures

food laid out on table at Inn on the Lake lodge near Whitehorse

Enjoy the delicious food at Inn on the Lake. Photo Credit Lumin Pictures

Experience the Aurora Borealis

Inn on the Lake is perhaps the most intimate place to experience DIY (do-it-yourself) Aurora Borealis searching and sightings. In fact, the best place to view the Yukon’s famed Northern Lights is on the outskirts of town, so staying at the Inn on the Lake is like having private access to the ultimate climax to your Yukon adventure.

When you get to curl up in your long johns and toque with a glass of Yukon Gold beer or wine lakeside, you realize that in the Yukon, life is good…really good. Soak in the outdoor hot-tub as you patiently wait for the night sky to begin its light show. Schiffcorn specializes in cheffing up decadent multi-course creations that include delicacies like elk and crab cakes.

Northern Lights in Yukon

Go on your own chase of the Northern Lights! Photo Credit: David Cartier

Carson, the incredibly charismatic owner, will even include an Aurora wake up call. He aims to please. Be prepared because when the time arrives, and the lights fall over the Inn, there is no time to waste. It could be 11 pm, or it could be 3 am, but that is the thrill of the Northern Lights chase. You have to want to see them or poof! They are gone.

The sky, the weather, and Mother Nature all have to align, but it’s pure northern bliss when they do. Don’t worry; Carson leaves a self-serve candy bar should you need a surge of sugar to keep you going late into the night. When the Aurora does happen…strap on your snowshoes and head out towards the middle of the frozen Marsh Lake. As you look back on the Inn, be prepared to be WOW’d and fall in love with the Yukon.

Read More: Turning Up the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, Alaska

Apres Opportunities

Aside from epic snowshoeing and mind-blowing outdoor adventures, it is the people who make the Yukon the coolest cold destination in Canada, especially in winter. Whether you are sipping craft beers at the Yukon Brewery or enjoying a hot toddy at the Woodcutters Blanket, there are plenty of northern après hot spots.

According to the locals in Whitehorse, don’t miss après at places like The Dirty Northern, The Gold Pan Blues Bar, and of course The Capital Hotel. As for dining, I loved the Antoinette’s and Georgio’s Cuccina for feel good-vibes and delicious food after a long day playing outdoors.

Read More: Apres Snowshoe: Recipes to Try

Yukon Brewing beers

Enjoy a beer for your apres at Yukon Brewing. Photo: Steph Florian

collage of 4 photos with friends and beer in Yukon

Enjoying time in the Yukon! Photo: Steph Florian

Experience Canada’s Yukon in Winter!

Whether it’s the Northern Lights, the virgin trails, the charismatic people, or the extreme Canadian scenery, the Yukon is a winter snowshoe destination beyond your wildest expectations. Get yourself some Yukon Gold!

Would you experience the Yukon, Canada, in winter? What are some of your favorite activities? Please share with us in the comments below.

This article was originally published on March 19, 2016, and was updated on Jan 27, 2021. 

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