The Spell of the Yukon - Grandparents.com

Send grandchildren zipping about this winter wonderland in a dogsled, give them the thrill of a lifetime.

Photo courtesy of Joy Rothke

When I told people about my February trip to the Yukon Territory, responses ranged from, "You're crazy! Isn't it super cold there?" to, "I didn't realize the Klondike was a real place."

It is a real place, and really cold, with average winter temperatures between 28 and 31 degrees below Fahrenheit. It's also glorious — an almost mythic, vast wilderness. Lined up against the state of Alaska, the Yukon is one of three territories in northwest Canada.

Driving in the Yukon is much the same as traveling in any other snowy area, according to Marg Hunter of Edmonton, Alberta. The retired grandmother of six and great-grandmother of one has traveled there several times with her husband Paul and her grandchildren.

"The best thing is that roads are maintained very well," says Hunter. "It's easy to get around by vehicle unless you travel in remote areas." Hunter recommends that less-experienced winter drivers make sure they travel with a cell phone and emergency supplies, and make sure your rental car has studded tires.

"Each destination in the Yukon offers its own unique experiences," says Hunter. "There's so much to see — being together with your grandchildren in such a beautiful place."

Mushers & Music, Muskox & Mammoths

About two of every three Yukoners live in the capital city of Whitehorse. While 22,000 might seem to be a small community by most standards, here it's a bustling place, offering a wide variety of ethnic dining, shopping, a range of accommodations and attractions.

To many Yukoners, February is the best time of the year. The days are getting longer. The air is cold, crisp, and dry. Skies are blue and cloudless. And, three special events attract thousands of visitors to Whitehorse that month.

Photo by Joy Rothke

The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race is a 1,000-mile challenge for mushers and their sled dogs. It takes them ten to 14 days to traverse the cold and lonely route that prospectors followed to the gold fields more than a century ago. In odd-numbered years, the race begins in Whitehorse and concludes in Fairbanks, Ala.; in even-numbered years, the opposite.

Also in February, Whitehorse hosts three days and two nights of all types of music during the Frostbite Music Festival. Later, the annual Sourdough Rendezvous Festival includes traditional events like flour packing (carrying bags of flour over a set distance) and log pulling contests, a one-dog pull, and a "chainsaw chuck." There's an air show, music, family entertainment, and a professional snow sculpting contest.

Mushing isn't just for sourdoughs (native Yukoners). Chances to learn this exhilarating sport abound in the Yukon, and some of the top mushers offer one or multi-day mushing camps. Frank Turner, a legendary musher and Yukon Quest champion, has taught novice mushers from ages 7 to 77 at Muktuk Adventures on the banks of the Takhini River outside Whitehorse. Those who don't care to drive can have a bracing ride in the sled's basket. And there may even be puppies with which to play!

Nearby, you can see native wildlife at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve. Muskox, bighorn sheep, woodland caribou, and other large species dwell in five distinct habitats on 700 acres.

Imagine what life was like when mammoths, giant beavers, and scimitar cats roamed the landscape. The Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre shows what the first human settlers found when they crossed the land bridge from Siberia during the Ice Ages. Marvel at the nearly eight-foot tusks of the replica wooly mammoth skeleton. Interactive kiosks, murals and dioramas explore the fossil record, archeological finds, and hunting traditions of the nomadic First Nations, as Canada refers to its native tribes.

Late-Night Light Shows

The temperature usually dips several degrees along the one-hour flight, or six-hour drive, from Whitehorse north to Dawson City. Local outfitters in both towns rent winter clothing — including boots, parkas and snow pants — as well as skis, snowshoes, and other outdoor gear.

The population also drops — from 3,000 to around 1,000 — during winter in Dawson City, the Klondike settlement immortalized by writers Jack London and Robert Service. Locals claim there are more snowmobiles in Dawson than automobiles, and a ride in one is a great way to explore the area.

Photo by Joy Rothke

The 1896 discovery of gold attracted thousands of people — 100,000 miners and fortune hunters by the end of the 19th century. Today, as you walk down the board sidewalks of Dawson on a quiet winter afternoon, it's easy to feel transported back to legendary Stampede days. Many historic buildings have survived, now converted into modern restaurants, hotels and shops. Others have become sort of "living history" structures, with Gold Rush-era signage and window displays.

Seeing the Aurora Borealis is one of the most magical experiences of the far north. Most hotels and tourist attractions in Dawson provide aurora "predictions" as to whether clear night skies are expected. Viewing the Northern Lights there is as easy as walking out of your hotel or B&B and looking up. Most Yukoners claim that the best viewing time is after midnight.

You don't have to keep your grandchildren up late to view the sky show; turn in early, after setting your alarm clock for midnight or 1:00 a.m. Then, bundle the drowsy dreamers outside in the wee hours to watch the colors shimmering in the sky. For kids interested in science, you could talk about how the luminescent display is the result of electromagnetic solar disturbances.