I love group trips. We had 9 adults, 5 kids. All cousins. We were in the height of travel restrictions so we wandered off the beaten path to check out the Yukon wilderness. We were dying to do a vacation and silly travel rules meant we had to choose a destination within our own great country. Whitehorse is a direct 2.5 hour flight from Vancouver. Red foxes run around randomly and you can hear moose from the patio. The geography and landscapes are stunning. The night skies are unparalleled.
We rented one of my favourite homes to date called the Takini River Retreat. This rental was once a bed and breakfast, so it had 5 large bedrooms with ensuites and a large kitchen and living area. The interior was modern and very comfortable. I spent an entire hungover afternoon pushing the reset button on the massage chair over and over. It was a 30 minute drive northwest of Whitehorse, Yukon. The idea was to be far enough out of town to see the stars and the northern lights in their full glory. I can honestly say I don’t think I’ve ever seen skies as gorgeous as we viewed that first clear, crisp evening. The ambiance of a roaring fire, cousins for company and vodka in the blood stream may have helped.
We expected the temperatures to be cool. It was clear the first couple of days, then it snowed, then the snow melted and was back to clear. We had 3 rental cars so this was comforting because I was one of the registered drivers and I was not thrilled to navigate unknown mountain roads in frosty conditions. The kids got a day to make snowmen and we actually used the cumbersome snow gear that took up so much space in our luggage.
The Yukon Wildlife Reserve cares for the region’s most vulnerable animals that have been injured or orphaned. They are open year round and you can check out over a dozen different species in large natural landscapes. We chose the shuttle bus tour which was $26 per adult, $19 per kid. You can also walk the park for cheaper. We had young offspring and it was cold as balls so we took the easy route. The bus driver was knowledgeable and taught us a thing or two which was a nice bonus. We hopped out at most of the enclosures and saw the artic foxes, lynx, wood bisons and thinhorn sheep among others.
We booked a workshop at Lumel Studios Glass Blowing in Whitehorse. The staff was amazing. They assisted everyone, including the littles, with hands on glass blowing in the hot shop. We got to choose a piece to make from about 10 options, then pick which colours we added. I wasn’t sure how it would go with excited 5 year olds running around scalding hot ovens and red searing rods and blowpipes. The crew was patient and cautious. The kids were self affirmed and felt powerful creating their unique souvenirs to take home.
We cooked most of our meals at the house to save $$ and also because we were staying in the sticks. We hit up The Deli Cafe & Eatery on arrival to stock up on some pre-made meals and fresh to order sandwiches. The grocery and beer stores were well stocked but prices at a premium out there in the Klondike.
The best part of this trip was chillin with the homies and sitting around the fire in the alpine tundra. The owners had left us a healthy pile of wood but we went through that quickly and took to foraging for more stock. The kids played hard and were exhausted by nightfall.
Now…. the aurora borealis. This was one of the primary reasons I wanted this destination over our other Canadian options. The first night was the best viewing as the skies were totally clear and the aurora activity forecast was moderate. To the naked eye we saw faint illuminations and got our northern light fix. Taking pics ended up to be more impressive as the lenses on our phones were able to capture the distant lights better than our eyeballs. We were travelling on the shoulder season for substorms and knew the aurora possibilities were a gamble. The following few nights were slightly cloudy so even if there had been impressive displays, we didn’t see much.
But…. the stars!! Seeing the cosmos that first night was a spiritual experience. The luxury of sitting and rediscovering the expansive, magical and intense wonder of the Milky Way was beyond words. The glittering constellations and planets were unforgettable. Those few hours of celestial star gazing woke my soul and I can’t even post a pic because it would be a disservice to the reader. You just have to go there yourself, I suppose.
OCTOBER 2021
KIDS AGES: 5 and 7 years old (with cousins 5, 8 and 10)
SHAMELESS PROMO
paRty of 4 