Trail Tales: Skating 010
We’ve had wonderfully warm weather lately, at least for February in Whitehorse. And with warm weather comes wonderful glide on the ski trails. If you’ve […]
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Moving Sienna
With the wind blowing and the temperature almost at zero as I write, it doesn’t seem like a typical Yukon winter at all. But I
April Cosmic Showers; Fire in the Sky
Wondrous views await the cosmic tourist in the month of April. The end of March and the first two weeks of April are sometimes referred
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Carving Their Niche
For nine years Don Watt and fellow artists Mike Lane and Gisli Balzer have attracted like-minded snow carvers to Whitehorse
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Eye on the Prize
Christina Macdonald is a woman on a mission. During her time in the Yukon she has seen the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous axe-throwing competition dominated by a
Skiing the Animal Trail
Bison and foxes and sheep. Oh my! The Yukon Wildlife Preserve on the Takhini Hot Springs Road offers all of these and more—and it’s recently
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Confessions of a Newbie Kicker
For anyone under the impression that Rendezvous week makes cancan dancers magically appear as if from thin air like so many green fairies to light up
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Social Media and Sweet Aurora
I have been waiting for a couple of weeks for a strong auroral show so that I could test out a new camera.
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Most Common Dog Poisons
We’ve talked about poisoning in pets several times, but since there has been a lot of interest in the subject, I decided to throw out
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Tracing Figure Eights
A small gang of eager, young skaters hangs off the side of the players’ bench. Outfitted in snowsuits, oversized mittens and colourful toques tucked under
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Mountain Adventures and New Friends
As spring approaches, the Yukon night skies sizzle with cosmic happenings. The weather has offered us a few nights of reprieve with well above normal
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Building the Next Standard
Kobayashi + Zedda Architects (KZA) are defining design in the Yukon with projects dotting the landscape. Their work embodies the meaning of adapting and developing
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Fat Tracks
Have you ever driven past someone on a bike at -35 in a blizzard and thought they were crazy? You’re probably not alone. Let’s face
Galaxy Hunting with Binoculars
The new year is well underway and the weather has been a bit unpredictable, to say the least – from warm and cloudy, to a
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Trail Tales: Skis’ Ancestors
Skis have been around for centuries, long predating the wheel. The earliest skis found have been dated at approximately 6,000 B.C., about 2,500 years before
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River Runner Diary
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I signed up for the River Runner 100 last year. The 130-mile race between
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January’s Cosmic Jewels
Here comes another year with plenty of amazing sights for the cosmic tourist in this great northern land of ice and snow. Now if the
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Myth, Medium & Meatballs
For 20 years, I have been travelling and doing gigs all over the North and Canada, and have done many international performances in the U.S.,
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Rural Tech Matters
Peter Menzies’ commitment to trades education at Robert Service School (RSS) in Dawson City is setting an example for the Yukon. According to Menzies, a
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Checkpoint checklist
As I stand behind the counter of the Dawson City Visitor Information Centre, I look at the eight people sitting in a semicircle around me.
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Meandering Along the Mendenhall
In most places the river is around 20 feet wide, making it a perfect thoroughfare, even for dog sleds and snow machines, although there are
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One-pot Luck
Brussels sprouts: the tiny perfect brassica. Could anything be better than a side of miniature cabbages oven-roasted with prosciutto and homemade croutons and finished with
Fit ‘n’ Healthy: Going Strong
After almost 20 years in the gym environment, I have learned quite a lot. But one of the most relevant things I’ve learned is that
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Emergencies & Pet Peeves
One of the most common emergency calls that vets get is for seizures in dogs. Other animals can have seizures, but most of the calls
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An Ultra Experience
All I can say is this race has really impacted my life,” says Shelley Gellatly, a race coordinator for the Yukon Arctic Ultra. The Yukon
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Wind’s Abaft the Beam: Pt. 2
Currents, tides, winds. It is a lot for me to keep track of while trying to remember how to hoist a mainsail (loosen the mainsheet,
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A Walk Through the Wine Store: Part 4
In January, I wrote part three of a wine drinker’s walk through tour of the Yukon Liquor Corp. (YLC) store, covering Australia, and wanted to
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Fit ‘n’ Healthy: Becoming a Winner
Acouple months have passed since you embarked on your 2012 health regime. You’ve seen athletes excel at the Arctic Winter Games. And you’ve either succeeded
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Trail Tales: Going Down?
while uphills differentiate cross country skiers from their alpine cousins, the downhills are what keeps everyone in same family. Skiing down hills on cross country
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The Warriors of -35
The eventuality has come to pass – the cold snap has finally caught up with us. After spending the winter to date enjoying generally mild
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Wind’s Abaft the Beam, Pt.1
Impetuous. Reckless. Hasty. That’s how my partner John and I ended up in Victoria, British Columbia in early June last year, purchasing a sailboat when
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Swim Out, or Drown
Like most chefs, Gedas Pabritsa says it was his mother who inspired him to start cooking – but not for the usual reasons. “Being honest
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From Winter Sports to Poetry
I’m inclined to blame the Germans. It seems that every year for the last half dozen or so out of the 12 years that the
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Fit ‘n’ Healthy: Shock Your Body
You have laid the foundation for your success by surrounding yourself with a support system, found classes or a workout that you enjoy, and scheduled
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Snowshoeing Along the Beach
A beautiful day in February – the sun was shining, and a south wind blowing. In February, the sun gains considerable strength and on days
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Get Your Zumba On!
You can literally feel the energy radiating from Marlon Davis as she teaches a Zumba class. Luckily, it’s contagious. It would be difficult to participate
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Glorious 40 Below
Sunday we woke up to -40. Minus forty is the same in Fahrenheit and Celsius. To me that means everybody understands: no matter which system
Fine Pairings for a Birthday Treat
I’m not looking to expand my writing into the restaurant review arena, but I couldn’t help but relate an excellent dining experience I had last
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Do It Yourself & Safely
Painting a bedroom? Building a deck? Maybe just hanging up a few pictures? Whatever do-it-yourself project you may be tackling, it’s a good idea to
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Skiers on Patrol
“A slight glow on the eastern horizon beckons to me and I anticipate the brilliant splashes of intense color that characterize our spectacular Yukon mornings—an
A Walk Through the Wine Store: Part 3
It is amazing how the experiences and passion for wine that I have shared with friends has come to colour and enrich my life, and
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Spring Boost for Your Car
You don’t have to be an auto mechanic, or a computer wizard, to handle many of your vehicle’s basic springtime needs. According to Doug Muir,
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The D.O.G. System
Are you struggling to stick to that resolution to shed a few pounds, made a few months ago under the inducement of a glass of
Common Cat Poisons
Cats are different. Most people know this. You’re either a cat person or a dog person. As the old saying goes, dogs are companions, cats
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A Great Late Winter Catch
If you catch a fish in the Yukon that looks like nothing you’ve seen before, it’s likely a ling cod. Ling cod and burbot are
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Moto Psycho
Rivers of motos (motorcycles, scooters, all types of motorized transportation) are everywhere in Vietnam and Cambodia. Ladies often ride sidesaddle, and laws of physics do
Climbing back
Over a decade ago, the climbing wall housed on the gymnasium stage at F.H. Collins Secondary School was awash with young climbers training to compete
200 Billion Stars and Counting
April is upon us, and even though the weather is warm, and the sky is cloudy. People always ask, “What is an northern astronomer to
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Lip-smacking Ling Cod
Ling cod, burbot, fresh-water cod—call them what you like, we can all agree that they’re delicious. I’ve yet to hear of a complicated recipe, but
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Take it in stride: Getting to the high
I hated running. I didn’t understand its appeal for any reason other than tiring out my dog (which takes about seven minutes for a 160-lb
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Thanksgiving For Clear Skies
After a rather busy weekend down at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Center for the Erik’s Main Event consumer electronics show, [what day are we on
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Saying Goodbye to an Old Car and an Old Lifestyle
A few days ago I bought a new car, a nice little Honda Civic hatchback with a few fancy bells and whistles: low mileage, intact
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Yukon’s Own Middle Earth
Somewhere high in the mountains there is a small, deep lake in between three mountain peaks. It’s a magical place. It was a golden summer
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Juice, Juice, Wonderful Juice!
The day after I gave birth to my second child at home, my father-in-law brought over his juicer and a box full of delicious produce
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A Feast For the Eyes in October’s Skies
Discover the beauty of Yukon’s autumn constellations. Observe the transition from summer to winter constellations under the clear night skies.
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A Game for Life
The sport has been called “jet-propelled chess”, “the healthiest sport to play” and “the world’s most dangerous sport”. With a range of monikers like that,
A Day in a Vet’s Life
There’s a lot of serious stuff in my profession, as with many others, but sometimes things just happen that get pretty funny. I’ve had two
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A Day to Celebrate Sport
On Saturday, September 29 organizations, communities and individuals across the country will celebrate sport by taking part in Sports Day in Canada. Sports Day in
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Let’s Talk About Health and Yeast!
Candida Albicans is a type of yeast present in everyone’s body and doesn’t cause harm in small amounts. When there is an overgrowth though
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A Day on Mount Vanier
Of all the mountains around the Mendenhall subdivision, I had never made it to the most prominent, Mount Vanier. I can’t see it from my
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Fine-tuning Your Wi-Fi
In my last column, I looked at how Wi-Fi works and how to encrypt your transmissions to reduce the possibilities of unauthorized access to your
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Fire in the Sky
Astronomy and all its wonders are fascinating regardless of where you are or how much equipment you have. Every year we do the family holiday
Lace up and Learn
“I started playing hockey when I was four years old, because I wanted to keep up with my older brother,” says Vanessa Bogaert. Twenty three
A Day in the World’s Best Job
I’ve heard it said that park rangers have the best job in the world. Maybe it’s true. After all, how many people get to work
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Making a Difference One Child at a Time
Growing up in the Yukon, Morgan Wienberg dreamed of being a veterinarian. During her teens, she spent six weeks in Western Australia caring for injured
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And the Winner Is …
I was reminded again recently of the role that sharing wine can have in igniting enthusiasm and making new friends. As I mentioned in my
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Remembrance of Relays Past
This year the iconic Klondike Trail of 98 International Road Relay from Skagway to Whitehorse turns 30! On September 7 and 8,, teams of runners
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Gluten–What’s the Big Deal?
‘Gluten-free’ – these words are becoming more and more popular these days, from bread and desserts to snacks and sauces.
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A Run With Perfection
Aged to Perfection (ATP) is a team of “masters plus” female runners that participates in the Klondike Trail of ’98 International Road Relay each year.
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Streets of Gore
Cars honked, lunchers looked up from their sandwiches in consternation, and tourists gaped openly as the horde of zombies slowly came shuffling toward them. Young
Moose Hunt Essentials
A moose will often fall exactly where you had hoped they wouldn’t. Here a prepared hunter shines and the newbie learns a few lessons.
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Two Sports in One
Normally the summer season is relatively quiet on Whitehorse’s biathlon range, but not this year. A partnership between the Contagious Mountain Bike Club and Biathlon
Intrepid Traveller: Island of Dreams
I admit to approaching the Island of Capri with some trepidation. I had heard how overrun it was going to be with wealthy tourists who
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Zoonotic Diseases
Zoonotic diseases are diseases that are common to both humans and animals. There are a lot of these, but it’s always surprising to find that
Slipping Those Discs
If, on a recent walk through the Mount McIntrye trails, you’ve heard a lot of rustling and crashing around in the bushes, it may not
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It is Wilderness Out There
At 7:40, I set off on foot through the woods towards the highway. At 8:00, Mary Whitley picked me up. She had already plucked another
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Random Acts of Sunlight
This summer I learned that random acts of sunlight, a broken lawnmower and tolerant neighbours can lead to a lot of delicious, surprising salad ingredients
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A Little Off the Top: Prepping for Those First Days
Exciting. But also terrifying. That’s how Paula Thompson sums up her feelings about the beginning of a new school year. She could be referring to
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Youth in Style
This fall, back-to-school fashion trends I like for girls are racer back tank tops, lacy back T-shirts, and hair up in a ponytail with feather
A Taste for the Arts
Love of (and interest in) wine has opened wonderful doors for me in my life. Tasting wine has been the lens through which I have
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Not a Line for Slackers
“I don’t think I can even stand up on this thing,” laughs Steve Roddick, as his knee vibrates back and forth like an erratic metronome,
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Intrepid Traveller: La Dolce Vita Along the Amalfi Coast
Driving Italy’s Amalfi Coast had long been on my ‘bucket list’, when my teenage son needed some down time, I left him in our hotel.
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Back to School: What Kids Say
What they were looking forward to, and who was the happiest about their return to school—themselves, their parents, or their teachers.
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Mambo Tanzania: Pt. 3
I made it! I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro! I’m sure I cost a few of the resort staff some betting money by doing it. When I
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A Little Off the Top: And So It Begins
Paula Thompson said it best. “I’m in awe of primary teachers. They’re amazing, amazing people. They just know what to do.” Thompson oughtta know. She’s
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Let’s Do Lunch
What? Another lunch? For the love of Pete, if I have to make another ham and cheese sandwich, I’m going to start home-schooling. With the
In Praise of Homeschooling
Most of my last year in elementary school was spent wondering what it would be like to be outside, instead of being in a crowded
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Do as the Monkeys Do
Have you ever been happily hopping from rock to rock on a hiking trail, only to have a rock shift unexpectedly beneath your feet to
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Fish Smoking Basics
Smoking fish and making jerky are somewhat similar in that the process removes the moisture from the product (fish or meat). In either case it
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Return of the Wool Legwarmers
August has snuck up on us and now here we are, gazing at September, watching the coming winter roll up like a wave to crash
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Living Life Deliberately
Editor’s Note: The following essay recently appeared in a slightly different version in the Globe and Mail. The author is busy preparing for a trip
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Take It In Stride: Dealing with Injuries
This feels odd. Nope, check that. This hurts! Time to stop. I first felt the pull in my knee on my Saturday run and thought
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Mambo Tanzania: Pt. 2
Mambo! Poa! Last week I explained Mambo. Poa is the proper response. Described to me as: Mambo = What’s Up? Poa = It’s cool. At
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Treats for Summer Evenings
It took until the middle of July, but it seems (I don’t want to jinx us) that summer has arrived in the Yukon! The past
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The Virtues of Vaccination
I’ve had a few questions about vaccinations this month from people wondering how they work and if they’re really worthwhile. The answer is simple. They
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A debut Yukon novel
Enthusiasts of outdoor stories, adventure and romance will find all three at the preview of Roy Ness’s first novel, Rutting Season, at the Parking Lot
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Calling All Awesome Warriors
Do you love to play outside? Are you always looking for the next challenge or surprise? Then Taelin Free believes he has something that is
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Bloom to Bloom
On July 30 and 31, Dawson City will be visited by two judges, scrutinizing the town in the Communities in Bloom (CiB) program, and ranking
Climbing and Being Climbed
There are little leaps and big leaps, little walks and big walks. I like the idea of “keep on walking”, day after day, farther away.
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