In January 2024, my partner and I spent 3.5 of our coldest days in Whitehorse, Yukon. It was a trip we'd been looking forward to for ages. When we got there, we weren't surprised by the cold, snow, or size and how wild and untamed it was, but there were a few things that bewildered me. Here we go! 1. Many shops and services are closed in the winter
And for good reasons too: they're only open seasonally, they shut down when it gets too cold to operate, but this one surprised be - there's a lack of labour. Yukon has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, with more jobs than people.
When we landed, many of the airport staff weren't there, the car and hotel rentals were self check out/return, we tried for a brewery called Polarity but drove up to the taproom to see it closed, and drove into the picturesque town of Carcross only to see that not one public shop was open.
We were looking forward to visiting a bakery on the Sunday morning before we left, but sadly, it is closed on Sundays. Growing up in bigger Canadian cities has me spoiled that most businesses are open 7 days a week, and that bakery being closed stung the most.
2. The history of the gold rush and indigenous culture is all around you in everyday life
We visited the MacBride museum, the outdoor hot springs, the Beringia museum, the local Whitehorse public library, the town of Carcross, did a northern lights viewing tour, and hit up local restaurants. Among all those activities in other Canadian cities, I'd expect to intersect with Indigenous culture only in museums. It was refreshing to see indigenous art, plaques detailing history, and people enjoying themselves in everyday life. The buildings, streets and city art also bring up the Gold Rush days, when the population boomed with opportunity seekers rushing into the city and navigating the hard life for a chance at striking it rich. Stories of characters like Soapy Smith, Ted Harrison and so many hunters, trappers and artists that rose to local fame through their expertise.
It all lends itself into travelling back in time to when laws were flexible and life was rough. It's nothing like I've ever experienced in a Canadian city.
3. Visitors need to know HOW to winter in the deep cold to really enjoy it
"Of course the Yukon is going to be cold in January, why the surprise?" I'm no stranger to 'real' Canadian winter, -20 celsius. But with an average temp around -40 and most businesses closed, I had to apply every single thing I know about the cold to enjoy my visit in Whitehorse. It meant wearing all my layers, eating and drinking more than you expect because shivering expends energy, strategically planning how much time to spend outside, taking breaks to warm up, and relying on rental cars to get places.
We were able to enjoy it all because we know how to navigate around deep cold weather conditions, but I wouldn't expect visitors who weren't as familiar to enjoy this trip as much as I did.
Visitors can rent winter gear during their stay but being used to this kind of cold goes beyond the gear. If I grew up in a place like Mexico and rented cold weather gear, put all of it on at once and felt like a bound up Michelin man, then ventured outside and have my eyelashes freeze for the first time in my life, the overwhelming impression I'd get (and did get, when this happened to me too) could be humans aren't meant to live here. In a way, that's true. Arctic populations have never been large because survival is a lot of work.
So to those who are visiting in the winter from warmer places, who have never experienced cold like this, it wouldn't surprise me to hear they didn't enjoy it because of the cold.
My background with Canadian winter I grew up in Vancouver, the warmest city in Canada, and only learned about 'real' winter when I moved to Alberta in my 20s. My in-laws taught me how to get through it by buying me my first set of snow pants, deep winter boots and thick mittens. They taught me the important of the base, middle and top layers. Being outside taught me what sensations are the tip-off for frostbite and hypothermia.
With practice and interest, I developed winter hobbies and know my own cold tolerance, my ability to stay active outside and what danger signs to look for. It's a learned skill like any other.
4. The Eclipse Nordic Spa experience blew me away in the best way possible
Here are the Canadian hot springs I have been to before:
And the Eclipse Nordic Spa is my favourite nordic spa I've been to.
I loved our visit because:
It had no time limit on your visit
It's off the beaten path, so it is not likely to be crowded (though I never felt 'crowded' at any point in Whitehorse in the winter)
The steam rooms, sauna rooms, multiple outdoor hot pools and warm hibernation room made for a perfect experience to hop between experiences and not get tired of any one thing
Having your hair freeze because the outdoor temperature is below -20 and the rest of you warm in the water is a very unique experience. Watching other people's hair turn white and icy is a lot of fun
It has an on site gelato, coffee and light meals spot
The thoughtful touches like the clear instructions on showering before going in, the pegs with numbers on them, locker and basket access for your belongings, a well equipped changing room to dry off and moisturize before heading out and staff on hand to take your picture and email it to you free of charge
We had a perfect visit. We watched the sunset while we were there from an outdoor tub and drove home in the dark with the northern lights shimmering along the way. If I lived in Whitehorse, the first thing I'd do is sign up for a membership to the Nordic spa and be there every week.
5. HUGE ravens everywhere
The raven is emblematic of the Yukon.
If you've grown up in a city and are used to crows, magpies, pigeons and/or seagulls, you will still be shocked by ravens. I enjoyed watching their antics and listening to their huge croaks.
Be ready for this big birds swooping around the place.
If you're looking to travel to Whitehorse, I'd encourage you to book the flight and go! It's got such an amazing buzz of energy and it really blew me away.
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