Fort Selkirk

Canada Day Wednesday 1st July

It was scheduled as an easy 33kms paddle from Thom's Location to our next stop at Fort Selkirk. However we had to pass the confluence where the Pelly River joins the Yukon, then cross the current to reach the landing spot.

The Pelly River is heavily laden with silt and where it joins the slower moving Yukon, it drops a lot of its load and creates ever changing islands and gravel bars. Karen wanted to fish here so we drifted slowly in the current whilst she fished from the canoe and the rest of us put in a few strokes to navigate around gravel bars.

All along the shoreline were petrol driven pumps, with spare fuel in yellow jerry cans and pipes stretching from the river towards the wooden buildings/ Fort Selkirk is a historic heritage site with over thirty well preserved buildings which used to be a major port and staging point on the Yukon. There was a forest fire raging just 6kms away and over twenty fire fighters with pumps, pipes, ATV,s and a helicopter on site from the Yukon and BC to protect the historic buildings, all of which are open to the public. Here is just a selection.

At the far end of the site was a sign pointing to the forest indicating the path to the Yukon Field Force cemetery. I set out thinking that it wouldn't be far but with every corner on the path there was still no sign of it and I was getting ever deeper into the forest by myself with nothing more than a camera to protect myself. I started whistling and singing to ensure I didn't surprise any bears and eventually I reached the cemetery, I took a few photos and hurried back to the relative safety of the village. In contrast the First Nation cemetery at the other end of town was a complete contrast and colourful affair..

You know you are a Yukoner when....

...there are four seasons, summer, hunting, winter and dog poo

...there are four seasons, nearly winter, winter, still winter and construction

...you think that your host is inconsiderate if he doesn’t have a Styrofoam toilet seat in the outhouse