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Dear Mike,
You won’t believe the trip we just had! As you
know I won the top sales award for the Ottawa region
so Bob and I went on this corporate program with the
company. It was amazing. Now, I’ve been on these
programs before but this was like nothing I have ever
seen. You have heard of the Yukon right? But who knew
it was so beautiful. I didn’t know that there
were places so untouched and spectacular left in
the world.
Well that was just the beginning so let me slow down
here.
We flew to Vancouver and took a cruise up the BC
and Alaska coast. I’ve been on cruises before
but this one was different. Exotic ports of call
came second to
the whale sighting and glacier tours. The food was
as always amazing.
We got off the ship in Skagway and after touring
around the town site we jumped on the White Pass
and Yukon Route
train. I don’t know what I was expecting but the
train ride was more than any of us bargained for. Narrow
gauge and running along mountain sides. They weren’t
kidding when they named this one the engineering
feats in the world. And to add to the amazing trip,
we had
a First Nation guide with us explaining the history,
trading routes and aboriginal names of the mountains
and trails.
The train took us through the same area that the
Klondike Gold Rush stampeders trekked. It wound around
Lake Bennett
past former sites of tent cities and fish camps.
The train took us right up to the resort site and
off we
all stepped into the world of the Four Mountains
Resort & Cultural
Centre.
It was amazing right from the beginning. A drummer
was standing there as we got off the train and sang
a welcoming
song. We all learned the legend behind the Four Mountains
and the history that surrounded us. Amazing to think
that the rich cultural history of the Tagish people
that linked the coastal and inland peoples with the
trading
routes would also play such a vital role in the Gold
Rush – apparently one of their ancestors is
one of the founders of the original strike near Dawson
City.
We all headed into the lobby to check in and as our
bags were whisked away to our rooms we all stood
in amazement
at the view of Lake Bennett and the mountains. All
we could see – sky, mountains, water. It was
spectacular.
While at the Four Mountains Resort we met people
from all around the world. It’s amazing how captivated
the Europeans are with the wide open spaces and outdoor
adventures. We ended up staying with our program as we
had to take in a few meetings and the staff at the resort
programmed our itineraries around the meetings. But with
the beautiful meeting space in the hotel and then the
program offerings outside the resort, it really didn’t
feel like work.
Bob and I chose to do a few neat adventures, nothing
too risky though some in the group were adventurous
and did the white water rafting and the rock climbing!
But
Bob loves fishing so we ended up doing a fly-in day
trip with a few other resort guests. Our pilot picked
us up
at the resort and off we went to a lake over beyond
the mountain range.
Oh, it was beautiful Mike. A glorious day and the
fishing was fabulous. We hooked up with some other
guests at
lunch and had a salmon bake on the shores of the
lake. The resort had a First Nation guide join us
and told
us stories of ‘days gone by’ as he said.
I could have sat there all day and listened. But
in the end we went back and went horse back riding
on some of
the trails we spotted from the train.
And the days went by like that – we went on
an ATV tour, saw some caribou, went fishing, went
fishing,
went fishing (Bob was in heaven). I went to Whitehorse
for a day and did some shopping for the kids and
did a trip over to Kluane National Park. But my favourite
part was when we had our last business session for
the
company. I thought it was just going to be another
session. Instead one of the people from this area
(Tagish decent
I believe) lead us through a discussion on the philosophies
of his people and a smudging ceremony for our meeting.
Then an artist came in and showed us how he creates
his work and how the animal in the wood shows itself
so he
can carve that piece (one of the other delegates
ended up buying the work right on the spot).
The last evening the resort put on an amazing show
for our group. It was a gold rush themed play about
the hike
over the pass and the boats that were all built
in this place. Amazing how the cultures all came together
here.
It was fun and we all got to eat different wild
meat
and then dance the night away. The next morning
we walked around the community of Carcross one last
time. What
a quaint little town, quiet, lots of history and
so different from Skagway or Whitehorse (not that
many people but
all wonderful!) which we also loved.
It all ended way too fast and I want to go back.
We headed out of Whitehorse (pretty close to
the resort but you
would never know) on Air North which is also
owned by another Yukon First Nation group. The flight
took us
back over the mountains ranges we had explored
and landed us back in Vancouver. It was a bittersweet
moment when
we left the Yukon. We just loved the place and
the
people who live there made it such a genuine
experience. I want
to go back and we will!!
Anyway, attached a few photos to show you why.
Talk to you soon. Love to the family.
Your sister,
Joan |
