Monday, February 6, 2023

Yellowknife NWT - a Northern City Near the Arctic Circle

 

Photo Tawna Brown


For a long time, there was no road into Yellowknife.  Bush Pilots would make the trip into a vast land, searching for adventure.  Once Yellowknife did start to grow, bush planes became a vital source for the transportation of people, food, supplies, and vehicles. 


Photo Doris Daily


The Bush Pilot monument on a hill around the corner gives visitors a great 360-degree outlook over parts of the Great Slave Lake and its many floating homes and float planes and towards the city.  It also offers views of the various buildings of historical significance such as log cabins from the days of the gold rush.  This monument is honoring the bush pilots of today and yesterday, who helped open up the north to the rest of Canada. 



Photo Doris Daily


Not far from this monument, a small Dene community is located on the edge of Yellowknife on the tip of Latham Island. In 1959, the first ten permanent houses for Dene families were built.  They were colorful homes and so people began referring to the community as 'Rainbow Valley'. In the 1970s there were 200 residents living in 20 houses, now there are almost double the amount of houses.  


Photo Doris Daily


The name was officially changed to Ndilǫ in 1991, which means "end of the island" in the local Dene dialect.  Some of the stop signs in Yellowknife are bi-lingual in their dialect and in English.
.


Photo Tawna Brown


Great Adventures

Yellowknife is a gateway for the great adventure tourism activities of the nearby region, including the spectacular nature and the stunning views of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) from September to March.  One of the best ways to experience nature around Yellowknife is through a dog sled tour, on snow shoes, cross-country skiing, or in summer by floatplane or boat. 


Photo Tawna Brown


An estimated 20,000 moose live throughout the NWT within and beyond the tree line.  They can be found in the Yellowknife area during the late winter months.  The Northwest Territories are a sport hunter's Shangri La, served by a network of seasoned outfitters and blessed with robust, sustainable populations of some of the most prized species on Earth.  A whole range of hunting experiences is available. 


Photo Tawna Brown
 


In the Mackenzie mountains, Dall's sheep, alpine caribou, and huge moose wander the highlands. In the boreal forests and Barrenlands, hunters pursue bison, grizzlies, black bears, wolves, wolverines, and more. The Mackenzie Mountains may be the greatest virgin hunting ground left on Earth.  

Each summer and fall, lucky sports hunters get to experience it.  Some even hunt with pack horses.  Hunts start from a scenic alpine base camp, accessible only by floatplane.


Photo Doris Daily


Read more:

https://www.tawnabrown.com/yellowknife-four-seasons-lakes/

https://www.tawnabrown.com/yellowknife-winter-adventures/


.

Photo Doris Daily



<><><><><>

.