Questions about Wildlife and Weather
- What kind of animals will we see?
- The Yukon is rich with wildlife, even if it is not readily seen. Our guides will point out "sign" such as
tracks, scat, bear scratching posts etc as they come across them. Animals that are commonly seen are Dall’s sheep, caribou, moose, grizzly and black bears, fox and wolves,
although there is no quarantee of sightings. In the northern Yukon, the possibility of viewing muskoxen, arctic wolves, and beluga (during your flights over the Mackenzie Delta)
exists. A vast number of bird species can also be seen, particularly Bald eagles, peregrine falcons and Arctic loons, among others.
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- What about bears?
- There is no doubt about it- there are bears in the woods. However, the chances of encountering a "spoiled bear"
is unlikely, as we travel in fairly remote and unpeopled areas. Our attitude is that bear sightings are a special privilege, a sign of the wilderness at its finest. We promote
cleanliness and a high standard of camp management regarding garbage and human waste, as it is crucial to minimize bear-human habituation and the potential creation of creating
spoiled bears. We also watch for bear "sign" ie tracks, scat and bear trails and do our best to avoid high bear-use areas. In the spirit of our philosophy, we feel that
this is the bear's home, and we need to take responsibility for being the intruders. Your safety is of utmost concern and although we cannot carry firearms in the National Parks,
we do carry bear or pepper spray and noise makers. Our greatest advantage is in numbers, and a knowledge of bear biology and the country we are travelling through which helps us
prevent a situation before it happens.
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- What are the bugs like?
- The Yukon wilderness is quite diverse in its terrain, and therefore the amount of bug annoyance will depend where
you are. The northern trips (Firth River, Ivvavik Park) involve travel through tundra which is notorious as insect breeding grounds. Generally the insects are not bad in the
southern Yukon, especially in the mountains. However, if you are prone to discomfort or annoyance by insect bites (mostly mosquitoes and blackflies), please include extra
insect repellant and expect to wear long sleeved shirts and pants. You can also purchase "bug jackets" which are quite effective against the pests.
- What about the weather?
- Weather in Yukon can be variable. We can get snow, especially in the high country, at any time of the year (although
it doesn’t necessarily last long). Come prepared for snow and warm sunshine! We supply you with an equipment list that will outline our suggestions for each departure.
Please contact us with any specific concerns for each activity.
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- How do you feel about wilderness travel?
- It is within our philosophy to leave as little trace of our passing as possible, leaving the environment as we have found it. When viewing wildlife we are respectful of their space, using spotting scopes and binoculars rather than moving too close. Although this wilderness we travel through seems immense and empty, the balance of life is delicate. As visitors we have to remember it is not our home but that of the animals that inhabit it.
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