THE YUKON - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 673

FLOATING THE YUKON
Every year, hardy souls re-create the 742-kilometer (464-mile) route taken by stam-
peders heading to the Klondike goldfields by floating the Yukon River from White-
horse to Dawson City. The most authentic way to travel is by canoe, which takes
12-15 days. While this is a trip for experienced wilderness travelers only, two White-
horse companies make organization easy by providing rentals and transfers. Both
companies also offer the option of floating the river as part of a guided tour.
Kanoe People (1147 First Ave., 867/668-4899, www.kanoepeople.com ) has been
around the longest (since 1974), and rents canoes for $40 per day. They specialize
in one-way rentals to Carmacks ($60 drop-off fee) or Dawson City ($75) and guided
tours, such as a seven-day river trip with meals and accommodations for $2,200.
Up North Adventures (103 Strickland St., 867/667-7035,
www.upnorthadventures.com ) also offers canoe rentals (as well as bike and kayak
rentals) with a local drop-off and pick-up service perfect for a single day on the river.
For example, pay $85 per person for a full-day rental and return transportation from
Lake Laberge. Their 17-day Whitehorse to Dawson float is $2,800 per person.
SHOPPING
A number of fine galleries are scattered around town. Well worth a visit are the North End
Gallery (1116 1st Ave., 867/393-3590, 10am-6pm Mon.-Sat.), for its showcases of North-
ern artists, and Midnight Sun Emporium (205 Main St., 867/668-4350, 10am-6pm daily),
with a wide range of Yukon souvenirs including the brightly colored, Northern-themed
paintings of Ted Harrison.
Across from the information center, Folknits (3123 3rd Ave., 867/456-4192,
10am-5:30pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm Sat.) sells spinning fiber and finished knitwear made
from qiviuq, the fine underhair of the musk ox.
Mac's Fireweed Books (203 Main St., 867/668-6104, 8am-9pm daily) is the biggest
and most complete bookstore in the Yukon, with a large selection of local- and general-
interest books and a basement filled with antiquarian books and maps. If you can't find
what you're looking for using the in-store searchable database at Well-Read Books (4137
4th Ave., 867/393-2987, 10am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm Sat., noon-5pm Sun.), the know-