“There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills!”: Visiting the Yukon in September

 

Like veins of the precious ore that brought miners and wannabe millionaires here in 1897, trails of gold begin to creep up the foothills of the Yukon’s mountain ranges starting in late August. Autumn in the Yukon is one of the most beautiful times to visit this northern Canadian Territory and by mid-September, when Henk and I had timed our visit, we had hit the motherlode of peak colour. Everywhere we travelled, aspens, poplar and birch trees lit up the landscape with their shades of yellow and gold, standing out in sharp contrast to their dark spruce neighbours and creating a variegated landscape of colour and texture everywhere we looked. But there’s more than just leaf-peeping waiting for visitors who venture ‘North of 60’ after most of the tourists have left. Here are some of the best things to do in the Yukon in September.

Take a Scenic Drive (or 2 or 3!)

There’s no shortage of places where you can see the Yukon in all its autumn glory: pretty much every highway or gravel road provides the opportunity to admire the colours of the season, often set against the blue-grey St. Elias mountains that form part of the Coast Mountains in the southwest. The Highway 1 drive northwest from Whitehorse towards Haines Junction is a good place to start, as the 2-hour drive also gives you the opportunity to look for wildlife along the way (there is even a herd of wild horses that call the Ibex Valley home, not far from Whitehorse).

Once in Haines Junction, Kluane National Park and Reserve lies literally in the town’s backyard, providing a majestic destination in and of itself for autumn colours.

The Junction (as it’s known to locals) is also a great base if you choose to do more ‘day drives’ north or south. One must-do drive is to head north on Highway 1 to Sheep Mountain, a spectacular landmark located at the mouth of a former glacier.

The mountain is home to Thinhorn Sheep (a native species similar to Bighorns) who like to graze on its sunny, south-facing slopes between the golden lines of trees. Even if the Visitor Centre is closed (it shuts for the season in mid-September), you can still pull over at its entrance to admire the views and look for tiny dots of white that are moving on the mountain cliffs. These are the sheep, and if you have binoculars or a zoom lens, you can watch them navigate the crevices and crags of the high cliffs they call home.

Heading south from Haines Junction on Highway 3 takes you on another stunning drive, and if you need a destination to aim for, make it Million Dollar Falls.

Along the way you’ll see every shade of russet, gold, orange, yellow and green blanketing the base of the mountains to the west, and deeper valleys with sparkling waterways the farther south you go. Million Dollar Falls is located about an hour south of Haines Junction inside a Territorial campground but you don’t need a day pass to enter if you are just visiting the Falls. Just follow the parking lot signs, leave the car and then take the well-marked trail that runs alongside the gorge.There is easy access to view the beautiful waterfall via stairs and platforms that have been purpose-built for visitors so they can safely get close to the edge (and the rest of the trail is fenced off for added safety).

Whether you travel north or south of Haines Junction, the scenic views are amazing. And with the autumn colours in peak season, never has the old saying “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey” been more accurate.

Take a Scenic Hike

Hiking around the Yukon in September is ideal as the weather is cooler but still pleasantly warm and there are fewer bugs to deal with (neither they nor the bears are as hungry as in the spring!) Grey Mountain and Miles Canyon, both right outside of Whitehorse are popular destinations for locals and visitors who want to take in some of the beauty of the season without having to venture far. There are plenty of trails of various lengths and levels of difficulty, all of which give you a chance to admire the fall colours from unique vantage points, whether you are standing on the edge of a basalt canyon overlooking the Yukon river (along the Rim Trail), or looking down from a perch high on the limestone cliffs of Grey Mountain.

For a hike that takes you to one of the most spectacular views of the Alsek Valley in Kluane National Park and Reserve, head just north of Haines Junction and turn left onto an old mining road (Alsek Valley Road) off Highway 1. The mining road leads you 6 km or so to the Park boundary and the Alsek Valley Hike trailhead, but unless you have a high-clearance 4X4 vehicle and are brave enough to drive through streams, deeply rutted dry washes and sketchy, muddy stretches that might bog you down, it’s probably better to hike this 6km stretch, especially if it has rained recently.

The Park Boundary itself is marked with a sign showing the trails and routes that extend for kilometres into the Valley, but even if you go no further, the views here are spectacular enough for many people (Henk and I included). Climb up the rocky hills on the left to take in the panoramic views of the valley stretching out in front of you, framed by mountains on both sides. This view alone is well worth the hike (or drive!) to get here.

For a completely different kind of terrain, check out the Rock Glacier trail just off highway 3 (the Haines Road) about 45 minutes south of Haines Junction. This well-maintained trail starts with boardwalks across marshy forests on the lower part of the trail and leads higher up to rocky pathways that zig-zag through a wide field of ragged stones known as a ‘rock glacier’.

The trail was built by the Conservation Corps in the late 1970s, and provides wonderful views out over Dezadeash Lake, thanks to an elevation gain of about 170 meters. The trail isn’t difficult, but proper footwear should be worn, especially when walking on the rocky paths at the top, or if you plan to venture higher up the rock slide.

TIP: Encountering wildlife is always a possibility in the Yukon in September, and there are measures you can take to stay safe on the trail. Bear spray is available for purchase at many outfitters and stores or for rent (at Ravens Rest Inn in Haines Junction, for example). While the likelihood of meeting a grizzly is slim, it’s always a good idea to be prepared with some tips should you encounter one.

See the Salmon Running

If you’ve never seen salmon spawning in the wild, fighting the current to swim upstream and leaping waterfalls to get to their birthplace, this is your chance. The Yukon has several places where you can watch this natural phenomenon taking place, including a unique location just outside the city of Whitehorse, the Whitehorse Fishladder and Hatchery. Also called the Fishway, here you will find the longest wooden ‘fish ladder’ in the world which was built to allow the salmon to bypass the Whitehorse Dam and continue their journey up-river. The wooden construction looks like a gold-miners sluice, but works in reverse, allowing Chinook salmon to swim their way up the gradual slope to reach the waters upriver of the dam. Even though we visited after the Fishway had closed for the season and we couldn’t go inside to see the salmon swimming, it was still impressive to see this fish ladder from the outside.

TIP: Salmon generally ‘run’ from July-September, so by early September the Fish Ladder in Whitehorse closes. So if you want to visit this attraction, be sure to check their facebook page to see whether it is open.

Another place to see salmon in the wild is in the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations village of Klukshu, about 45 minutes’ drive south of Haines Junction on Highway 3 (leading to southern Alaska). The salmon that call this river home have been a traditional food supply for generations of Indigenous people who made their home in this region. The stream runs adjacent to the seasonal fishing village, and there are interpretive signs that describe how the First Nations people harvested and preserved this resource to sustain them over the long winters.

You can see some of their smoking/drying cribs nearby as well. Just remember that salmon is also a food supply for grizzly bears, so be ‘bear aware’ – since this stream shares its resources with more than just humans.

Visit Atlin, British Columbia

The small town of Atlin, about 2 hours south of Whitehorse, may physically be located in British Columbia, but because the only road access to it is from the Yukon, the Territory has practically adopted the town as its own. It is a charming adoptee, with its community of artistic residents and several characteristic buildings that have survived since the height of the Gold Rush. In its heyday, Atlin was home to 10,000 or more residents, for it was here that many adventurers, merchants and families came in the hopes of striking it rich from gold deposits discovered near the town.

Wander the village to locate some of the town’s historic landmarks of that period, or admire some of the quirkier buildings that are home to the many artists who live here today (where else might you see a pyramid-shaped cedar home?)

Atlin’s location is beautiful, being right on the shores of Atlin Lake and surrounded by mountains all around. These characteristics have earned the place the nickname the ‘Switzerland of the North’ (although that’s a bit of a stretch, I have to admit.) Nevertheless, the place is definitely quirky, picturesque and well worth the drive.

TIP: Be sure to stop for a bite in Kershaws Cafe, a wonderful cafe filled with antiques and boasting a great view out over the Lake. Stop in for one of their sweet treats, artisan coffees or lunch fare, sit on the balcony and admire the view, or settle in to play one of their board games. Just note that Kershaw’s is only open seasonally and closes mid-late September.

Visit the Yukon Wildlife Preserve

September can be a great time to see Yukon wildlife, but if you aren’t lucky enough to spot some on one of your scenic drives, or don’t want to chance running into any on a hike (like bears or rutting elk), you should definitely consider visiting the Yukon WIldlife Preserve about 20 minutes north of Whitehorse. I’m always a little hesitant about visiting places where animals are kept behind fences, but there are a few places that do this very well (like Parc Omega in Quebec, for example). And the Yukon Wildlife Preserve is another.

With over 350 acres of land, the Preserve provides an extensive natural environment where native wildlife can graze, climb, wallow or roam to their hearts content. The fencing is really just to keep the different species apart from each other so there’s no competition for grazing or territory. It also helps visitors to safely view bison, elk, caribou, mountain goats and more in their respective areas.

Visitors can opt for a guided tour that uses a vehicle that stops at each location along the 5 km (3 mile) loop, with a guide providing information about the animals and Preserve. Or you can walk the route on foot like Henk and I did. We highly recommend the latter, since you have the opportunity to stay as long as you like at each area, view and photograph the animals as they graze, frolic or wander, and the walk itself is a beautiful way to enjoy a sunny fall day. Keep your eyes open and you may even see ‘visiting’ foxes, here too, who are able to squeeze through the fences to hunt the ground squirrels who live here. The Preserve does feed the animals under their care, and keeps an eye on any ‘intruders’, but doesn’t interfere with the goings on of Mother Nature, except when necessary or for conservation purposes. They have also rehabilitated injured wildlife here as part of those efforts.

TIP: Feel free to bring your own picnic lunch (there are tables provided near the entrance), and there are also bathrooms both at the entrance and mid-way along the walking route.

View the Northern Lights

One of the best reasons to visit the Yukon in September is for the opportunity to view the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). Although the Lights may appear at any time of the year, the longer days of summer with their extended twilight and very few hours of true darkness makes it much harder to view the Aurora. But by early-mid September, skies are once again black enough to see the Lights in all their glory, and you don’t have to stay up too late or go too far to see them (because light pollution in the Yukon is pretty much a non-issue).

Henk and I came to the Yukon with a mission to see and photograph the Aurora, so during the day we scouted a few locations just outside Whitehorse where we could set up in the evenings and wait for the ‘show’ to start. One of these, Fish Lake Road, just north of Whitehorse off the Alaska Highway (Highway 1), proved to be a great location for viewing the lights, with a lake at the end of the road that provided good foreground reflections and a wide-open shore where we felt safe and could park our vehicle.

Aurora-Viewing Tour with Northern Tales in Whitehorse

On one of our nights in Whitehorse, Henk and I were invited to join an Aurora-watching tour as guests of Northern Tales, a local company that provides various adventure experiences to Yukon visitors, including Aurora Borealis tours. We joined one of their evening events where we were escorted by van from Whitehorse to a location north of the city. Here the skies are even darker and the company has built a compound of warming tents, bonfire pits and bathroom facilities for its guests to use over the course of the 4-hour evening. Which meant we had drinks, snacks and company while we waited to see if the Aurora would dance for us (it did – shooting pillars up from the horizon between the clouds).

We were joined on our evening by Aaron Ratko who along with his wife Emily Kalil, own and run Northern Tales. The couple are fully invested in providing their guests with one-of-a-kind experiences, including plans to enhance their current day and nighttime adventure offerings even further. Aurora tours are a bucket list item for many visitors and in high season, Northern Tales can accommodate up to 120 guests on these evening excursions. At the viewing location there are 6 comfortable warming tents/cabins, each with a different rustic Northern theme where guests can play board games, chat, and enjoy snacks and beverages while waiting to see if the Aurora will appear. The tents provide ample room for even the largest group, since guests are split into smaller groups of around 18 people, and each tent/cabin has its own outdoor firepit and sitting area where guests can gather if they prefer to be outside under the stars.

Aaron’s passion and enthusiasm for what he does is infectious, and he freely admits that even though he’s seen the Aurora countless times, he still gets excited when viewing the night skies. (The audible gasp he uttered when we caught an exceptionally long ‘shooting star’ above us seemed to underscore this point!) But Aaron’s not the only one who shares this enthusiasm: his guides, who hail from around the globe and speak multiple languages between them, are equally thrilled when the Lights appear, and are more than happy to help their guests take photographs of the lights and of themselves. Northern Tales even offers guests free downloads from their own Flicker archive after the night is over, so that if the guest’s camera or phone wasn’t up to the task, they still have access to a wonderful memento of their Northern Lights experience.

Our Northern Tales experience made watching the Aurora (and waiting for it to appear) more entertaining and social than just hanging out by ourselves on a remote shoreline. And in between Aurora appearances, I got into the spirit of the evening by offering instructions to a Japanese visitor on how to make the perfect s’more. After all, what could be more Canadian than enjoying a sweet treat around a campfire while the Northern Lights dance overhead?

TIP: Want to make your Northern Tales experience even better? Guests are encouraged to bring along a little bubbly to toast the Aurora if they’d like, or a bottle of wine to enjoy by the fire. And yes, red wine pairs perfectly with s’mores!

Parks Canada’s Northern Nights in Haines Junction

Another option for a dark sky experience takes place near Haines Junction, and is organized by Parks Canada. Called Northern Nights, this annual event is the only dark sky festival of its kind in the Yukon and is now in its 9th year. Two days of programming take place at Kathleen Lake Campground in Kluane National Park and Reserve, including family-friendly workshops and demonstrations, an open mic music and storytelling event, and presentations by the Yukon Astronomical Society who bring telescopes and lead the stargazing activities on both nights. We attended one of these evenings, and even though the weather didn’t cooperate for viewing the Lights, we enjoyed listening to some talented local musicians and engaging with members of the community.

Summit the Midnight Dome in Dawson City

If you do want to venture farther afield than Whitehorse or Haines Junction, it’s definitely worth the 6-hour drive to Dawson City to hunt for Northern Lights since this town has an ideal location under the Aurora Oval. Plus the hill overlooking the town, known as the Midnight Dome viewpoint, is a great spot to observe the skies since it provides panoramic views in all directions and can be reached easily with most vehicles. Just watch the weather forecast before making the trip to ensure clear nights ahead –  and be sure to book an overnight stay or two so you have more than one chance of seeing the Lights.

A Golden Opportunity

Henk and I have been to the Yukon twice now, and can honestly say that it was equally impressive on both visits, the first one in mid-August, and this recent one in mid-September. What we loved about the Yukon in September was the variation in colour that we saw thanks to the brilliant yellows and golds that lit up the landscape. It gave an entirely new dimension to the lakes, mountains and river views, and  made the drives even more scenic, if that is even possible in a place of spectacular beauty any time of the year. Perhaps this is why many locals consider the fall the best time of year to be here. The added bonus? While there are tens of thousands of leaf-peeping tourists crowding into more southern mountain destinations (like Banff), venture ‘north of 60’ and you will have the Yukon largely to yourself.

It’s just you and Mother Nature, dressed up in her finest fall colours, both day and night.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR VISITING YUKON IN SEPTEMBER

WHERE TO STAY: Check out these accommodation recommendations for Whitehorse, Haines Junction and Dawson City.

WHERE TO EAT: In Whitehorse, here are our recommendations for dining whether you are feeling for Mexican, Asian or even Caribbean cuisines.
If you are staying in Haines Junction, definitely check out the Mile 1016 Pub (named after the mile marker on this part of the Alaska Highway. The burgers here are great, the local brews are cold, and a generous pour of their house wine is the best bargain in the Territory! Another great option for food is the Village Bakery, although it is is only open seasonally and closes mid-September.

WHAT TO PACK: Casual is the rule in the Yukon. For outdoor activities in September, bring along hiking shoes/boots, several layers of clothing including long-sleeved shirts or a fleece, a down vest, windbreaker or raincoat. And if you are planning on observing the Northern Lights, definitely wear your warmest clothing, including long underwear, a parka and a toque/gloves. The temperatures here during the day may be pleasant enough for hiking in a long-sleeved shirt or even a t-shirt, but at night they can drop to near freezing in September and if you are just sitting around outside waiting for the Aurora, you want to be well prepared.

TIP: If you forget any clothing or gear (like I did with my hiking poles!), there are places in Whitehorse and Haines Junction that will rent you whatever you need. Changing Gear in Whitehorse is a gear swap/rental place, and Raven’s Rest in Haines Junction is another.

Special thanks to Travel Yukon who hosted us for part of our visit, and to Northern Tales for inviting us to be part of their Aurora evening tour.