THE YUKON - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 664

tion annually. It is also home to a number of rare plant and insect species, including Baikal
sedge, an ancient grass that was present soon after the last ice age ended.
The main access point for the desert is two kilometers (1.2 miles) north of town. From
the parking lot, there are no official trails—you simply climb up into the dune system and
explore this unique environment that seems out of place this far north (but do not traipse
across areas of vegetation).
Equally enjoyable, but less desert-like in its setting, is the long stretch of fine sand run-
ning along the shoreline of Bennett Lake in front of town. You can walk the length of the
beach in around 40 minutes.
Accommodations and Food
The standout lodging is on Spirit Lake, a 10-minute drive north of Carcross toward
Whitehorse. At Spirit Lake Wilderness Resort (867/821-4337 or 866/739-8566,
www.spiritlakeyukon.com , May-Sept.) the lakeside cabins ($75 s or d) are my pick for
the views and rustic charm, although they don't have electricity or running water (shared
shower facilities). Other choices are cottages ($65 s or d) and motel rooms ($99 s or d) that
lack the atmosphere but are more comfortable. Tent sites are $25 and hookups $30-35.
M Wheaton River Wilderness Retreat (867/668-2997, www.wheatonriver.net , $125 s
or d) is truly in the wilderness, 22 kilometers (13.7 miles) along Annie Lake Road, which
branches off Highway 2 north of Spirit Lake. Accommodation is offered for up to four
people in a riverfront cabin constructed with timber milled onsite by the owners. The interi-
or is spacious, airy, and modern, with wooden furniture carved by the owners. Breakfast is
$20 per person, and other meals are also available; or you can cook up a feast yourself on
the wood stove or barbecue.
Whitehorse
Whitehorse is a friendly oasis in the heart of an unforgiving land. With 25,000 residents,
Whitehorse is the largest city in northern Canada and is home to almost 75 percent of the
Yukon's total population. It squats on the western bank of the Yukon, hemmed in by high
bluffs that create something of a wind tunnel along the river. To the east, the bare, rounded
hulk of Grey Mountain (1,494 meters/4,900 feet) fills the horizon. Whitehorse has its share
of Gold-Rush history and nostalgia, but is not dominated by it; as the capital of Yukon Ter-
ritory for the past half-century, this small city has a brash, modern frontier energy all its
own. It's easy to slip into Whitehorse's strong stream of hustle and bustle, which seems to