Yukon 2009 Vacation Planner - (Page 36) WHiTEHorSE don’t leave without Adventures in the Wilderness City There’s so much to do just a stone’s throw from town! Hike Grey Mountain (Canyon Mountain), explore hidden trails, or ride mountain ridges overlooking Whitehorse. Visit a kennel of friendly Yukon huskies or fish in a pristine alpine lake a short, bush-plane flight from the city. Explore the Whitehorse waterfront where you’ll discover many ways to enjoy the historic Yukon River – by raft, canoe, or tour boat. Drive to the float plane base at Schwatka Lake to see the colourful float planes tied along the lakeshore. Contact local adventure guides and rental operators to arrange your wilderness adventure. Shopping Enjoy a day of shopping in Whitehorse. You’ll leave with a sense of Whitehorse’s friendly small-town atmosphere and probably something special tucked in your pack. Centred around Main Street and stretching north and south several blocks, dozens of stores in the downtown shopping district offer local fine art and crafts, clothing, sporting goods, books and maps, specialty foods, gifts, unique gold nugget jewellery, and much, much more. Amidst the bustle of street musicians, walking tours and shoppers, visitors will find coffee houses and restaurants, barbers and grocers, galleries and bakeries – all conveniently located within walking distance of most hotels. Golf With two full-service courses to choose from, summer visitors are treated to long days and evenings of golf in Whitehorse. Golfers may have to share the fairways with wild neighbours like moose and coyotes! Mountain View Golf Course is an 18-hole course located 10 minutes north of downtown. Meadow Lakes Golf & Country Club is a nine-hole course 10 minutes south of downtown on the Alaska Highway. take time to explore Miles Canyon The trails, views and suspension bridge make Miles Canyon a must-see attraction. This is an historically important area where gold rush stampeders were slowed by Miles Canyon and the raging Whitehorse Rapids below. Since the river was dammed, placid waters now flow under the bridge. A 1.5-km walk on the opposite shore takes visitors to Canyon City, the site of a community that sprang up above the canyon in 1898. Naturalists come to the area to spot birds and wildflowers, and the extensive trails beyond the bridge are popular for hiking and mountain biking. Turn off Alaska Highway at Km 1416 (nine km from downtown). Waterfront Trolley Rolling alongside the Yukon River on the original narrow gauge track, the trolley is a delightful way to get oriented with the city. The 1925 trolley operates daily through the summer, picking up passengers every half hour at several stops between Rotary Peace Park and Spook Creek. On board, you’ll be entertained by friendly informative conductors who provide narration that changes each way, giving you the whole story. Operated by the Miles Canyon Historic Railway Society. Copperbelt railway & Mining Museum Ride through history on the Copperbelt Railway and visit the museum and gift shop. A great place for both kids and adults to learn about the copper and rail history of the Yukon. Enjoy a leisurely walk within the 10-acre theme park, have a picnic in the covered pavillion or test your skill at the regulation-size horseshoe pits. You will find ample free parking at the museum, located five minutes northeast of downtown Whitehorse on mile 919 of the Alaska Highway. Open daily throughout the summer. Millennium Trail A scenic five-km paved trail along both sides of the Yukon River starts at the Robert Campbell bridge, crosses the Rotary Centennial Bridge near the dam, and ends on the west side at the S.S. Klondike. Watch for migrating salmon, beavers in the channels near Robert Service Campground, and eagles and ravens soaring over the cliffs. Fish Lake road Ascend this 15-km road to a beautiful subalpine valley, crossing the TransCanada Trail and a wetlands-viewing gazebo at McIntyre Creek. Watch for the Pueblo Mine Memorial Plaque commemorating the Yukon’s worst mining disaster in 1917. At the end of the road is a boat launch, plus endless ridges for hiking and trail riding. Enjoy excellent fishing for rainbow trout and Arctic grayling. Look up to see the wind turbines on the top of Haeckel Hill. Lake Laberge “On the marge of Lake Laberge…” reads Robert Service’s famous poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee. Explore the lake by canoe or boat, go fishing or sailing, camp on its historic shores, or enjoy the secluded beach behind the campground. Turn off to the campground at Km 224 on the North Klondike Highway. Be wary – the wind can whip up waves with little warning on this large body of water. 36
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