Updated 2025-09-09 with input from Heike Graf, who works with the Carcross Tagish First Nation.
After our breakfast and morning tour in Dawson, Arthur and I travelled south on the Klondike Highway, past Whitehorse and on to Carcross, where we connected again with Teresa. Teresa and her partner Pam generously allowed us to stay in their bunkhouse. Arthur was again pleased to sleep in a proper bed :)
Southern Yukon is very beautiful, as of course is all of Yukon, but with beautiful lakes and forested mountains. Teresa and Pam have waterfront property on a lake, very idyllic. They can open the door and go canoeing, or snowshoeing in winter!
The following morning we visited Carcross, starting with the Carcross Desert. The first thing we learnt about the Carcross Desert is that it isn't a desert! It's actually a series of sand dunes. Nonetheless it's fun to explore the dunes :)
Carcross is a cute little town, with a mix of First Nations, modern and gold rush influences. There is a small shopping area at the entrance to town that embraces traditional Tlingit art and architecture.
Carcross is on the White Pass and Yukon Railway, which operates between Skagway and Whitehorse, so there is a cute little train station! Correction - the railway no longer goes to Whitehorse, it now stops at Carcross!
I thought this 'leave a rock, take a rock' was a fun variation on the little free library movement!
We had the great good fortune to visit Carcross during the Haa Ḵusteeyí festival. This is a celebration of Tlingit culture, and this year the Carcross/Tagish First Nation hosted Inland Tlingit communities and, being an inclusive and welcoming event to all, visitors from all cultures and languages were encouraged to join, explore the traditional skills being displayed in workshops and exhibitions as well as feast, sing and dance in the traditional cultural ways of Inland Tlingit and Dene First Nations. Events were based at the Haa Kusteeyi Learning Centre on the shore of a chain of lakes that connect to Tagish Lake, Atlin, and other centres. Haa Kusteeyi is built in the traditional longhouse style.
The event we were privileged to witness was the canoe landing, where members of the Atlin and Carcross/Tagish First Nations arrived by canoe.
The drummer prepares everyone for the welcome ceremony.
There was a ceremony, where Haa sha du Hen, the chief of the Carcross Tagish First Nation, challenged the arrivals (who are you, why are you coming to our community?) and received a response (we are family and friends, and are coming to celebrate with you!).
Haa sha du Hen then welcomed the visitors to celebrate with her community.
In the video below, you can see the arrival of one of the canoes. As it approaches, it carefully turns around so that it can come onto the shore stern-first, to emphasise the friendly intentions. An enemy would dash in quickly, bow first, and avoid the vulnerability of the careful manuevering.
Unfortunately, we were not able to stay for the rest of the event, as we needed to be on our way. We pushed on to see the famous sign forest at Watson Lake, and to be honest we were a bit underwhelmed.
The gas station had some fun works of "art" made from old tires!
We then pushed on south on the Cassiar Highway, and spent the night at Dease Lake. Arthur celebrated that it was his last night in a tent, as we would be in hotels for the remainder of the trip :)
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