It was mid-morning when we arrived at Sky High Mountain Ranch for our dog-sledding adventure in Whitehorse Yukon about 20 minutes from downtown. A sea of magnificent pines bordered a large lake shining silver in the sunlight. Everything glistened topped with four inches of freshly fallen snow as if straight out of a fairytale. We […]
Canada, Destinations, Manitoba, North America, Travel Stories
The Thrill of Canada’s only Walking Polar Bear Safari
02
Jan
Jan
She’s walking straight at us. Her long, powerful strides putting her well within the 50 meters (164-foot) safety range. Even if I could run, what’s the point? She could outpace me in seconds. I look down the line of fellow photographers to where Andy McPhearson and Rob Watson, two of our three Churchill Wild guides, […]
02
Dec
Dec
From Below: Churchill Wild’s Seal River Heritage Lodge, Manitoba It’s the Aurora! Wake up! Rob, one of the guides from Churchill Wild, was down the hall knocking feverishly on guests’ doors. Wake up! I fumbled for my phone, not sure if I was dreaming. It was 2:39 a.m. C’mon, get up! Northern lights! It took me […]
Canada, Destinations, North America, Travel Tips
10 of the Most Beautiful Places in Canada for Spectacular Views
11
Oct
Oct
For me, a fantastic view isn’t necessarily a landscape, though it can be. It’s any scene that stops you in your tracks, puts a smile on your face or simply makes you gasp with wonder. I recently put together a list for U.S. News & World Report of some of the most beautiful places in Canada with spectacular […]
09
Oct
Oct
I’ve always loved exploring ruins. Something about the tattered remains of a bygone era that fascinates me. I’ve explored lost civilizations such as Machu Picchu, Tikal and Angkor Wat, and smaller, more modern gems such as the infamous Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. Most recently, it was the eerie pile of disintegrating boats in the […]
Alberta, Canada, Destinations, Travel Stories
Behind the Scenes of a Rodeo and What Makes Canadian Cowboys Tick
19
Sep
Sep
I don’t think much of him at first. He isn’t big or even that muscular. He just stares at the ground, swaying gently from side to side. What’s so intimidating? He looks up, and I make the mistake of holding his gaze. He doesn’t like that. He doesn’t like that one bit. Instantly, I feel […]
Alberta, Canada, Destinations, Travel Stories
Finding Fossils With Wendy Sloboda: Canadian Badlands’ Legendary Dinosaur Hunter
06
Sep
Sep
Standing on the hill above the ancient nursery, Wendy Sloboda squints into the afternoon sun, her mane of blonde dreadlocks resembling an elaborate tribal headdress. Her short, muscular frame is adorned with tattoos and her lips are pierced. One of many tattoos, an illustration of the parrot-beaked Wendiceratops pinhornensis she discovered and is named after her is […]
Canada, Destinations, North America, Travel Stories, Yukon
Yes, There is a Human Toe in the Infamous Sourtoe Cocktail (Video)
29
Aug
Aug
People do the craziest things. Just look at reality television. But who am I to judge? I joined the ranks of over 74,000 other nut jobs who’ve downed the famous Sourtoe Cocktail in Dawson City. (If you haven’t heard, that’s a whiskey shot garnished with a desiccated human toe.) What can I say? I’m a […]
Canada, Destinations, North America, Yukon
Dawson City Yukon: Why This Historic Canadian Town is Worth a Visit
18
Aug
Aug
Updated May 2020 Dawson City, Yukon, can’t let go of its past. And for this tiny town less than 200 miles from the Arctic Circle, that’s a good thing. The Gold Rush On a hot August day in 1896, gold was discovered in Yukon swampland that would later be known as Dawson City, and the Klondike […]
04
Aug
Aug
I opened the door of the tiny plane and hopped out, sinking into the wet snow up to my shins of the Kaskawulsh Glacier. Squinting behind my sunglasses, I scanned the sea of snow-covered peaks glistening against a blinding blue sky. We were completely alone. Tiny specs of life standing in the middle of the Yukon’s […]