Exploring the Yukon Wilderness

28 July 2010

by Kevin Boltz and Konrad Taube

As we have been traveling down the Yukon River for the past two days, we have seen many forms of wildlife: vast acres of dense green forest and steem shores of sand and rock. These beautiful scenes seem perfectly pristine, but human artifacts, such as boat wrecks, old abandoned cabins, wood camps, and washed up tires and barrels are physical blemishes of the Klondike Gold Rush on this wilderness. It is amazing to research the evolution of the Yukon River from primitive wilderness to industrial highway. Now, people are working to transform the river to its original state.

“The term wilderness originates from Teutonic and Norse languages: ‘will’ meaning self-willed, ‘deor’ meaning animal and ‘ness’ meaning place.” (Nash, 1967) A single definition of wilderness is very difficult to assemble because of how subjective it is. A student in Chicago might consider the Chicago River to be Wilderness, while a Yukon trapper might completely disagree and give his or her own definition. Our group defined wilderness as: “a large isolated area, untrammeled by humans with a true sense of freedom, where everything feels uncaged.” Our definition is based off of our expectation of seeing fewer people; we’ve encountered numerous adventurers seeking similar solitude in nature (contrary to our initial belief), fewer signs of human contact (people, trash, roads, sounds, etc.), and the frequency of spotting the numerous kinds of wildlife (we had thought we’d find much more than we have so far).

-What is your definition of wilderness?

-What would you expect to find there?

-What is been the wildest place you have been?

-There is a federally designated wilderness area in almost every state in the US. What is the closest area near you?

The canoes and kayaks are beached on a sandbar for our lunch break.

Dave and Kelsey are excited to reach the north end of Lake Laberge.

The sunset was beautiful on Lake Laberge.

This bald eagle was not disturbed by Maureen and Kevin paddling close enough for this picture.

Maureen is enjoying a calm night on Lake Laberge.

Dave and Kevin are fixing a rudder pedal.

We are traveling past the rocky cliffs on Lake Laberge.