'Following Our Ancestors'
Saiga (tube-nosed sheep)
Wooly mammoth
'Traveling the St. Elias Range'
The road to ourselves....barely a vehicle in sight! The expansiveness of the North surrounded us!
We had borrowed our friend, Graham's car, and we were off toward Alaska to Haine's Junction.
The whole day was filled with us face to face with a stunning mountain sight. The sun bounced off of the blue-purple of the ice fields. The highway rose and fell like an eagle. A truly amazing corridor of mountains, the St. Elias Range.
Today, as before in history, there is a lake on top of a glacier in the area, which is melting. The water lifts the glacier and finally breaks through, like as in a dam, and can release up to l million cubic litres per second. It would flood a huge part of this area.
Round and About Whitehorse, Yukon
Father Winter Dancing Around the Flames
Dov and Mara In Front of the Flames
Dov and Mara in front of the white horses
Graham's favourite time of the year is winter. I can see the truth of his statement 'In the winter there is no distinction between the land and the water. It is all one. Your world becomes wider, larger and you can go places you could not go in the summer.' I experienced this during my dog mushing when I, too, went to places I could not have gone in the summer...on top of the frozen Takhini and Yukon Rivers for hours.
Beringia Interpretive Centre, Whitehorse
Huge fangs of a massive scimitar cat smiled its welcome as I stepped through the door of Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon.
I was to spend two afternoons enveloping myself in the prehistory of North America--following our ancestors from Asia. Although I already knew of this, I instinctively knew I was about to embark on a deeper journey which would forever change my view of myself born in North America.
Beringia--an ancient continent of bridging what we now know as Siberia and Alaska during the last Ice Age, 20,000 years ago. During the Ice Ages sea levels dropped as much as 100-150 meters, revealing the floor of the Bering Sea and thus creating more land connection between Alaska and Siberia. This land bridge was part of a larger unglaciated area called Beringia
Beringia--an ancient continent of bridging what we now know as Siberia and Alaska during the last Ice Age, 20,000 years ago. During the Ice Ages sea levels dropped as much as 100-150 meters, revealing the floor of the Bering Sea and thus creating more land connection between Alaska and Siberia. This land bridge was part of a larger unglaciated area called Beringia
Beringia, covered in grasses and herbs of the steppe, was home to the giants of the Ice Age and a time when they dominated and flourished.
Saiga (tube-nosed sheep)
Wooly mammothAcross this bridge moved man and the mammals of the time--bison, wooly mammoth, giant sloth, saiga (tube nosed sheep), giant beaver, scimitar cat, giant short-face bear, musk ox to name just a few. During the last Ice Age, 20, 000 years ago, man, the greatest hunter of all, followed these mammals from Siberia into North America along this grassed corridor laying between two mountain ranges.
Giant sloth
Most Ice Age mammals became extinct in this area when the climate became warmer about 10,000 years ago. Only those mammals, including man, who could adapt to boreal forest and tundra survived.
Berinigia Centre is an interactive museum with movies, fascinating maps, life size models of prehistoric mammals and displays of First Nations legends of these Ice Age giants and the creation story of flooded lands. I spent 2 wonderful afternoons there, like a sponge, soaking in the amazing information.
Later in the week when I went dog mushing I found myself on my own rivers of ice--the Takhini and Yukon Rivers. On that journey I thought of my ancestors, wondered what I, too, must look like on my sled with my dogs, from the high cliffs rising above my ice pathway. I invite you to read my article --'Let's Go! Dog Mushing In the Yukon.'
Later in the week when I went dog mushing I found myself on my own rivers of ice--the Takhini and Yukon Rivers. On that journey I thought of my ancestors, wondered what I, too, must look like on my sled with my dogs, from the high cliffs rising above my ice pathway. I invite you to read my article --'Let's Go! Dog Mushing In the Yukon.'
'Traveling the St. Elias Range'
Whitehorse, Yukon
The road to ourselves....barely a vehicle in sight! The expansiveness of the North surrounded us!
We had borrowed our friend, Graham's car, and we were off toward Alaska to Haine's Junction.
The whole day was filled with us face to face with a stunning mountain sight. The sun bounced off of the blue-purple of the ice fields. The highway rose and fell like an eagle. A truly amazing corridor of mountains, the St. Elias Range.
Today, as before in history, there is a lake on top of a glacier in the area, which is melting. The water lifts the glacier and finally breaks through, like as in a dam, and can release up to l million cubic litres per second. It would flood a huge part of this area.
Many times that day I was left speechless in awe at the spendour of this area. I discovered campgrounds for $10 and free firewood. I will be back!
Round and About Whitehorse, Yukon
'Burn Away The Winter Blues Festival'
The night was typical for March--breath-take-away cold, black and vibrant! We could see the procession quickly moving along the lake's road, torches held high, banners waving and the beat of the drum getting louder.
The night was typical for March--breath-take-away cold, black and vibrant! We could see the procession quickly moving along the lake's road, torches held high, banners waving and the beat of the drum getting louder.
'Burn Away The Winter Blues' , honouring the Spring Equinox, was beginning! Streams of people followed the procession into Whitehorse's park beside the Yukon River. A huge rectangular bonfire was ablaze, banners depicting both winter and spring's face were being danced around the fire, fire dancers danced with liquid ease, drums continued. Finally, Father Winter's banner was thrown into the leaping flames of the fire. Everyone cheered. Winter was officially over!
Father Winter Dancing Around the Flames
Dov and Mara In Front of the Flames
'
Around The Whitehorse Community'
Dov and Mara in front of the white horses
of Whitehorse, ice sculpturing
We were there about l month before the spring thaw. Underfoot was treacherous ice packed down from the winter. I used a ski walking pole to safely go for walks or to shop in town. Whitehorse has a great library where I spent time reading history books or taking out historical videos.
We were there about l month before the spring thaw. Underfoot was treacherous ice packed down from the winter. I used a ski walking pole to safely go for walks or to shop in town. Whitehorse has a great library where I spent time reading history books or taking out historical videos.
We had an upstairs bedroom at Graham's, a friend of Dov's (David). Graham has lived in the Yukon for over 30 years, very involved in the community. I loved to spend time at a desk, reading, writing looking at this range of mountains as they would change colour through the day.
Graham's favourite time of the year is winter. I can see the truth of his statement 'In the winter there is no distinction between the land and the water. It is all one. Your world becomes wider, larger and you can go places you could not go in the summer.' I experienced this during my dog mushing when I, too, went to places I could not have gone in the summer...on top of the frozen Takhini and Yukon Rivers for hours.
I invite you to read 'Let's Go! Dog Mushing In the Yukon', one of the articles in my blog.
March, 2009
Copyrighted MB, 2009
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