Frozen hair is a nuisance in most places, Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs In Whitehorse, Yukon, it’s a higher calling.Every winter, hundreds of people freeze their hair Transform into a troll-doll-like coif and stand a chance of winning CAD 2,000, or almost $1,500.
And just in case you didn’t get goosebumps, the spa’s owner and general manager, Andrew Umbrich, 36, said the spa’s design was designed to allow bathers to cool off without bumping into the rocks surrounding the pool. We have opened a snow rolling area. “We have to give them a safe place to roll because they’re going to kill themselves on this rock,” Umbrich said.
Such safety considerations tend to arise in rugged places like the Yukon Territory, a roughly 186,000-square-mile wedge in northwestern Canada that stretches from British Columbia across the Arctic Circle to the Beaufort Sea. Its long winter nights and location at the North Pole make it the perfect place to view the sun’s magnetic field and the Northern Lights. Approaching the peak of the 11-year cycleas more charged particles are pumped into Earth’s upper atmosphere, 2024 could see the best display in years (with Whitehorse on this year’s New York Times list of 52 Places to Go) One of the reasons why it was ranked in
Long nights in the subarctic region produce plenty of pent-up energy. As the sun begins to return in February, Yukoners channel its energy with a cheerful and decidedly quirky energy. yukon rendezvousthe Whitehorse festival, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, will run from February 9th to the 25th and will feature events such as chainsaw chucking and flour packing, not to mention hair freezing.
Destination Canada, the national tourism agency, is increasingly promoting festivals like Yukon Rendezvous along with other winter experiences. Most visitors to Yukon come in the summer, but prior to 2019, there was an increase in winter visitors. International visitor numbers have rebounded after being hit by the pandemic, but were still 21% below 2019-20 levels last winter.
Fishnet stockings, feathers, mittens
In 1988, Luann Baker Johnson, 64, of Whitehorse, took second place in the Rendezvous Flour Stuffing Contest by carrying 494 pounds of flour 30 feet. The contest is a grueling challenge with roots in the Klondike gold rush of the late 1890s.
A glass blower, Rumel Studiois currently manufacturing some of the prizes for the festival’s contests, including a three-foot-long glass axe. Baker Johnson’s daughter, Rendezvous champion Shanta Ferguson, 31, threw a chainsaw 32 feet to win the 2019 women’s competition. The appeal of this competition is obvious to anyone who has ever struggled to start a chainsaw in sub-zero temperatures. .
Ms. Ferguson and her husband, John Ferguson (32), Gather Cafe and Tap House Next to the glass blowing workshop. The menu features fresh, local ingredients. No small logistical feat in the remote, frozen north, where imported produce is looking a little haggard. Arctic chaltacos are served with vegetables grown hydroponically in shipping containers nearby. “People are amazed at the quality and caliber of the restaurants here,” Ferguson said.
Thousands of people are expected to flock to Whitehorse for a rendezvous in the coming weeks, and locals are preparing. “My favorite thing about Rendezvous is that everyone has a chance to participate. You can throw logs, throw axes, chuck chainsaws, and it doesn’t matter if you can beat the competition or not. It’s so weird. I’m really looking forward to it,” Baker-Johnson said.
The territory’s tourism board provides the festival with $100,000 in operating funds and promotes it. travel yukon The website and social media also offer tips on the Rendezvous dress code (usually suspenders, feathers, and other 1890s costumes, as well as plenty of warm clothing).
That last part is sage advice. Stephanie Hammond, 49, made the discovery in 2011, shortly after moving to Whitehorse, when she joined a local roller derby group’s Rendezvous Parade float. When temperatures dropped to -35 degrees Fahrenheit, she thought the parade would be canceled, but that wasn’t the case. She was surprised when her team climbed into the back of a pickup truck wearing roller derby costumes and fishnet stockings.
unforgettable taste
Dog sleds plied the Far North long before the days of “White Fang.” But sled dog racing is facing some challenges as climate change makes snowpack less reliable. In 2016, Anchorage’s warm winter gave organizers of the Iditarod, the world’s most famous dog sled race. Relying on snow transported by train. The previous year, the Babe Southwick Memorial Dog Sled Race, originally held on the Yukon River during Rendezvous, was relocated when ice became dangerous. Dog sled races are no longer held at Rendezvous ( First Mate Babe Southwick Memorial Race (continues under a different organizer), but there are still many activities taking place at the venue. yukon questa four-day dog sled race from Whitehorse, arriving in Dawson City, about a six-hour drive northwest, around February 7th.
dawson cityIt was a major destination for wealth seekers in the 1890s (including Jack London, author of The White Fang), and continues to attract tourists today. The town of about 2,400 people is home to Canada’s first gambling den, museums and other colorful buildings, many of which are leaning eerily as the permafrost beneath their foundations melts. Permafrost warming is widespread problem It has caused landslides and soil instability in the Yukon Territory. Dawson City residents sometimes jack up a building to keep it level.
Sponsored by the City of Dawson Thaw Digra Spring Carnival (March 15-17) is a rendezvous-like event where you can cheer on a dog sled team, throw an ax, or watch an adult tricycle race.This town is also known for its local tradition of people with iron stomachs. sorto cocktail, at a gold rush-themed sourdough saloon. After doing the “Sourtoe Oath,” start drinking a glass of whiskey (“Most club members yukon jack”, the bar advises) decorated with preserved human toes. If your lips aren’t touching your toes, it won’t count. Over the years, the club has acquired 25 toes (all donated).
Once you start, we recommend that you cleanse your mouth at the following points: Bonton & Company (reservations recommended), a Yukon gourmet landmark known for its homemade charcuterie. After dinner, enjoy live music most weekends at a restaurant located one block away. Westminster Hotel, affectionately called Pit by locals. If you’re in town between March 28th and 31st, you can catch the movie at the following locations: Dawson City International Short Film Festival.
Just 265 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the days are particularly short in Dawson, but there are plenty of outdoor activities like snowshoeing. midnight domean observation deck overlooking the Yukon River and Klondike Valley (and often the only place to receive a few rays of direct sunlight).
“I can hear the silence”
Teena Dixon, 53, answered the interview call from her “night office,” or hot tub, at her home in suburban Whitehorse. “Oh wow. She comes out early to visit us!” Ms. Dixon said, touching the curtain of green light rippling in the sky. Many indigenous cultures have a special relationship with the Northern Lights.Mr. Dixon Chipewyandescribes them as the return of our ancestors and says, “Our spirit world is coming to visit.”
Owned and operated by Ms. Dixon who tours what wherenot only offers aurora tours but also welcomes visitors Yukon Wildlife RefugeTake a bus, walk, or enjoy a 3-mile loop on a kick sled, a small self-propelled device, and enjoy the sights of northern muskox, bison, caribou, elk, lynx, arctic fox, and more in a natural landscape. You can see animals. “In Yukon, you can hear the silence,” she said.
Visitors interested in learning about the area’s indigenous people can take a tour. Long Ago People’s Place, an indigenous camp where you can hear about the history and culture of southern Tuccione. “In the winter, people want to know how we survived,” said Yukon First Nation member and camp manager. meta williams. Imagine what a temperature of minus 69 degrees Fahrenheit is like, she said. She “lived in a bush hut covered with snow and sprinkled with water” (a way to add an extra layer of insulation from the wind and cold).
Indigenous tourism is rapidly expanding in Canada, outpacing the overall growth rate of domestic tourism. The Yukon Indigenous Culture and Tourism Association works with: 15-20 indigenous tour operators Throughout the territory we offer activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing and traditional drum making. Many indigenous economic development corporations invest in tourism-related businesses such as airlines and hotels.
Williams hopes visitors leave Long Ago People’s Place with a new understanding of the past. “Not all of our history is written in books,” she says. “When we started in 1995, we never imagined that one day we would be able to truly tell our stories without having to tell them.”
She has early memories of her grandparents living in the bush year-round and making special trips to Whitehorse for rendezvous. “They wore the finest beads and clothes made from tanned elk skin,” she says.
Antidote to cabin fever
On the eve of the festival’s founding anniversary, Rendezvous organizers said they are looking to improve diversity, from adapting to warmer temperatures (in the past they had to buy snow from local ski resorts for snow-sculpting events). We looked back at how the festival has changed over the past 60 years, from promoting inclusivity.at events like looking for a cupwhich is billed as a search for “Yukon’s Most Powerful Men,” is open to people of all gender identities.
Festival president Tamara Fisher said that while trying to maintain traditional aspects, “Rendezvous has changed and evolved” and also wanted to raise awareness of Indigenous participation in the festival. “I’m an Indigenous woman and I wore regalia for last year’s program,” she said. “We wanted people to know that Indigenous people were involved.”
At the heart of this festival is still the time-tested antidote to car heat. Yukoners have long known that silly antics are as antidote to the winter blues as a quiet night admiring the wonders of the sky.
Just ask Umbrich of Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs, who hosts the annual hair-freezing contest. Wellness and health are the main focus of his facility. Therefore, even in the coldest weather, guests can rest assured that “no one is getting their hair cut,” he said.
if you go
Where to stay in Whitehorse:
new Raven Inn & SuitesWe offer modern suites and apartments (starting at $238 per night) in downtown Whitehorse.
Northern Lights Resort & Spa Three glass chalets allow you to enjoy the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed. Three-night packages start at $1,690 per person.
black spruce It has everything you need for a cozy forest retreat, including a full kitchen, locally roasted coffee, sauna, and board games ($229 per night).
Where to stay in Dawson City:
Bombay Peggy’sa lovingly restored gold rush inn and former brothel, has nine colorful rooms with Victorian décor and clawfoot bathtubs ($189 to $289 a night).
downtown Home to sourdough cocktails (from $127 a night), Sourdough Saloon blends modern comfort with tradition.
Follow New York Times Travel upon Instagram and Sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter Get expert tips to travel smarter and inspiration for your next vacation.Are you dreaming of a future vacation? Or just travel from the comfort of your armchair? Check out our 52 places I want to go in 2024.