Misplaced Pages

#410589

73-523: Bluefish Caves is an archaeological site in Yukon , Canada, located 54 km (34 mi) southwest of the Vuntut Gwichin community of Old Crow . It has been controversially suggested that human occupation dates to 24,000 years Before Present (BP) based on radiocarbon dating of animal remains, but these dates are contested due to the uncertain stratigraphic context of the archaeological remains relative to

146-647: A Holikachuk phrase that means big river . Then, two years later, the Gwich'ins told the Hudson's Bay Company that their name for the river was Yukon and that the name meant white water river . White water river in fact corresponds to Gwich'in words that can be shortened to form Yukon . Because the Holikachuks had been trading regularly with both the Gwich’ins and the Yup'iks ,

219-466: A federal agency of the Government of Canada , also maintains three national parks and reserves within the territory: Kluane National Park and Reserve , Ivvavik National Park , and Vuntut National Park . The Yukon is also home to twelve National Historic Sites of Canada . The sites are also administered by Parks Canada , with five of the twelve sites being located within national parks. The territory

292-550: A human presence. The Old Crow Flats , another important area with early human presence, are located about 75 km northeast of the Bluefish Caves. The site was excavated by archaeologist Jacques Cinq-Mars between 1977 and 1987, and the initial radiocarbon dating suggested an age of 24,000 before present (BP). This was considered controversial as it was in contrast to the Clovis-First theory , widely accepted by academics at

365-409: A role in appointing the territory's Executive Council , served as chair, and had a day-to-day role in governing the territory. The elected Territorial Council had a purely advisory role. In 1979, a significant degree of power was devolved from the commissioner and the federal government to the territorial legislature which, in that year, adopted a party system of responsible government . This change

438-783: A shareholder vote. If provided for by a unanimous shareholders agreement, a corporation is not required to have directors at all. There is increased flexibility regarding the location of corporate records offices, including the ability to maintain a records office outside of the Yukon so long as it is accessible by electronic means. The Yukon's tourism motto is "Larger than life". The Yukon's tourism industry relies heavily on Yukon's natural environment, and there are many organized outfitters and guides available for activities such as hunting , angling , canoeing / kayaking , hiking , skiing , snowboarding , ice climbing , and dog sledding . These activities are offered both in an organized setting or in

511-588: A wide array of cultural and sporting events that attract artists, local residents, and tourists. Annual events include the Adäka Cultural Festival , Dawson City Music Festival , Yukon International Storytelling Festival , Yukon Quest dog sled race, Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous , as well as Klondike Gold Rush memorials and the Northern Lights Centre. The Yukon's Aboriginal culture is also strongly reflected in such areas as winter sports, as in

584-455: Is accessible from the Yukon at Pitkas Point), and Mountain Village . After Mountain Village, the main Yukon channel frays into many channels, sprawling across the delta. There are a number of communities after the "head of passes," as the channel division is called locally: Nunum Iqua , Alakanuk , Emmonak , and Kotlik . Of those delta communities, Emmonak is the largest with roughly 760 people in

657-521: Is also performed along the river in summer by barge , enabling heavy goods, oil, and vehicles to be transported to communities along the Yukon, Tanana, Innoko, and Koyukuk rivers. This service is performed by Ruby Marine and reaches Tanana on the Yukon River and Nenana on the Tanana River. Some of the upper slopes of this watershed (e.g. Nulato Hills ) are forested by Black Spruce . This locale near

730-763: Is host to a number of museums , including the Copperbelt Railway & Mining Museum , the SS Klondike boat museum, the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse; as well as the Keno City Mining Museum in Keno City . The territory also holds a number of enterprises that allows tourists to experience pre-colonial and modern cultures of Yukon's First Nations and Inuit. The Yukon has

803-536: Is mining (lead, zinc , silver, gold, asbestos and copper). The federal government acquired the land from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870 and split it from the Northwest Territories in 1898 to fill the need for local government created by the population influx of the gold rush. Thousands of these prospectors moved to the territory, ushering a period of Yukon history recorded by authors such as Robert W. Service and Jack London . The memory of this period and

SECTION 10

#1732847570411

876-532: Is named after the Yukon River , the longest river in the Yukon. The name itself is from a contraction of the words in the Gwich'in phrase chųų gąįį han , which means "white water river" and refers to "the pale colour" of glacial runoff in the Yukon River. Historically, the name of the Yukon Territory has been abbreviated to "The Yukon" in informal speech. In 2003, the territorial government announced that

949-590: Is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest on the North American continent (after Denali in the U.S. state of Alaska ). Most of the Yukon has a subarctic climate , characterized by long, cold winters and brief, warm summers. The coastal area along the Arctic Ocean has a tundra climate . Notable rivers include the Yukon , Pelly , Stewart , Peel , White , Liard , and Tatshenshini . The territory

1022-575: Is the most densely populated of the three territories, with an estimated population of 46,704 as of 2024, though it has a smaller population than all provinces. Whitehorse , the territorial capital, is the largest settlement in any of the three territories. Yukon was split from the Northwest Territories in 1898 as the Yukon Territory . The federal government's Yukon Act , which received royal assent on March 27, 2002, established "Yukon" as

1095-427: The 2016 Canada Census the majority of the territory's population was of European descent, although it has a significant population of First Nations communities across the territory. The 2011 National Household Survey examined the Yukon's ethnocultural diversity and immigration. At that time, 87.7% of residents were Canadian-born and 24.2% were of Indigenous origin. The most common countries of birth for immigrants were

1168-611: The Chilkoot Trail . Either way, Atlin Lake flows into Tagish Lake (via the Atlin River), as eventually does Lake Lindeman after flowing into Bennett Lake . Tagish Lake then flows into Marsh Lake (via the Tagish River). The Yukon River proper starts at the northern end of Marsh Lake, just south of Whitehorse . Some argue that the source of the Yukon River should really be Teslin Lake and

1241-780: The Klondike Gold Rush trail is a lake flowing into Nares Lake, with the greater part of its area within Yukon. Other watersheds in the territory include the Mackenzie River, the Peel Watershed and the Alsek – Tatshenshini , and a number of rivers flowing directly into the Beaufort Sea. The two main Yukon rivers flowing into the Mackenzie in the Northwest Territories are the Liard River in

1314-625: The Municipal Act include cities and towns . Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon and its only city. The remaining seven municipalities are towns, of which four were villages that were continued as towns upon adoption of the 2001 Municipal Act . The usage is somewhat confusing: according to the Municipal Act of 2001 villages are legally given the status of towns, but may call themselves villages in English. In French they are called villages, and

1387-535: The Seward Peninsula represents the near westernmost limit of the Black Spruce, Picea mariana , one of the most widespread conifers in northern North America. The river flows into several parklands and refuges including: Yukon at Pilot Station (121 miles upstream of mouth) minimum, average and maximum discharge: for statistical calculation The Yukon River is home to one of the longest salmon runs in

1460-604: The Takhini River ) and Kluane Lake (into the Kluane and then White River). The river passes through the communities of Whitehorse , Carmacks , (just before the Five Finger Rapids ) and Dawson City in Yukon , and crossing Alaska into Eagle , Circle , Fort Yukon , Stevens Village , Rampart , Tanana , Ruby , Galena , Nulato , Grayling , Holy Cross , Russian Mission , Marshall , Pilot Station , St. Marys (which

1533-541: The Teslin River , which has a larger flow when it reaches the Yukon at Hootalinqua. The upper end of the Yukon River was originally known as the Lewes River until it was established that it actually was the Yukon. North of Whitehorse, the Yukon River widens into Lake Laberge , made famous by Robert W. Service 's " The Cremation of Sam McGee ". Other large lakes that are part of the Yukon River system include Kusawa Lake (into

SECTION 20

#1732847570411

1606-566: The U.S. state of Alaska to the west and northwest for 1,210 kilometres (752 mi) mostly along longitude 141° W , the Northwest Territories to the east and British Columbia to the south mostly along latitude 60° N . Its northern coast is on the Beaufort Sea . Its ragged eastern boundary mostly follows the divide between the Yukon Basin and the Mackenzie River drainage basin to

1679-710: The Yukon Quest sled dog race. The modern comic-book character Yukon Jack depicts a heroic aboriginal persona. Similarly, the territorial government also recognizes that First Nations and Inuit languages plays a part in cultural heritage of the territory; these languages include Tlingit , and the less common Tahltan , as well as seven Athapaskan languages, Upper Tanana , Gwich'in , Hän , Northern Tutchone , Southern Tutchone , Kaska , and Tagish , some of which are rare. Notable Yukon artists include Jim Robb and Ted Harrison , whose paintings have become iconic for their depictions of historic and contemporary life and culture in

1752-621: The backcountry , which is accessible by air or snowmobile . The Yukon's festivals and sporting events include the Adäka Cultural Festival , Yukon International Storytelling Festival , and the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous . The Yukon's latitude enables the view of aurora borealis . The Yukon Government maintains a series of territorial parks, including parks such as Herschel Island Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park , Tombstone Territorial Park , Fishing Branch Ni'iinlii'njik Park , and Coal River Springs Territorial Park. Parks Canada ,

1825-416: The 2000 census. Emmonak's gravel airstrip is the regional hub for flights. Navigational obstacles on the Yukon River are the Five Finger Rapids and Rink Rapids downstream from Carmacks. Despite its length, there are only four vehicle-carrying bridges across the river, listed from upstream to downstream: A car ferry crosses the river at Dawson City in the summer; it is replaced by an ice bridge over

1898-508: The Alaska Department of Fish & Game's Division of Commercial Fisheries banned all fishing of Chinook and chum salmon, including for subsistence. Various organizations are involved to protect healthy salmon runs into the future. The Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association was formed in 1990 by a consensus of fishers representing the entire drainage in response to recent disaster years. Its organizational goals include giving voice to

1971-476: The French word ville, which means town, is not used for them. Instead larger settlements are called ville and even bigger ones grande ville, apart from Dawson which is called a cité, and in English is also called a city. Keno City , though unincorporated, also bears city in its name. In the 19th century, the Yukon was a segment of North-Western Territory that was administered by the Hudson's Bay Company , and then of

2044-468: The Holikachuks were in a position to borrow the Gwich'in contraction and to conflate its meaning with the meaning of Kuig-pak [River-big], which is the Yup'ik name for the same river. For that reason, the documentary evidence suggests that the Holikachuks had borrowed the contraction Ųųg Han [White Water River] from Gwich'in, and erroneously assumed that this contraction had the same literal meaning as

2117-485: The Northwest Territories administered by the federal Canadian government. It only obtained a recognizable local government in 1895 when it became a separate district of the Northwest Territories . In 1898, it was made a separate territory with its own commissioner and an appointed Territorial Council. Prior to 1979, the territory was administered by the commissioner who was appointed by the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development . The commissioner had

2190-624: The United Kingdom (15.9%), the Philippines (15.0%), and the United States (13.2%). Among very recent immigrants (between 2006 and 2011) living in the Yukon, 63.5% were born in Asia. Visible minority and indigenous identity (2016): As of the 2016 census, the top ten ancestries in the Yukon were: The most commonly reported mother tongue among the 33,145 single responses to the 2011 Canadian census

2263-686: The Yukon Party forming the government as premier . In 2003, the old Yukon Act was repealed and replaced by a new Yukon Act , which continued the existing powers of the Yukon Government, and devolved additional powers to the territorial government such as control over land and natural resources. At the federal level, the Yukon is represented in the Parliament of Canada by one member of Parliament (MP) and one senator . MPs from Canadian territories are full and equal voting representatives and residents of

Bluefish Caves - Misplaced Pages Continue

2336-551: The Yukon River. The contraction is Ųųg Han , if the /ųų/ remains nasalized , or Yuk Han , if there is no vowel nasalization. In the 1840s, different tribes had different opinions as to the literal meaning of Yukon . In 1843, the Holikachuks had told the Russian-American Company that their name for the river was Yukkhana and that this name meant big river . However, Yukkhana does not literally correspond to

2409-551: The Yukon hold some of the earliest evidence of the presence of human habitation in North America. The sites safeguard the history of the first people and the earliest First Nations of the Yukon. The volcanic eruption of Mount Churchill in approximately 800 AD in what is now the U.S. state of Alaska blanketed the southern Yukon with a layer of ash which can still be seen along the Klondike Highway , and which forms part of

2482-580: The Yukon in January 1979. The Yukon New Democratic Party (NDP) formed the government from 1985 to 1992 under Tony Penikett and again from 1996 under Piers McDonald until being defeated in 2000. The conservatives returned to power in 1992 under John Ostashek after having renamed themselves the Yukon Party . The Liberal government of Pat Duncan was defeated in elections in November 2002, with Dennis Fentie of

2555-557: The Yukon include set gillnets , drift nets , dip nets , and fish wheels . The preference of certain gear is largely dependent on the river's varied characteristics in different areas. Some parts of the river do not have eddies to make set-nets successful, whereas in other places the tributaries are small enough to make drifting impractical. Over the last 20 years salmon recruitment, the number of returning adults, has taken several shocks. The late 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s have been marked by radically reduced runs for various salmon species. In

2628-519: The Yukon, and permits their use in Legislative Assembly proceedings, although only English and French are available for laws and court proceedings. The 2021 Canadian census reported that 59.7% of Yukoners reported having no religious affiliation, the highest percentage in Canada . The most frequently reported religious affiliation was Christianity, reported by 35.0% of residents, followed by Sikhism at 1.0%. The Yukon's major industry

2701-519: The Yukon, though, local level governance is provided by municipalities . The Yukon's eight municipalities cover only 0.2% of the territory's land mass but are home to 80.9% of its population. Municipal governments are created by the Yukon Government in accordance with the Municipal Act of 2001. Municipal governments provide "jurisdiction services, facilities, or things that a local government considers necessary or desirable for all or part of its community". Classifications of municipalities under

2774-508: The Yukon. With the Klondike Gold Rush , a number of folk songs from the Yukon became popular, including "Rush to the Klondike" (1897, written by W. T. Diefenbaker), "The Klondike Gold Rush", "I've Got the Klondike Fever" (1898), and "La Chanson du Klondyke". A notable cultural and tourist feature is the legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush (1897–1899), which inspired contemporary writers of

2847-517: The abandoned town of Snag dropped down to −63.0 °C (−81.4 °F). Unlike most of Canada where the most extreme heat waves occur in July, August, and even September, the Yukon's extreme heat tends to occur in June and even May. The Yukon has recorded 36 °C (97 °F) three times. The first time was in June 1969 when Mayo recorded a temperature of 36.1 °C (97 °F). 14 years later this record

2920-641: The assets of the Russian-American Company and constructed several posts at various locations on the Yukon River. The Yukon River has a recent history of pollution from military installations, dumps, wastewater, and other sources. However, the Environmental Protection Agency does not list the Yukon River among its impaired watersheds, and water-quality data from the U.S. Geological Survey shows relatively good levels of turbidity, metals, and dissolved oxygen. The Yukon and Mackenzie rivers have much higher suspended sediment concentrations than

2993-691: The border. The agreement is implemented through the Yukon River Panel, an international body of 12 members, equal-parts American and Canadian, that advises managers of Yukon River fisheries concerning restoration, conservation, and coordinated management. Tribal organizations such as the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP), Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (CATG), and Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) work to sustain Yukon River salmon to promote healthy people, cultures, and communities. The main river and tributaries are (sorted in order from

Bluefish Caves - Misplaced Pages Continue

3066-412: The corporation, a practice off-limits in most other jurisdictions due to the inherent potential for conflicts of interest. One of the changes will allow a corporation to serve as a director of a subsidiary registered in Yukon. The legislation also allows companies to add provisions in their articles of incorporation giving directors blanket approval to sell off all of the company's assets without requiring

3139-582: The corresponding Yup'ik name Kuig-pak [River-big]. The Lewes River is the former name of the upper course of the Yukon, from Marsh Lake to the confluence of the Pelly River at Fort Selkirk . The generally accepted source of the Yukon River is the Llewellyn Glacier at the southern end of Atlin Lake in British Columbia . Others suggest that the source is Lake Lindeman at the northern end of

3212-455: The current, with an estimated 35–50% bound for Canada. As a result, Chinook salmon are noted for their especially rich and fatty meat and are the priciest of all Pacific salmon species. The villages along the Yukon have historically relied on and continue to rely on salmon for their cultural, subsistence, and commercial needs. Salmon are traditionally dried, smoked, and frozen for both human and sled dog consumption. Common methods of fishing on

3285-448: The dated animal remains. There are three small caves in the area. Bluefish Cave was initially known to the local First Nations , but was popularized by a fishing expedition in 1976, and later by researchers. This site is made up of three small caves, ranging from 10 to 30 m (350 to 1,060 cu ft). The first cave contains various animal bones that appear to have been dragged there by predators; findings of cut marks may point to

3358-408: The dating (based on claimed disturbances ) and the culturality of the faunal remains, but support for the 2017 study was reiterated by the author of that report. Yukon Yukon ( Canadian French : [juˈkõ] ; formerly called the Yukon Territory ( French : Territoire du Yukon ) and referred to as the Yukon ) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories . It

3431-471: The early days of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , as well as the territory's scenic wonders and outdoor recreation opportunities, makes tourism the second most important industry in the territory. Manufacturing, including furniture, clothing, and handicrafts, follows in importance, along with hydroelectricity . The traditional industries of trapping and fishing have declined. As of 2012,

3504-413: The east in the Mackenzie mountains. Most of the territory is in the watershed of its namesake, the Yukon River. The southern Yukon is dotted with a large number of large, long and narrow glacier-fed alpine lakes, most of which flow into the Yukon River system. The larger lakes include Teslin Lake , Atlin Lake , Tagish Lake , Marsh Lake , Lake Laberge , Kusawa Lake and Kluane Lake . Bennett Lake on

3577-545: The effects of climate change on ocean food-supply & disease prevalence in returning adults, the methods of fishing used on the river, and the effects of the Bering Sea Pollock trawl fleet on food supply and salmon bycatch. In 2010, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game's Board of Fisheries issued the first-ever restriction for net mesh size on the Yukon, reducing it to 7.5 inches (190 mm). In 2021,

3650-563: The electoral district of Porter Creek South as its MLA. Pillai took office on January 14, 2023. After the 2021 Yukon general election , the Liberals were reduced to a minority government , though they were able to continue governing due to a formal agreement with the NDP. The vast majority of the Yukon's land mass is unorganized , with no defined municipal or otherwise supralocal level of government like in other parts of Canada. For most individuals in

3723-565: The frozen river during the winter. Plans to build a permanent bridge were announced in March 2004, although they are currently on hold because bids came in much higher than budgeted. There are also two pedestrian-only bridges in Whitehorse, as well as a dam across the river and a hydroelectric generating station. The construction of the dam flooded the White Horse Rapids , which gave the city its name, and created Schwatka Lake . Transportation

SECTION 50

#1732847570411

3796-457: The government sector directly employs approximately 6,300 out of a labour force of 20,800, on a population of 27,500. On May 1, 2015, the Yukon modified its Business Corporations Act, in an effort to attract more benefits and participants to its economy. One amendment to the BCA lets a proxy be given for voting purposes. Another change will allow directors to pursue business opportunities declined by

3869-537: The great Siberian Arctic rivers. The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council , a cooperative effort of 70 First Nations and tribes in Alaska and Canada, has the goal of making the river and its tributaries safe to drink from again by supplementing and scrutinizing government data. The name Yukon , or ųųg han , is a contraction of the words in the Gwich'in phrase chųų gąįį han , which means white water river and refers to "the pale colour" of glacial runoff in

3942-400: The highest among Canada's three territories. Statistics Canada has estimated Yukon's 2024 population to be 45,750, an increase of 17.5% from the 2016 census. This is the largest percentage increase for any Canadian province or territory. Unlike in other Canadian provinces and territories , Statistics Canada uses the entire territory as a single at-large census division. According to

4015-420: The legislature are known as members of the Legislative Assembly and may use the post nominal letters "MLA". The three parties presently represented are the centre-leaning Yukon Liberal Party (8 seats) – who currently form government, the centre-right leaning Yukon Party (8), and the centre-left leaning Yukon New Democratic Party (3). The 10th and current premier of Yukon is Ranj Pillai , who represents

4088-531: The neighbouring Northwest Territories. As a result of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, the island is now a territorial park and is known officially as Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Qikiqtaruk being the name of the island in Inuvialuktun . Yukon River The longest river in Alaska and Yukon, it was one of the principal means of transportation during the 1896–1903 Klondike Gold Rush . A portion of

4161-423: The oral tradition of First Nations peoples in the Yukon and further south in Canada. Coastal and inland First Nations had extensive trading networks. European incursions into the area began early in the 19th century with the fur trade , followed by missionaries . By the 1870s and 1880s, gold miners began to arrive. This drove a population increase that justified the establishment of a police force, just in time for

4234-516: The river in Yukon—"The Thirty Mile" section, from Lake Laberge to the Teslin River —is a national heritage river and a unit of Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park . Paddle-wheel riverboats continued to ply the river until the 1950s, when the Klondike Highway was completed. After the purchase of Alaska by the United States in 1867, the Alaska Commercial Company acquired

4307-592: The southeast and the Peel River and its tributaries in the northeast. Canada's highest point, Mount Logan (5,959 m or 19,551 ft), is in the territory's southwest. Mount Logan and a large part of the Yukon's southwest are in Kluane National Park and Reserve , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Other national parks include Ivvavik National Park and Vuntut National Park in the north. A second UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tr'ondëk-Klondike World Heritage Site ,

4380-427: The start of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. The increased population coming with the gold rush led to the separation of the Yukon district from the Northwest Territories and the formation of the separate Yukon Territory in 1898. The 2021 census reported a Yukon population of 40,232. With a land area of 474,712.64 km (183,287.57 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.1/km (0.2/sq mi) in 2011,

4453-446: The summer of 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service counted 58,500 Chinook salmon, the second lowest season on record. The United States Department of Commerce issued a Federal Disaster Declaration for the 2008 and 2009 Commercial Chinook Yukon River fisheries, calling for the complete closure of commercial fishing along with restrictions on subsistence fishing. The root cause of these poor returns remains debated, with questions about

SECTION 60

#1732847570411

4526-444: The territory enjoy the same rights as other Canadian citizens. One Yukon MP, Erik Nielsen , served as Deputy Prime Minister under Brian Mulroney , while another, Audrey McLaughlin , was the leader of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) from 1989 to 1995. The territory once had an Inuit settlement, located on Herschel Island off the Arctic Ocean coast. This settlement was dismantled in 1987 and its inhabitants relocated to

4599-465: The territory should be referred to as "Yukon", but the change in name sparked discussion amongst Yukoners. In the 2021 election, the leader of the Yukon NDP , Kate White , campaigned on returning to using "The Yukon". Following the election, the Yukon Party government announced that "The Yukon" would again be used by the government. The territory is the approximate shape of a right triangle , bordering

4672-534: The territory's official name, although Yukon Territory remains in popular usage. Canada Post uses the territory's internationally approved postal abbreviation of YT . In 2021, territorial government policy was changed so that " The Yukon" would be recommended for use in official territorial government materials. Although officially bilingual (English and French), the Yukon government recognizes First Nations languages. At 5,959 m (19,551 ft), Yukon's Mount Logan , in Kluane National Park and Reserve ,

4745-447: The territory, the Commissioner generally acts on the advice of the Premier of Yukon , who commands the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly . Unlike lieutenant governors, commissioners are not direct representatives of the King but are instead appointed by the federal government. The Yukon has numerous political parties and candidates who stand for election to the 19 seats in the Yukon Legislative Assembly . Those elected to

4818-443: The time such as Jack London , Robert W. Service , and Jules Verne , and which continues to inspire films and games, such as Mae West's Klondike Annie and The Yukon Trail (see Cultural legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush ) . Executive power in the Yukon is formally vested in the Territorial Commissioner , who plays an analogous role to that of a provincial lieutenant governor . As guarantor of responsible government in

4891-402: The time, which considered the earliest settlement date of North America to be around 13,000 BP. A review of the site in 2017 found it to be 24,000 years old, lending support to the "Beringian standstill" hypothesis — that the ancestors of Native Americans spent considerable time isolated in a Beringian refuge during the Last Glacial Maximum before populating the Americas. A later paper questioned

4964-454: The village fishers that have traditionally managed these resources, enabling communication between fishers and fishery managers, and helping to preserve the ecological integrity of salmon runs and local cultures' Traditional Ecological Knowledge In March 2001, the U.S. & Canadian governments passed the Yukon River Salmon Agreement to better manage an internationally shared resource and ensure that more Canadian-originated salmon return across

5037-436: The world. Each year Chinook , coho , and chum salmon return to their terminal streams in Alaska, the Yukon Territory , and British Columbia. As salmon do not eat during their spawning migration, Yukon River salmon must have great reserves of fat and energy to fuel their thousands-mile-long journey. The Chinook, which arrive at the mouth of the Yukon River in early June, have the longest journey – as many as 2,000 miles against

5110-417: Was English at 28,065 ( 85%). The second-most common was 1,455 ( 4%) for French. Among 510 multiple respondents, 140 of them ( 27%) reported a mother tongue of both English and French, while 335 ( 66%) reported English and a " non-official language" and 20 ( 4%) reported French and a " non-official language". The Yukon's Language Act "recognises the significance" of the territory's aboriginal languages in

5183-399: Was accomplished through a letter from Jake Epp , Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, rather than through formal legislation. In preparation for responsible government , political parties were organized and ran candidates to the Yukon Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1978. The Progressive Conservatives won these elections and formed the first party government of

5256-559: Was almost beaten when Forty Mile recorded 36 °C (97 °F) in May 1983. The old record was finally broken 21 years later in June 2004 when the Mayo Road weather station, located just northwest of Whitehorse , recorded a temperature of 36.5 °C (97.7 °F). Long before the arrival of Europeans, the central and southern Yukon was populated by First Nations people, and the area escaped glaciation . Sites of archeological significance in

5329-579: Was designated in 2023. Notable widespread tree species within the Yukon are the black spruce and white spruce . Many trees are stunted because of the short growing season and severe climate. While the average winter temperature in the Yukon is mild by Canadian arctic standards, no other place in North America gets as cold as the Yukon during extreme cold snaps. The temperature has dropped down to −60 °C (−76 °F) three times, 1947, 1952, and 1968. The most extreme cold snap occurred in February 1947 when

#410589