Category: Mines & Mining

Summer has arrived in the southern Yukon in a major way. We’re now hovering around record temperatures (8-10 degrees above normal) every day for at least the next week, and I’m of course looking for ways to enjoy as much of it as possible. On Wednesday afternoon (July 5th)...

Last week, Tim Green offered to take members of my Yukon History & Abandoned Places group on a guided hike of the Copper Mines Branch of the White Pass & Yukon Route railway. On July 2nd, 8 people and a St. Bernard joined him – we walked a total...

I have some very good reasons to say “no” to most activities. But yesterday was an excellent day because I said “yes” to two. The first one was quite easy. Spring hasn’t really arrived at Whitehorse until I’ve been out photographing the first Prairie crocuses (Anemone patens) – that happened...

When I lived in BC (the first 40 years of my life), I spent an ever-increasing amount of time in the spectacular Chilliwack River and Skagit River valleys. In 1988 I had an idea that a trail guide would be a useful addition to BC bookstore shelves. By the...

The drive down the South Klondike on May 17th whetted my appetite for more mountain time in a big way, so on the 19th I headed down the South Klondike Highway again, with a more ambitious plan. I left Bella and Tucker at home because although it was a...

To the west of the city of Whitehorse lies a belt of copper-rich ground about 30 kilometers long. First discovered in 1898 by prospectors who had been headed for the Klondike gold fields, it was mined from then until 1920, and then again from 1967 until 1982. While the...

A couple of weeks ago (April 30th), I was working around the house doing various projects. Every time I went outside the sun got warmer and warmer, and I finally decided that I needed to get out hiking and soak up more of those rays. The Venus mine was...

My first look at the Faro area and Drury Creek Campground in particular on July 26th caused me to cancel the Alaska part of the trip and return for a better look from August 2nd until the 6th. This post, the final one about the trip, describes some of...

I’m writing this post while parked at a rest area high on the Top of the World Highway, with a panoramic mountain view to the north. It’s Day 5 of this RV trip, and I’ve decided to make a major change in the itinerary I had planned. Rather than...

Yesterday, July 19th, a friend and I decided to go for an afternoon hike at the Venus Mine with 2 of our dogs. Less than an hour from my house, it’s a wonderful place to clear your head and enjoy some incredible views. The network of roads and trails...