Discover the Magic of the North: Top 11 Fun Facts About Yukon You Never Knew!

1. Yukon Quest: Sled Dog Marathon

Calling all huskies and brave humans, we've got a marathon that'll leave your paws frozen and spirits on fire: The Yukon Quest is the world's toughest sled dog race, stretching over 1,600 km between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon. This exhilarating competition takes 10-14 days to complete and has been putting both professional and amateur mushers' endurance to the test since its inception in 1984, all amid harsh sub-zero temperatures, treacherous terrains, and unpredictable weather.
Source => thecanadianencyclopedia.ca

2. Mount Logan: Canada's Giant Peak

When life gives you glaciers, climb Mount Logan: Yukon's Kluane National Park is home to the world's largest non-polar icefield and Canada's highest peak at nearly 6,000 meters, with over 2,000 glaciers, some stretching 70 miles long and a mile thick, and wildlife galore like grizzly bears, caribou, moose, and wolves.
Source => travmedia.com

Did you know that during winter solstice, Anchorage, Alaska enjoys a mere 5.5 hours of daylight, creating a beautiful pastel landscape and prime opportunities for spotting the Northern Lights? Discover more intriguing Alaskan facts!

=> Fun Facts about Alaska

3. Old Crow: Arctic's Dry Town

In the land of "brrr"-ritos and frosty margarita dreams, the town of Old Crow finds itself on the rocks, shaking things up with its alcohol-free lifestyle: Located north of the Arctic Circle in Yukon territory, Canada, this periglacial paradise is the northernmost non-Inuit community in North America, accessible only by air and choosing to stay dry by prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Yukon River: Salmon Highway

When the salmon go marching in, they're swimming up a river of history: The Yukon River, the "backbone" of interior Alaska, has been a vital source of fish and transportation for the Athabascan people for thousands of years. This riveting river was instrumental in the fur trade and gold rush of the late 19th century, and even now plays a vital role in the region's subsistence, commercial, and sport fishing.
Source => adfg.alaska.gov

5. Takhini Hot Springs: Steamy Stopover

Before Takhini Hot Springs became the steamiest location to "drop it like it's hot" in the Yukon: William Allen Puckett showed off his pioneering spirit by purchasing the land in 1907, and over the next three decades, he developed it into a hip roadhouse with small cabins, making it a cozy pit stop for coach travelers and a lively spot for party animals journeying between Whitehorse and beyond.
Source => explorenorth.com

6. Mount Logan: The Growing Giant

If Mount Logan had a Tinder profile, it would boast about its ever-growing stature, gigantic base, and breathtaking peaks: As the highest mountain in Canada and second highest in North America, with a whopping height of 5,959 meters (19,551 feet), it also flaunts the largest non-volcanic mountain base circumference on Earth and tectonically uplifts by 0.35 mm per year. All this while boasting eleven peaks over 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) – now that's an impressive mount!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Sourtoe Cocktail: Icy Toe Challenge

If you ever find yourself toe-tally bored and looking for an adventure in the great white north, fear not: there's a club in Dawson City, Yukon where you can take a shot with a twist guaranteed to curl your toes. Behold the Sourtoe Cocktail Club: members knock back 100 proof liquor with a genuine frostbitten toe afloat, a tradition started in the 1970s by Captain Dick Stevenson who found the preserved digit in a jar and devised this chilling challenge. Liquid courage fans can even snag a certificate as proof of their bravery!
Source => venturewild.net

8. Yukon Ice Patches: Ancient Tool Time-Capsule

In the Yukon, a chilled-out ancient tools club knows how to keep it cool: the Yukon Ice Patches have preserved hunting tools dating back more than 7500 years, providing unique insights into the material culture and technological advancements of the northern Indigenous Peoples.
Source => whc.unesco.org

9. Snag: North America's Coldest Spot

Yukon, the land of ice, snow, and all things frosty enough to make even Elsa shiver: Snag, Yukon is the proud, record-breaking holder of North America's lowest-ever temperature, a literally breathtaking -63.0°C (-81.4°F) on February 3, 1947. This icy record-breaker rests in the valley of the White River near a military airfield from the Northwest Staging Route, which shuttered its rickety, icicle-covered gates in 1968.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Dawson City: Gold Rush Ghost Stories

If Dawson City's streets could talk, they'd regale us with tales of ghosts from gold rush past: Turns out, during the Klondike Gold Rush, the population of Dawson City boomed to around 16,000 to 17,000 people, making it the largest city in Yukon – but contrary to popular belief, it was never the largest Canadian city west of Winnipeg, as Dawson City's 1901 population of 9,142 fell short of Winnipeg's hefty count of about 17,000.
Source => statcan.gc.ca

11. Winterval: Yukon's Winter Wonderland

In a land where even Frosty the Snowman would feel at home, Whitehorse decks the halls with a festive cheer that would make even the Grinch crack a smile: Welcome to Winterval, an annual Christmas extravaganza in Yukon's capital, featuring a lantern-lit parade, tree lighting ceremony, Santa visits, train rides, and community art projects, all under a theme called Winter Dreams.
Source => whatsupyukon.com