Section Profile: Yukon Section
Written by Geneviève Favreau.
Photos are by Alexandre Mischler from a trip to “Spicy Meatballs” climbing area.
A bunch of proud generalists
Representing Canada’s North since 2011, the Yukon Section’s 100 members can be found in their home range of the St. Elias Mountains as well as in neighbouring areas of Alaska and Canada.
I don’t think it would be true to say that the territory of the Yukon Section has a staple sport the way ice climbing is central to the Rocky Mountains and rock climbing defines Squamish. Our community is mainly based out of Whitehorse and, well, as much as many of us love to backcountry ski, our ski season is not exactly what you find at Rogers Pass. We do have some good rock to climb but access is sometimes our limitation. And some years we have ice, and others less so. We have the big mountains though and a population of quirky outdoorsy people willing to pick up almost any sport at any given time of the year to have a chance to do something outside. Yes, the classic Yukoner is a true generalist: good at everything, hardly exceptional at anything.
Pre-COVID good times.
It’s common for people to pick up road cycling for four weeks every year to race the Kluane Chilkat Bike Relay and when you get to the race there’s a good chance of seeing a 15 year-old racing a 70 km segment on a mountain bike as well as a unicyclist braving the high winds along Dezadeash Lake... you get the picture.
February 2020 was marked by two Yukon Section ice climbing trips – warmer weather had settled in after the -40 cold snap of January that had left us all homebound and the stoke was high. The group I joined was headed to a crag commonly referred to Spicy Meatballs although consensus in this community is hard to find (I am not sure I was able to identify this location by reading Alain Dallaire’s Yukon Ice Climbs ~ Whitehorse and Surrounding Areas). The group was formed of an eclectic combination of interests and skills: some mountain lovers looking to add another skill set to their bag, at least one injured skier who retreated to ice climbing to spend some time outside (sounds familiar?), two avid ice climbers, one photographer who happened to find an ice cave and others looking to socialize while doing a sport they love. The climb is technically in Alaska but the site is before the US border on the South Klondike Highway close to Skagway. There, the coastal climate brings warmer weather and some of the best waterfalls we get to climb...when we are allowed to go to the States.
Geneviève Favreau
Geneviève moved to Whitehorse, Yukon in Jue of 2017 and soon became involved with the ACVC Yukon Section as a top rope night leader. She took part in the leadership course at the Westfall Glacier GMC in August of 2019 before co-leading the Nahanni National Park Reserve Trip that same year. She is currently the trip coordinator and Chair of the Yukon Section.
Inspired? Get involved with your local section!
We invite all national ACC members to get more involved with their local sections. Are you new to town and feeling motivated to meet mountain people? Are you good with social media, writing grant proposals, or have an interest in becoming a volunteer trip leader to help build your guiding resume? Do you like working with youth outdoors or are you interested in grassroots environmental activism to help protect our mountains? If you possess any of these skills and interest, most sections are always looking for volunteer help.
