Miles Canyon: May The Forest Be With You

Now don’t you get me wrong but while our jobs and accommodations in Whitehorse are second to none, Nikki and I didn’t travel this far just to serve people food and hang out at a college residence. No, we came for the adventure and wild parts of Canada’s North, which is why we did not waste too much time embarking on an overnight hike to the historic Miles Canyon, just outside of the city. It became very apparent to us soon after we settled into this quaint little civilization in the middle of the Northern Boreal Mountains that countless hikes and nature getaways existed on very accessible routes from every part of the city. In fact, an expanse of one and two track trail heads begins from our own backyard at the college and can take you far into the forest and along some beautiful rolling hills and pristine lakes.


A river flowing across the "Trans Canada Trail" - running through our own backyard.


This particular trail named “The Yukon River Trail” had Nikki and I taking public transit to Riverdale, which is the Southern tip of Whitehorse’s settlement on the East side of the Yukon River. From there it was all hiking as a short trail on the side of a paved road led us to a large dam, known as ‘The Whitehorse Dam and Fishway’. This dam was constructed in the 40’s to slow the dangerous pace of the Yukon River and allow for easier transportation and settlement along its shores. The Hydro electricity it generates powers much of Whitehorse and the surrounding area while offering a cheaper and more environmentally friendly source of energy. What fascinated us the most, however, was the fish ladder that ran alongside the shore. While the Yukon River hosts a plethora of salmon and other fish spawning areas, the Whitehorse Dam became a barrier to the fish’s Southern migration upstream in the summer. The fish ladder is a series of large wooden ‘steps’ that help the fish move around the dam and into safer waters on the other side. As we arrived, a young man working at the fish ladder happily toured us around the site and took us onto the fish ladder platform to explain the process. As Environmental Studies Majors, we were certainly aware of the epic journey of the Salmon from ocean to river and back, but to experience the efforts of people who were aiding the process to avoid human contamination was a treat.


The fish ladder (foreground) running the length of the river beside the dam (background)

After exiting the fish ladder centre we were pointed in the direction of a gravel trail criss-crossing up a rather large hill – The true beginning of our hike to Miles Canyon. Now, let me tell you that we came mentally prepared for a three hour trail through some classic outer-city wilderness, but we did not expect to be finding any summits along the way. We were dually flabbergasted as we began to pull ourselves and our large backpacking gear up the first of two giant hilltops; each of them greeting us with lots of wind but a beautiful view of the surrounding area nonetheless. Within twenty minutes it would have been hard to recognize that we hiked from inside the city as gorgeous forest, rocks and outlooks of Schwatka Lake were all that filled our vision. As the trailed neared the water again and plummeted deeper into the forest we found ourselves admiring how the river bellowed out into a much larger section where small numbers of folks enjoyed boating, camping or traversing the same trail we were on. It was apparent that the benefits of Schwatka Lake had not been lost on the locals or tourists alike.


Ridge number two with Schwatka Lake (Left).




After crossing a couple of alcoves and a boat launch on the South side of the Lake, the once massive waterway quickly turned into a narrow and tight Canyon. While the initial perspective from this side of Miles Canyon is stunning, you must watch your footing as the trail also narrows and creeps dangerously close to the Canyon’s edge. It is at this point where the water stars to move much faster and the strength of the current is felt in your bones. We carefully marvelled at the steep gorges while finally hiking to our final destination – The Miles Canyon Suspension Bridge. While this bridge was no match to the one in Lynn Canyon, it offered us a breath of fresh air as we could now rest and make camp for the night where the terrain opened up again into classic Yukon River terrain.


Miles Canyon

We picked a spot to set up our tent atop a small bluff with a small beach nestled below. After a few frustrating attempts to start a fire we finally cooked some yummy soup and ate sandwiches for dinner. While a nice sunset and midnight darkness just does not exist in The Yukon at this time of year, we tried to make the best of the situation anyway and rest before the hike back in the morning. Tried....And failed. On this edition of overnight adventures we both learned to invest in more than just one sleeping bag and not forget a foam or air mattress. Our total amount of sleep equalled to about four hours (together) BUT we did see a lonesome dear and sly fox during our evening of no sleep!



If you are wondering why there are no posts of pictures depicting the journey on the way home, it’s because that said journey was in the middle of an overcast rain storm at 5am. We decided to leave camp early to avoid flooding (it’s not like we could sleep anyway) and take the road back in fear of being trapped on some washed out trail. Even if I did have pictures, I would be too embarrassed to post our pathetic, water logged selves dragging back into Whitehorse and taking refuge at the Westmark Diner in front of some hot coffee and eggs. Next time we’ll be sure to check the weather!

All in all, we saw what we came to see and can’t wait to go back again – Next time all the way Canyon City! What an amazing first hike in this beautiful, wonderous place!

Cheers,

Aaron

The Edge of Civilization

Whitehorse.



One month in and I'm feeling sensations I've never felt before. My head is clear here, I feel on odd sensation of safety, my days go by fast but they are full of the best ingredients. Almost every morning I ride my bike down two hills to get to work and I can see the end of Whitehorse and the beginning of miles and miles of mountains and valleys. I don’t see miles of smog, highways and buildings, there is only stillness. I smell the pines – I even taste them in the air. When I stay up really late, the sun stays up with me - it peers through my window when I go to bed right until I wake up in the morning. If I walk 2 minutes from where I sleep, I’m on a trail in the forest. If I hike for a few more – I’m on the side of a mountain.

The people here are simply friendly and uncomplicated. They know where they live and appreciate it to the fullest – each one of them houses an unspoken understanding that this is the place of dreams. The edge of civilization. A centre point just miles away from hundreds of glorious places that are just as beautiful and untainted.

There is a corporate presence here but it feels almost as if it is more of a necessity than a narration of the culture. Aaron and I also have the most accommodating jobs ever. Our managers are super friendly, the benefits are insane and the respect for the employees is incredible – they make things happen for you if you need them to.

So far we have hiked to Stinky Lake, Miles Canyon, and back country camped in various places, played at an open mic in front of over 50 people, got bikes, saw Frantic Follies*, visited the museum (Yukon history is WOW!) and worked (a lot). We’ve drank wine overlooking the entire city and mountains with some good people and we have met the best and the weirdest and the creepiest and the drunkest and the most entertaining people we’ve ever encountered. Recently Aaron and I have started volunteering at the Humane Society of Yukon walking the dogs and are enjoying it quite a bit.

A few things we’re going to do (which we haven’t done yet)

- Go to Haines, Alaska (just submitted my passport application)



- Go white water rafting on the Tatshenshini river(which we’re doing this Wednesday)




- Go to Dawson City (a preserved gold rush town) where we’ll have the sour toe cocktail (a shot of liquor with a preserved human toe in it)



- Travel up the dempster highway through Tombstone national park



- Climb Grey Mountain (my arch nemesis that haunts me from my bike every morning)



- Hitchhike!! (Aaron won’t let me do this but I’ll convince him)



- Hike to Canyon City and Chadburn Lake



and I think that's all we can fit in to one summer.

I'm not ready to leave, and when I have to leave I still wont be ready.

I'm in love with a city.

Nikki


*The Frantic Follies is a turn of the century vaudeville revue which depicts the entertainment seen by the pioneers of the Great Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. The company has been in operation for 41 years and is known as the most popular and successful show in the Yukon and Alaska.

Riding the Greyhorse to Whitehound: Day Two

Day 2

This is the day we drove the Alaska Highway from mile 1 in Prince George all the way up to Whitehorse, Yukon. This day was by far the best day on the Greyhound because we got to experience the incredible scenery around us. We drove way up into the mountains, passing glacial lakes and forest fires, and through a bunch of minuscule towns like Watson Lake - home to the worlds largest signpost forest.



The forest was started in 1942 by a homesick U.S. Army G.I., Carl K. Lindley of Danville, Il., Company D, 341st Engineers. While working on the Alaska Highway, he erected a sign here pointing the way and stating the mileage to his hometown. Others followed his lead and are still doing so to this day. On July 20, 1990, Olen and Anita Walker of Bryan, Ohio placed the 10,000th sign. Carl K. Lindley and his wife visited the site in 1992, 50 years after his first post was erected.

Aaron and I got to have a quick walk through the sign forest before heading back on the Greyhound to Whitehorse - all of the signs were incredible. We laughed a bit at it but now I think we both comprehend the beauty of it in some way or another as we are travelers too.

But I am getting too far ahead of myself... I must mention a small town called Buckinghorse River on mile 172 of the Alaska highway. Literally just a restaurant.



A restaurant where we ate the most disgusting grilled cheese and french fries ever.

Oh, and let me tell you about Morris (aka future Aaron). We met Morris on the Greyhound - he is a Scarborough native who graduated from various environmental and outdoor education programs, lives in Vancouver and is working in Whitehorse for the summer at the wildlife preserve. He gave us a natural history lesson the entire bus ride - teaching us about Yukon's native trees and wildlife, sharing his knowledge free of charge. It was amazing. He was amazing and friendly and we recently ran into him at the college where he was teaching a wilderness first aid course.

We also met a few other people on the bus too, some of which are coming with us rafting. The ride was just full of amazing people and I'm glad we decided to be stuck with these strangers for that long of a time.



One last honorable mention was Toad River, home to one of the largest hat collections I had ever seen.



We stopped to have some eats (tomato sandwich) and look at the river. The town consisted of a lodge and a cafe, kind of a truck stop in the middle of nowhere kinda deal. Literally, we were on the road to nowhere.


Just one of the many incredible scenes of mountains on the highway. This is when we hit the highest altitude the entire trip.


One of the glacial lakes on the Alaska Highway.


The sun through the smoke of a forest fire.



I fell asleep just after this point and the sunlight barely disappeared the rest of the night. I frequently woke up in hazes, the sky was a dark but not quite a night shade of blue and the moon was full. It was spectacular. The sensation in me was an odd one, I felt at ease with my surroundings as well as a sense of frustration from my restlessness and a little bit of confusion and excitement all at the same time. I finally fell into a solid sleep and a few hours later a soft voice chimed in next to me and in the most gentle of ways it said: "Welcome to Whitehorse" - our friend Morris.

I opened my eyes and still in a haze I smiled. We were finally in Whitehorse.

Riding the Greyhorse to Whitehound: Day One

Day 1

The bus ride to Whitehorse included two of the most excruciating days ever. We left Vancouver at about 9 am Monday morning and ate all of our cheese sticks and pizza buns within the first two hours… which was supposed to last us two days. Being vegetarians and driving through the most remote towns in northern British Columbia really isn’t a combination that mixes very well… I have one word for you: bagels. We must have had about 4 bagels a day during the entire trip – but it was either bagels or moose stew. We did have some pretty raunchy grilled cheese, a few donuts, a gazillion coffees and a poor mans veggie sandwich (CLT). I felt like a stalk of greasy wheat for two days.

It took a while for the people on the bus to warm up to each other but eventually it was a party. The first bus we rode included an entire family of aboriginal people going back to Terrace from the Sun Run in Vancouver. Honestly, they filled the entire bus. They were quite the characters, too… incredibly loud, jolly people who were constantly laughing and making jokes at each other. It wasn’t long before they exhausted themselves and PTFO’d* for the rest of the ride to Prince George. We were left to entertain the children. We started an animal scavenger hunt – the first group to see twenty different kinds of animal’s wins.



They won.



We also met a bunch of people on the bus the first day who were going to work at Westmark in Dawson City (6 hours Northwest of Whitehorse), but none who were going to work with us. One of them, Connor from Calgary, was our buddy the entire trip and we got to know him quite well… he was a very cool person and we may just visit him on one of our days off.

The first day consisted of driving through the Fraser Valley, which we thought by far would be the most beautiful scenery we’d see but we were highly mistaken after we hopped on the Alaska highway after leaving Dawson Creek. It was gorgeous, but I’m not going to talk about that yet.



Our first transfer was in Prince George, BC at about 8:00 pm. This is where we parted ways with the aboriginal family (sad and happy moment). It was a 3 hour layover and we had some time to waste, so Aaron, Connor and myself decided to get some good eats. On the way we were approached by a man who asked us to “raise propane” (get money for gas) because he was in another province, stranded because his car was out of fuel, had everything stolen from him and needed to get out of there. Connor went to the bank with him to get money out and Aaron and I were too sketched out to believe his story so we went to eat. Connor came back and it turned out that the guy might not have been lying and we were too skeptical to offer a helping hand. I feel terrible for this and I truly believe what goes around comes around and Connor will definitely run into luck in the near future for his actions.

After dinner we went to Second Cup to get some coffee and that is where we met Betty, a schizophrenic, bi-polar ex-beauty queen who writes incredible poetry. She was HILARIOUS! She was wearing a red velvet fedora with fake pigtails attached to it and randomly sang out show tunes at times and had a very heavy smokers lung, which initiated great hilarity for the three of us. Her poetry was incredible though and it was amazing to see that the philosophy she put behind her words was quite like what I put in my poetry. The themes were based a lot on technology and our growing disconnection with nature and all three of us could emphasize. It was a fresh of breath air.

After we left we hopped back on the bus, had a terrible sleep and woke up in Dawson Creek.

Day 2 was by far the best day ever and I will post about it soon.

* Abbreviation for "Passing the Food Out" ;)

Nikki

Vancouventure: Day Three

With more incredible weather on our doorstep, we vowed to make our last day in Vancouver as memorable as possible. This was not hard to accomplish due to the next part of our trip: A day hike at Lynn Canyon. But before arriving we had to eat breakfast, make lunch and hop on two busses and the sea bus to get there. The sea bus runs from Vancouver’s waterfront to North Vancouver and provides great views of the surrounding area and mountains. The total trip took us about an hour and fifteen minutes.



Once we arrived at Lynn Canyon we stepped onto the suspension bridge and became instantly humbled by the rushing current 50m below and the canyon walls on either side of us that seemed to easily swallow the vegetation. From there we Hiked along the Twin Rivers trail which took us all the way to the bottom of the gorge where we ate lunch and enjoyed the pristine clear blue water pools and rushing waterfalls. The hike itself consisted of a hundred or so stairs that make our legs feel like jello, but it was the highlight of the entire trip! Back at the top of the canyon we rested over some amazing fries from the concession at the entrance and continued towards the bus stop.







The late afternoon portion of the trip took us to Commercial Drive, Vancouver’s authentic grassroots community. There were many unique stores and outlets including a gelato cafe with outstanding flavours including ‘pistachio chocolate vanilla maraschino cherry’! Yummmmmm....



We finally ventured closer to home to shop for snacks for the bus trip and eat dinner at ‘Indian Oven’ on Fourth Ave. Our last opportunity to enjoy the beach was bittersweet. At the end of a nearby fishing wharf we met a crab fisher and watched as an elusive but curious sea lion circled the dock. We both had the fun of holding a female crab before setting it back out into the ocean to live another day. This seemed like the perfect end to a perfect adventure in one of Canada’s most beautiful cities.

Vancouventure: Day Two

After a much needed nights rest we opened our eyes at 8am, eager to start a new day of adventuring! After making breakfast and packing for the day we headed to our first nearby stop: The UBC Campus. Although the campus itself reflected most of what we knew back in the concrete jungle of YorkU in Toronto, the mountainous backdrop made it a unique and pretty environment. We quickly pooped in the Business School and headed to the lookout on the South side of the campus which included a map of every visible peak from the other side of the Burrard Inlet. After a quick coffee we left the campus and took two busses back through central Vancouver and into Stanley Park.



Our packed lunches proved incredible as we enjoyed an avocado and bre sandwich outside the Stanley Park Ecology Society Building. Hiking through Beaver Lake and into Third Beach was a little hard on our legs, especially under the unfortunate circumstances of our chosen footwear of Birkenstocks and Flip Flops from Old Navy. We continued along the Sea Wall to Siwash rock, which was supposed to eventually guide us to prospect Point but under the conditions of our cramped feet we decided to head back to the main entrance. The scenery along the way provided us with beautiful pictures of old growth Red Cedar and Douglas Fir forests, wetlands and tide pools. The tide pools were our favourite part of Stanley Park because of their amazing ability to host tiny ecosystems full of barnacles, crabs, clams, sea stars, sea weeds and much more. We ended up making many crustation-like friends. Marine wildlife is fun!!







From Stanley Park we boarded another public transported bus to nearby Gastown where we visited the steam clock, checked out the many boutique shops and ate the most epic and delicious three cheese olive, onion and red pepper pizza. This was hands down the best pizza to ever be blessed upon our mouths. Ever. But that’s not it, folks. Heck no. Just next door we treated ourselves to possibly the best cheesecake we have ever consumed, rightfully named ‘the sin’. This chocolatey swirl of heavenly goodness transcended us into a sweet and creamy third dimension. We recommend anyone who is looking for euphoria to try a bite at ‘Trees Cafe’ in the middle of Gastown. You won’t be disappointed.





Once again the day was beginning to close and we moved our overly satisfied bellies and bodies back to Jericho Beach for a beer and cigar in front of the orange glow of the hiding Vancouver sun.

Vancouventure: Day One

The following three posts are daily accounts of our adventures in Vancouver. Make sure you check out the videos that are posted within the text for stunning visual components of the trip!

After a very excited, near sleepless night in Brampton we hoped out of bed at 5am to get ready for the 9am flight from Pearson International direct to Vancouver. As the sun began to rise across the Northern Toronto skyline we packed the car and was chaperoned to the airport by Nikki’s super nice rock star stepfather, Nick. Everything from here on in was our itinerary.

The flight was super smooth with no delays and beautiful weather. We would soon learn our luck with the rain, or absence of rain, for we arrived on the coast during a relatively moody season but in a haze of sun and warm temperatures throughout all three days. The plane ride consisted of juice, coffee, bagels and more than one episode of Friends. When we finally arrived in Vancouver we quickly grabbed our bags and headed towards the Skytrain, only to find out that day passes were sold in the basement of the airport. This was the beginning of many exhausting treks to and from locations while dragging all of our luggage on our backs, arms, heads, legs and anywhere else we could carry what held our lives for the next four months. Up and down the airport elevator we rode to purchase bus passes and board the Skytrain into the downtown core where we transferred to another bus that took us across Jericho Beach and to our hostel. We strongly recommend the HI-Hostel in Jericho Beach for is affordability, great accommodations, beautiful location and lovely staff!





Upon arrival to the hostel we checked in, stored our 400 pounds luggage and started back on the bus to the grocery store where we bought snacks and lunch stuffs for the next few days. At this point we were both at our wits end due to lack of food, so we mowed down on pasta salad and some sort of vegetarian sandwich that we ate too fast to identify. After settling in for the next three days we were ready to take the city by force. Our first expedition was to English Bay – Vancouver’s largest and most popular beach, resting on Pacific Ave. and hosting a plethora of bikinis and surfer dudes. On top of everything, the sea shells were what interested Nikki most, that is, after she made sure we were at the ocean and not an illusionary vision of such by testing the salinity of the water via her tongue. Great excitement ensued.







After strolling the beach and meeting a dude with some sort of whistle, we walked back to Granville Bridge and travelled on a bus to Granville Island. Granville Island proved to be an interesting place to visit but did not have a whole lot to offer at the time. The highlight of this part of the trip was feeding the ducks and gulls. Check out the pictures!



As day grew into night, our exhausted feets and bodies were telling us it was time to head home. On the way we stopped at a Mexican restaurant near our hostel on 4th have to enjoy some yummy veggie enchiladas and cheese stuffed peppers. The night ended with a glorious sunset on Jericho beach and a solid sleep on our bunk.

Head West, Young Man.

Less than a week to go and I’m finally getting to my first blog post. What a crazy thought! At about this point Nikki and I are at our respective parents houses attempting to prepare and pack for the trip. We’ve just spent the last week moving in and out and bundling our belongings for summer storage, which has been saddening, nostalgic and exciting. What an intense road lies ahead!

And indeed this is a road I have been itching to embark on. Yup, it’s time to strap on the ol’ travelling shoes, this time to the North Western heart of Canada known as Whitehorse. This is a city that rests in one of the world’s largest and most beautiful ecosystems while priding itself on its unique character to Canada’s West. Working and living in Whitehorse for the summer will give us an opportunity to challenge ourselves while discovering more of what the West has to offer; but away from the massive tourist hubs. This is what excites me the most – An opportunity to see and learn about a different Canadian culture and way of life but being within comfortable distance from all of the amenities of a small town. It is the perfect placement.

Although I cannot divulge our full itinerary to you on this blog due to security issues, I can say that we are about to begin an epic five day journey to the beautiful city. On our way we will spend three nights in Vancouver then board a Greyhound to Whitehorse which will take approximately 44 hours (I know what you’re thinking. Ouch!). Along the way we have vowed to take as many pictures and videos as possible and we will storyboard our experience on this forum soon after our arrival in Whitehorse. Plans include tripping to Granville Island, Stanley Park, Lynn Canyon and Dawson City. Woah! So much adventure!

But with great adventure comes great responsibility. I can’t say it much better than Nikki – I am very fortunate and blessed to have someone with me to keep me sane and happy throughout, and finding that balance on the road is never easy. You must surround yourself with good people and be prepared for the trip. And with that said, I should get back to finishing final details before we leave! Which is really incredibly soon! See you on the coast!

Cheers,

Aaron

*Kudos to Nikki for creating this outstanding blog page. I had nothing to do with it. Computers and I don’t get along. I am lucky to have such a techno-savvy individual on my side!

Visual Aids for the Geographically Impaired

NO IGLOOS. NO SNOW IN SUMMER (IT ONLY HAPPENED A FEW TIMES). NO ISOLATION (AT LEAST NOT WHERE WE ARE). THIS IS YUKON (SPARTA).



MMM, BEAUTEOUS!





AND YES, US VEGETARIANS WILL PREVAIL.

Change is Constant

16 days to go.

The school year has officially come to an end for me - which means I am a little closer to leaving Toronto and embarking on an adventure in Whitehorse, Yukon! I'm not sure that I am expecting anything groundbreaking, mindblowing or any other noun-verb to describe a state of being I am not particularly familiar with - truth is I'm not really expecting anything at all. Expectations ruin everything... they kill creativity and feed off of our fears of the unknown, turning our human brains into writers writing stories that should not be written. I am criminal to this. I envision situations that don't exist yet and in doing this I have come to the realization that nothing will ever be like the vision I had in my head previous. It can be a blessing or a curse - the realities I face are either enormous let downs or beautiful surprises. The reason why I have chosen not to expect anything is because of the simple truth that my expectations almost always let me down.

I do have a few thoughts, though, but none concerning the road ahead for the road ahead is not yet paved for me. My only thoughts include thoughts of change and adjustment and whether or not I am the mover and shaker I've always known myself as... or if my moving and shaking is only enjoyable when done inside of my comfort zone. I thrive on change, I always have - but this change is not the petty kind you give to the poor when your conscience gets the best of you. This change is big.

When it comes down to it, I truly believe I am a mover and shaker. Despite how I feel about this change it is going to happen and it is more exciting than anything. It's exciting not knowing what I'm about to embark on, and in an odd sense, it is extremely comforting not knowing much at all. Perhaps the most comforting part about this whole situation is probably the fact that I am jumping into this with a person I am eternally grateful to have in my life who I can, with no doubt, grow and change and experience with - without second guessing anything we do together.



PS: My parents will miss me tons, but they'll understand :)

Nikki