The "Yukon Sampler" group of trips was created in response to the growing demand from our guests who wanted to try a bit of everything that the Yukon has to offer – in a relatively short period of time. We combine a selection of activities including hiking, heli-hiking, canoeing, fishing, and flight-seeing with both cabin based and camping out accommodations. Some of these guests are combining a short Sampler trip with other vacation plans in the north. Others join us for a week, flying back to their homes at the end of our adventures. Regardless of the amount of time you have to stay with us, you can rest assured that the quality that is the hallmark of all Uncommon Journey trips will be a key element of your vacation with us. We guarantee that delicious food, expedition-quality equipment, spectacular wilderness and world-class guides will be here waiting for you when you arrive. Listed below are various itineraries of different lengths from which to choose. All itineraries can be modified to suit your specific vacation wishes and all itineraries require a minimum of 2 people.
5-Day Sampler Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive at the Whitehorse airport on the afternoon flight, or be picked up at your hotel by Uncommon Journeys staff for the drive to the Homestead Ranch. This evening we will have a dogsledding demonstration including training runs on the ATV (all terrain vehicle) with an enthusiastic dog team, weather permitting, as well as reviewing the hiking routes for the next couple of days. Dinner is in the main log cabin with accommodation in log cabins or yurts. Guests may wish to enjoy our hot tub on the deck, take a walk on local trails, or try their hand at fly-fishing from the shores of Scout Lake.
Day 2
Fly into our Yurt Basecamp by helicopter to drop our gear, then fly to the summit of Mt. Ingram for the day hike back down to the basecamp, including an alpine lunch at a spectacular viewpoint. If we’re lucky we will spot the resident herd of Dall Sheep and their lambs that inhabit this range. Tonight we sleep in Mongolian style yurts at our basecamp and enjoy a well-deserved sauna and swim in the Ibex River.
Day 3
Today we will hike in the Ibex Valley where we will follow the game trail of the local wolf pack, exploring the beaver dams and the pristine wilderness of this beautiful valley. We will spend the evening at the yurts and once again enjoy a delicious meal cooked on the wood stove in the main yurt. Fishing gear will be available for folks who want to try their hand at catching Arctic Grayling in the beautiful Ibex River (we can grill our catch as an appetizer!).
Day 4
We hike out of the basecamp this morning and are picked up at the roadhead by an Uncommon Journeys vehicle and driven back to the homestead. In the afternoon we will pack for our river trip and spend an hour or two on Scout Lake reviewing paddling strokes for the next day’s river descent, and fishing if you desire. The evening is spent at the homestead with a delicious meal in the main cabin.
Day 5
We drive to Kusawa Lake, headwaters of the Takhini River, about 45 minutes from our homestead. The Takhini is a beautiful mountain river nestled between mountains whose crystal clear water is home to hundreds of spawning salmon in the fall. It is a perfect teaching river for guests who have little or no moving water paddling skills. We will load our boats and paddle the river down to Mendenhall Landing, stopping for lunch at a beautiful Class II rapid where we will enjoy the thrill of running whitewater in an open canoe. Guests can also opt to walk around the rapid on the short trail. At the end of the river run we return to the homestead for dinner and our final evening celebration and hot tub!
The cost for this particular itinerary is $2250.00 per person + 7% GST. Minimum group size is 2 people. Please keep in mind this is only a suggested itinerary. It is possible to include activities such as flying into a remote alpine lake where we can camp for a couple of nights and use as a basecamp for numerous hiking routes as well as fantastic fly fishing for lake trout (we provide the fly fishing gear & instruction). This option would cost approximately an additional $2000.00 total (divided by the total number of guests) due to the increased helicopter time.
6-Day Sampler Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive at the Whitehorse airport on the afternoon flight to be met by Uncommon Journeys staff for the drive to the Homestead Ranch. This evening we will have a dogsledding demonstration including training runs on the ATV (all terrain vehicle) with a full dog team, weather permitting, as well as reviewing the hiking routes for the next couple of days.
Day 2
Fly into our Yurt Basecamp by helicopter to drop our gear, then fly to the summit of Mt. Ingram and for the all day hike down including an alpine lunch at a spectacular viewpoint. If we’re lucky we will spot the resident herd of Dall Sheep that inhabit this range. Tonight we sleep in Mongolian style yurts at our basecamp and enjoy a well-deserved sauna and swim in the Ibex River.
Day 3
Today we will hike in the Ibex Valley where we will follow the game trail of the local wolf pack, exploring the beaver dams and the pristine wilderness of this beautiful valley. We will spend the evening at the yurts and once again enjoy a delicious meal cooked on the wood stove in the main yurt.
Day 4
We hike out of the basecamp this morning and are picked up at the roadhead by an Uncommon Journeys vehicle and driven back to the homestead. In the afternoon we will pack for our river camping trip and spend an hour or two on Scout Lake reviewing paddling strokes and fishing if you desire. The evening is spent at the homestead.
Day 5
We drive to Kusawa Lake, headwaters of the Takhini River, about 45 minutes from our homestead. The Takhini is a beautiful mountain river nestled between mountains whose crystal clear water is home to hundreds of spawning salmon in the fall. It is a perfect teaching river for guests who have novice moving water paddling skills. We will load our boats and paddle the upper section of the river down to the campsite where we will enjoy a campfire, delicious cookout and sleep in tents.
Day 6
We paddle down to Mendenhall Landing, stopping for lunch at a beautiful Class II rapid where we will enjoy the thrill of running whitewater in an open canoe. Guests can also opt to walk around the rapid on the short trail. At the end of the river run we return to the homestead for dinner and our final evening celebration and hot tub!
The cost for this itinerary is $2510.00 per person + 7% GST. Minimum group size is 2 people. Please keep in mind other options are available. It is possible to do things such as: flying into a remote alpine lake where we can camp for a couple of nights and use as a basecamp for numerous hiking routes as well as fantastic fly fishing for lake trout (we provide the fly fishing gear & instruction).
7-Day Sampler Itinerary
Day 1
Pick up in Whitehorse first thing in the morning and drive to the famous gold rush port of Skagway, Alaska. After some browsing and shopping on the Skagway boardwalk we have an early lunch before boarding the White Pass train (time to be confirmed). The train travels to the border crossing of Fraser via the spectacular alpine of the White Pass Mountain area, scene of one of the greatest gold rushes in the history of the world. An Uncommon Journeys guide will be waiting in Fraser to drive you to the Uncommon Journeys Homestead for your accommodation in cozy log cabins and dinner in the main cabin dining room. The late afternoon will be spent reviewing the maps for our upcoming heli-hiking trip and packing for this adventure. After dinner guests may choose to soak in our outdoor hot tub, partake in our dogsledding demonstration or take a leisurely stroll on our many local trails.
Day 2
After an early breakfast we will transfer to the helicopter base in Whitehorse for our dramatic flight into the Ibex Valley. We will touch down at our yurt basecamp to drop off supplies before carrying on to the summit of Mt. Ingram for our day of hiking. On the ridge we may be fortunate enough to spot the resident herd of Dall Sheep and their lambs grazing on the rocky outcrops. Depending on the time of year, alpine wildflowers may be in abundance or later in the season, berries may be ripening! Throughout the day we will slowly make our way back to the valley floor, stopping for a gourmet picnic along the way. Accommodation and dinner tonight will be at our basecamp: a series of yurts based on the traditional Mongolian design, but outfitted with modern creature comforts (sleeping yurts have twin beds, main yurt has dining table, lounge area and kitchen).
Day 3
Today we will hike south down the Ibex valley floor. Here we will follow the game trail of the local wolf pack, exploring the beaver dams and the pristine wilderness of this beautiful valley while learning about the flora and fauna of the area and discovering artifacts left by the trapper who worked the valley over 40 years ago. This trail has very little elevation gain so it is an ideal hike the day after our descent from the peak. We will spend the evening at the yurts and once again enjoy a delicious meal cooked on the wood stove in the main yurt and a fire under the stars or midnight sun depending upon the season. During the late afternoon, the sauna and shower will be ready for a well-deserved break after our day of hiking. Fishing gear will be available for those guests who wish to try their hand at catching Arctic Grayling in the rapids of the beautiful Ibex River. Accommodation and dinner will be at the yurts once again.
Day 4
After a hearty breakfast, we will hike north up the valley towards the trailhead where the Uncommon Journeys 4WD vehicle will be waiting for us for the rest of the trip home. The hike will take between 3 and 4 hours. The afternoon will see us packing our paddling gear and reviewing our strokes on Scout Lake. Tonight we will be back at the Homestead where a delicious dinner and the hot tub awaits!
Day 5
Taking a break from hiking today, we will load up our canoes and head west towards the Upper Takhini River, about 45 minutes from home. The river is crystal clear and moves at a speed that is easily mastered by novice paddlers as it winds it’s way through the mountains. The option to create a catamaran out of two canoes is available for those who are wary of their paddling ability. This creates a very stable craft that the guides can steer while guests enjoy the ride. Lunch today will be at a pretty Class Two rapid that can be paddled or walked around depending on the guest’s wishes. In the late afternoon we will drive back to the Homestead for the evening.
Day 6
Today we head back to the hills for our 4WD adventure. We will ride in our comfortable 4WD vehicles and travel west of Whitehorse into the Coal Lake area. This is a day-long trip that will see us quickly arrive in the alpine after a steep climb and then we will meander through the alpine on our way to Coal Lake. There are plenty of opportunities for walking, photography and hiking around this area so we can stretch our legs at will. The guides will bring a high powered spotting scope as we watch the resident caribou foraging on the hills. Fishing gear is available for those who wish to try their hand at catching Lake Trout. In the evening we will return to the Homestead for yet more great food, wine and stories around the fire.
Day 7
On our final day, we have two options:
a) We will use our own pedal power to travel a different route through the Lower Ibex Valley by mountain bike. This is a 33km loop trail that is rated as a moderate ride with 700 feet of elevation gain overall. Lunch beside Kokanee Lake makes a scenic point for a break. Instead of cycling the final portion of the loop on the Alaska Highway, we will be picked up by an Uncommon Journeys vehicle and driven back to the Homestead. After a light snack and changing back into ‘town’ clothes, we will drive into Whitehorse to your hotel. (Hotel room included in trip fee.)
b) we drive 1.5 hrs. to Kluane National Park where you embark on a sightseeing flight over the largest non-polar glaciers in the world. The possibility to circumnavigate Mt. Logan (Canada’s highest mountain) is also an option. This flightseeing option is available at an additional cost of approximately $300 plus GST per person (this cost is payable directly to the flight seeing company). We then drive back to the homestead to pick up guest’s belongings and make our way to their hotel for the evening. (Hotel room included in trip fee.)
The cost for this itinerary is $2980.00 CAD + GST per person and includes:
- All accommodation including Whitehorse hotel on last evening
- All meals while at Uncommon Journeys including wine with dinners
- All airport, town and Skagway transfers
- Helicopter flight into basecamp and summit of Mt. Ingram
- Certified guides for all activities
- Specialized gear required for each activity including hiking poles and daypacks, canoes, paddles, PFD’s, mountain bikes and helmets etc.
Minimum group size is 2 people.
