THE YUKON - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 672

RECREATION
Whitehorse is small enough that you can cover downtown by foot. A pleasant paved walk-
way follows the Yukon River from the SS Klondike north to Shipyards Park.
MM Dog-Mushing
Also known as dog-sledding, sled-dogging, or simply mushing, what was once a form of
transportation has grown into a major winter pastime, both as a recreational activity and as
a competitive sport. One of the legends of the mushing world is Frank Turner, who owns
and operates Muktuk Adventures (west of Whitehorse toward Haines Jct., 867/668-3647,
www.muktuk.com ) , which is a place of work for Turner and his team of handlers, but also
a bona fide tourist attraction. Through summer and fall, visitors are invited to take a look
around for $15, but much more informative is the three-hour tour of the kennels daily at
1pm for $30, or $89 for a full day with the dogs. In fall (Sept.-Nov.), you can join a half-
day training run with the dogs aboard an ATV ($109). As you'd expect, it is in winter that
the action really cranks up, with options that range from a full-day mushing trip ($269) to
attending a weeklong Rookie Ranch ($1,800), inclusive of accommodation and meals.
Walking Tours
The Yukon Conservation Society (302 Hawkins St., 867/668-5678, 10am-4pm Mon.-Fri.)
leads a variety of hikes, from two to six hours, several times a day in July and early August.
One of the most interesting is a two-hour trip to Miles Canyon. If the family is with you,
the kids may enjoy joining the association's Kid Ed-Ventures program for a morning. The
hikes are free; bring bug spray, wear sturdy boots, and have a lunch for the longer excur-
sions. You can also buy self-guided trail booklets at the society's office and set out on your
own.
To learn more about local history, take a volunteer-led 45-minute historical walking
tour (9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm Mon.-Sat. June-Aug.) of downtown Whitehorse buildings
offered by the Yukon Historical & Museums Association. It leaves from Donnenworth
House (3126 3rd Ave., 867/667-4704). If the tour times don't fit into your plans, stop by the
Donnenworth House, pick up the walking tour book, and take a self-guided tour.