Folk Art in the Forest
A chance meeting a long time ago started a friendship and a quilting group that has been meeting now for three decades. As it […]
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The Right Kind of Shaggy
For some reason I just can’t seem to stay away from the Gurkha’s. When I first started enjoying cigars about 8 years ago, Romeo y
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Farmer Robert’s: The business of nature
From the outside, Farmer Robert’s Store looks like a market in the middle of farm country. And that is exactly what it is… and much
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YuKonstruct hacks its way to the top
YuKonstruct’s computer lab is electric with creativity and camaraderie. Okay, it usually is, but more so tonight. It is six days from the deadline of
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Ramble in T.O.
My dance practice is rooted in uncultivated, wild, outdoor spaces. I often perform site-specific dances outdoors for audiences and/or camera. However, my latest collaborative
Didee & Didoo: My Gym
’When I mention my gym, it doesn’t have a basketball rim. My gym is the great outdoors, I share it with animals on all fours.
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The Magic of Mushrooms
Jean Francois is a chef. I met him at a B.C. heli-ski lodge on Highway 5 — The Yellowhead — in the early 2000s. He
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Apocalypse When?
Call me a skeptic, a cynic, I don’t care. Heck, go the distance and call me a heretic, if you wish. Truth is, I don’t
Hiking: Other Essentials
In previous columns, I’ve talked about food, tents, packs, boots, foot care and outer garments. Now let’s look at other things that range from nearly
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Unjunk your junk food…
Whether it’s to get you to your next meal, for the kids to fuel up between their many activities or just for a tasty treat,
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The Darker Side
Yes, TV and movies in colour are enjoyable and entertaining, but there is something about black-and-white film that sparks intrigue – especially the genre known
Folk Art in the Forest
From the northwest to the farthest eastern point, I have seen Canada. Last month, Roger and I travelled to Newfoundland. We left our cozy forest
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Dem Bones
Pike are notorious for being boney. As a child, I developed an intense fear of choking on fish bones. Not from any horrendous experience, but
Hunting for Wildlife: Mike Gustus
This 43” lake trout, which weighed in at a husky 41 pounds, was caught in Tagish Lake on Saturday, July 19 by Mike Gustus, who
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Write from the Soul
What’s an English teacher to do once she retires: take a trip through the Northwest Passage? Ruth Armson did that, and wrote about it. Compile
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Dressing Up
Yukoners have a hidden talent. Last August, over 800 people flocked to the territory’s first-ever comic convention, and many of them came in elaborate costumes
A Star in LA
It’s the last Thursday evening in July, and Elyn Jones is sitting beside the parking lot of Universal Studios giving an interview on her cell
Dancing in Denmark
Destiny Clennett, 13, was one of eight students from Northern Lights School of Dance (NLSD) to attend the 13th World Congress of Dance and the
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Hardest Year Yet
On the first day of kindergarten I didn’t know what to expect; playtime was now scheduled between certain hours and, in order to sit in
A Northern Diary
Carolyn Vincent taught in the Yukon in the 1970s and also cooked for an outfitter for a few months in 1976. She typed out a
Celebrating stewardship
When Shea Newnham goes to Wolf Creek Campground, he can still see the trail that he helped build as a Yukon Youth Conservation Corps (Y2C2)
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Black Bengal: the land of milk and honey
Yes, the promised land was intended for Moses and the Hebrews. But that was in the BC era. In the AD era, CAO, a Nashvillebased
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Claire the Bartender
If you’ve ever been to Lizards Lounge in the Town and Mountain Hotel on a Friday or Saturday night, you’ve seen Claire Mechan. She’s been
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What’s in a game?
Gaming is a diverse hobby. It extends beyond the Scrabble and Monopoly of family gatherings, or the video games many associate with teenage boys. These
College is easier than logging
My dad figures it’s more common for adults to go back to school these days. This is compared to when he went to college for
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A smoky pinnacle beckons in a hiker’s personal Shangri-La
Yes! This month, Jane Vincent is coming with me on an attempt to climb the pinnacle. It’s a pinnacle I now call Dragon Mountain. Recently,
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Boulder On!
Do you like climbing rocks? Do you enjoy hiking in a gorgeous valley? What about making friends? Walking a tightrope suspended between two giant boulders?
The Camp Knife
Too often, I have seen people wearing knives that are really too big to take on any task except chopping down trees. These are often
Promethean Influence
How good is your knowledge of Greek mythology? Yes, we all know about the heavy hitters such as Zeus and his Olympian brothers, Poseidon and
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Wicked Wickets: YHMA pegs its hoop dreams on croquet
Nancy Oakley has a cool story about the likely origins of croquet. (As the executive director of the Yukon Historical Museums Association and convener of
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Chewing the Fat
Dietary fat. Few issues in the world of healthy eating spark as much debate. While some stay away from it, others put tablespoons of butter
Goals and dreams
Thirteen-year-old Piper Allen, of Watson Lake, and Mike Smith, Olympic-gold-medal-winning goalie and bonafide NHLer with the Arizona Coyotes, have two things in common: they love
Discounting Trash
What would you consider to be valuable about Whitehorse? The nearby mountains? The vibrant community? Being able to fish and hunt close to town? Having
Doing the Squirrel-paddle
I couldn’t sleep the night before. Was it the roughly 10 night-shifts in a row I had pulled just prior to leaving, or was it
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Festival Fare
Festival season is in full swing, and every weekend sees crowds descending on another Yukon community for a bit of all-night sun revelry. My personal
Frolic for Foodies
At the end of July, foodies from across the country will travel north to take part in the 2015 Yukon Culinary Festival. Now in its
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Firepower on Parade
In 2012, Environment Yukon issued a report on hunter satisfaction in the territory, based on a survey of over 810 licensed hunters. Participants were asked
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Going for the Beat
As the famous Alice Cooper song says, “School’s ouuuuuut for the summer!” But for kids of various ages whose passion is music, classes are set
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Head in the Clouds
The motto on the Montana licence plate is Big Sky Country. I went to Montana before I knew the true meaning of ‘big sky’ —
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Hotdog Destiny
On July 4 my family headed to Skagway for the Independence Day celebration. Since I was about to write a piece for the WUY Hot
Love Your Liver
We usually think of our liver in relation to alcohol, but in reality its relationship to our health is much more complex. The liver is
Willy Wonka and the Cigar Factory?
We all know the story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. I can’t help but wonder what it would be like
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An Orange Dog
National Hot Dog Day approaches on July 23. Those who celebrate will most likely be found grilling hot dogs on the barbeque or over a
How working dogs keep cool
Frank Turner knows how to care for dogs on the bitterly cold trail of the Yukon Quest, having run it 24 times. Indeed, he had
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Clothing to Keep You Safe and Warm
Time on the land can be uncomfortable and even very dangerous if you aren’t ready for the weather nature sends to greet you. On a
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Soccer Squad heads to Sweden
On July 12, a group of young Yukoners will step on the pitch in Sweden to represent the Yukon at an international soccer tournament. The
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A Proper Teatime
I was visiting a friend down on Lewes Lake last week and was delighted at the profusion of blue and pink lining his driveway. Wild
Alligator’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese
The grilled cheese sandwich was the very first dish I ever cooked by myself. I was about eight-years-old and barely able to see over the
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The Condiment that Some Take For Granted, and that Others are Really Into
Mustard. It calls to mind sausages, one side of the inside of a sandwich (the meat side), pretzels, Dijon, grainy, spicy, Germany, France, omnipresent condiment,
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Hanging Up the Red Pen
I joined the What’s Up Yukon editorial team in late September 2012 and the first edition with my name on the masthead was issue #300,
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Are You Ready?
Hunting season is right around the corner; I started to go over my equipment this weekend. There are a lot of things that can be
Fight Like a Knight
If you have a passion for history and fighting to the death — without the death — there’s a new activity in the Yukon that
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Panning for glory
Yukon’s mining heritage will be celebrated this summer in Dawson City. On July 4, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Yukon Gold Panning Championships will
The Lone Star State
Howdy. We all know how things are “bigger in Texas”. Alec Bradley knows it. The American cigar company has been producing cigars for 20 years.
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Your Garbage is Better than Mine
“Wow, you found a gold mine!” This was a recent Wednesday, around 11:37 a.m. My co-workers and I answered the call from the City of
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Soup Season?
Well I hope that sundrenched stretch wasn’t summer. It was glorious, hot, and beautiful — what a tease. I’m sitting inside with the rain lashing
On Backpacks
Since people come in different lengths, so do packs. Most quality packs have frame adjustments to lengthen and shorten the unit. Some have no adjustments, but that’s fine if it fits you at the length it is. Don’t buy it simply because the price is right.
It’s a Men’s Issue
Dear Peter – My brain was obviously on hold when I read your email requesting an article for the Men’s Issue. Somehow, I got the
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The Mystery Man
As we age do we revert to the simpler pleasures of youth? Perhaps all the way to the diaper? The symmetry of the baseball diamond
Life on the Edge of the Forest is a Hoot
It’s a cold morning. While I’m writing, the twin deer are in the yard — last year’s fawns, without their mother now. May was full
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Namaste, bro
Some people like to “hit” the gym, to “pump” iron for those “ripped” abs. See a theme, there? Yoga, on the other hand, is all
Royal for Royal
Let’s talk Gurkha. No, it’s not a new language, but given all the variations it has, it very well could be. Gurkha is a brand
Is Male Bling the Next Big Thing?
With Father’s Day here, I’d love to get the special dads in my life some shiny trinkets as a token of my admiration. Not fishing
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Orienteering: What to do when Things Go Wrong
It is up to the orienteer to choose the routes between controls. The key to staying on track is to look at the map often,
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Drumming Festival will ‘wake up the land’
“You feel it to your core; it is a heartbeat; so uplifting; it just goes right through me.” Steve Smith, the chief of the Champagne
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Japanese Drums Arrive in the Capital
Whitehorse is about to get a dose of Japanese culture from the upcoming Festival of Taiko Drumming. June 11 to 13 will see the Japanese
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Freezing Fish
Over the years a few people have told me that due to a loss of flavour, they do not freeze fish and only eat them
Bonding in the Ballpark
This past summer I had the unique opportunity to meet former New York Times columnist Richard Kinzer in Leon, Nicaragua. During my time there I
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Slim’s River West Trail
I am making my way up a mountain. I am alone, tired, and very thirsty. The nearest road or person is 30 km away. The
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Dreams and Hopes
The great Klondike Gold Rush brought people to the Yukon in the pursuit of their dreams and hopes. To this day, many individuals continue to
Downsizing Before the Big Ride
The more I bike the more I realize I need to carry less and less. Each training trip makes me optimize. That two-person tent becomes
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“Domingo! Domingo!” Baseball in Nicaragua
In his classic account of Sandinista era Nicaragua, Blood of Brothers, Richard Kinzer notes, “With the sole exception of Roman Catholicism, no institution is as
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Clay Cliff Comfort
It’s funny how a change in geography can alter your perspective on something you’re well acquainted with. My places of residence within Whitehorse had always
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Raingear
Over the years I’ve been out in the rain. I’ve seen people who wear raingear from ultra-expensive Gore-Tex to disposable vinyl rain ponchos, or even
Learning from the Locals
Returning home after traveling can bring culture shock that’s just as discombobulating as that experienced when heading off to the far side of the globe.
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Kookatsoon Calling
Do you like wind in your face? Because if you love a headwind, I recommend biking south along the Alaska Highway. All that extra initial
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Staying out of the Trenches
There was a time when Barbara McInerney says she wouldn’t sit in the same room with Whitehorse RCMP officers. She’s the executive director of Kaushee’s
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Cannibalism: What’s the Big Deal?
In early-1993 my mom took my sister and I to see Alive, a film about an Argentinian rugby team that must survive a plane crash
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Bike maintenance is Easy as ‘ABC Quick Check’
“ABC Quick Check.” It is a phrase that easily rolls off the tongue of Peter Czerny. “ABC Quick Check.” Before starting a season of riding
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Training For the Yukon
Recently we went down south for a family visit. At the time it was still very much winter here in the Yukon. Down there the snow
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Grief Writing in Dawson
Jacob Scheier wrote his first collection of poems about the loss of his mother; he was 20. She had gotten sick when he was in
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The Big Top Comes to Whitehorse
The circus arts are some of the oldest performing arts: acrobats, contortionists, the bearded lady, bears pedaling bikes, clowns, and juggling. The big top, pennant
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Tykes for Chickadees
Whoever said learning can’t be fun has never been part of the Chickadees program in Whitehorse. Designed for toddlers aged between three and five, this
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Let Kids Have Time to be Kids
I recently wrote an article about my perspective on the benefits of organized sports and activities. In that article I touched on my strong belief
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It’s the Little Things
I’m blessed. Or “blessed”, depending on how you look at it. I am a part of one of the biggest families in the Yukon. I
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Carpenters can be a ‘certified’ success
“When I was coming up through the trade, journeymen carpenters were these grey-haired ninjas … Yodas,” says Bill Johnstone, a Whitehorse carpenter. “But I’ve worked
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Exploring the Bittersweet Beauty of the Juneau Ice Cave
The Zhange Danxia landform in Gansu, China; The Great Blue Hole in Belize; Tulip Fields in the Netherlands; Mount Roraima in Venezuela, Brazil, and Guana,
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The Thai Box
Guess what I did today? I ate Thai Food. Coconut rice! Pad Thai! And I didn’t even have to go to Skagway. All I did
Didee & Didoo: When I was a Kid
ALL THE LADIES WORE HANKERCHIEFS. EVERYONE HAD HIGH CACHES. ALL THE ELDERS SMOKED PIPES. EVERYONE USED DOGTEAMS. WE MADE OUR OWN TOYS. EVERYONE HAD BIBLE
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The Anhyzer
The discs one uses in disc golf have certain innate properties that allow them to act in a reasonably predictable manner. For example, all else
Girls Rock Camp
The closest I’ve come to being in a band was brought about through my love of the Spice Girls. When I was eleven, my friends
How To Cancer
My first idea was to write about women building for Habitat for Humanity. That fell through; no one got back to me. Then, I tried
Heavenly Tastes Paired With a Devil’s Brew
What’s Up Yukon’s editorial staff reminds you that tobacco can be harmful in all its forms. Mark Twain once said, “If I cannot drink bourbon
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Inspirational Cocktails in New York City
Travelling with the toe to surprise and amaze hardened American travel and food writers with a Sourtoe Cocktail, with spirit of their choice.
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Navigating the North
The 37th annual Western Canadian Orienteering Championships will be held in Whitehorse and surrounding areas from July 3 to 5 of this year. This event
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Radio Rob
I’m almost at the Tagish Bridge when 106.7 CFET kicks in and the truck is flooded with Estonian pop music. I’m on my way to
Zen and the Art of Parallel Parking
When I was learning to drive, one required skill haunted my dreams. Leading up to my driver’s test in the summer of 1998 I would
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A Hike or a Walk
Both hiking and walking use feet for propulsion. A walk is often more leisurely, unless it’s your mode of exercise, and it’s done without a
My Day in Court
On February 16 I picked up my roommate, Taylor Tiefenbach, from the Erik Nielsen International Airport. His flight was due to arrive at 3:05 p.m.
Where the Cats Rule
Breaking news in the world of virtual lifestyling: the real world simulation game, The Sims 4, now has basements. Virtual people worldwide can now get
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