Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle

DREAMSCAPES FALL/ WINTER 2021 22 cross-country ski, snowshoe, or by a guided tour bus around the preserve. OUT-OF-TOWN OFF-GRID SLED ADVENTURES Just a 30-minute drive south from White- horse, and a world away from city life, take a shuttle bus and ascend lofty peaks to the winter wonderland of Fish Lake and the Sky High Wilderness Ranch, an off-grid ranch in the bush. I fell madly in love with blue-eyed sled dogs there on a half-day mushing expe- rience. Don't tell my mini golden doodle but those pooches graced my smartphone's home screen for a while. I couldn't wait to show the lovable sled dog shots to friends despite a happy accident that saw them gleefully race off leaving me headfirst in a fluffy snowdrift. I leaned the wrong way on a corner! While my idea of turning pro-musher came dashing down to earth it is an incredible way to spend time outdoors, and has made me seriously considering a multi-day tour that involves valuable daily hands-on learning with your own team of sled dogs. "Many guests cry when they leave, and we often receive email inquiries about 'their' dogs," says Jocelyne LeBlanc, partner at the Sky High Wilderness Ranch on the bond guests have with these dogs, this writer included. BEYOND WHITEHORSE Less than an hour east of Whitehorse on the Alaska Highway, one boutique lodge has earned a well-deserved reputation for luxury in the wild with its private decks, outdoor hot tub, 24-hour fitness centre and gourmet meals. The Inn on the Lake attracts solo women travellers and couples who seek a rustic expe- rience with divine creature comforts. Outerwear rentals of boots and parkas are available. On the dining scene, thanks to the culinary prowess of Carson Schiffkorn, chef- owner of Inn on the Lake, the cuisine is second to none. He peppers delicacies with RIGHT: Outside Whitehorse, see muskox roam at the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, providing visitors with thrilling wildlife viewing. BOTTOM: There are so many special moments on a dogsledding tour. Many visitors find it easy to bond with their sled dogs. Tourism Yukon/JF Bergeron - Enviro Photo OPPOSITE: Head into the Yukon's winter wonderland on a thrilling snowmobile ride. Tourism Yukon/C. Archbould INSIDER'S TIP Get pampered at the Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs, a brand-new spa facility at the naturally heated geothermic Takhini hot spring, located outside Whitehorse. The stylish spa offers 15 bodies of water varying in temperature from 35–42 degrees, two steam rooms and two saunas, plus relaxation rooms, and decks and patios with fire bowls and heated concrete loungers. Make it an overnight stay at the on-site vacation rentals.

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