Blog
Why go Yukon?
Mar. 5 2012
We Yukoners adore the Yukon and some times need to be reminded that others have yet to fall under the spell of the Yukon. We are a mountain bike destination vacation company, so we can guarantee you our trails are endless and fun. But to make a place truly worth the ever increasingly precious vacation time, we believe it is the community vibe of a place that plays a big part in creating the overall picture.
With that, when talking to new people about a Yukon mountain bike trip, we are almost constantly talking about the community in Whitehorse. It is truly one of those places where people choose to live and you can really feel it when you are here. Are people maniacally happy all the time? Of course not, but they do seem balanced and satisfied with a smile on their face, which to me says a lot. We value our recreation time immensely and Whitehorse is a paradise for outdoor fun. But it is also the fact we have 10 independent coffee shops in town, live music every lunch hour in the downtown core, a thriving farmers market each week, pick up volleyball in the park, a through the most beautiful areas of town paved walking path , patio restaurants and a kick ass micro brewery to cap it off that makes Whitehorse such a great place to spend some time.
We love where we call home and consider it a massive bonus that the riding is incredible . Once you add in the summer midnight sun… Just imagine how great it feels to have enough time in the day to do all the things you ‘have to do’ and then still have time to go for a great singletrack rip. Yea, you may finish at 11pm, but that’s ok. You’re on Yukon time now.
We love our Yukon lifestyle and when we have the opportunity to introduce others to our world, it’s awesome. There’s just something in the air that makes it a perfect spot for enjoying time with your friends and family at the relaxed pace that our midnight sun allows us.
Happy Monday!
Marsha
What to expect in the Yukon - Trails
Mar. 1 2012
We are fully into ‘travel show’ season and we are dreaming of riding on Yukon dirt. While that is still a few months until we match make rubber and dirt on home turf, I thought I would share some of our most popular questions we field during a travel show.
The main question, of course, is where is the Yukon?
Well, it is north of British Columbia and beside Alaska. Most people arrive by plane and the flight is 2 hours from Vancouver. Easy access and with Air North, the flight cost is extremely reasonable. So excessive travel time and costs are not an excuse for not visiting anymore!
This question is immediately followed by, what’s the riding like?
In the Yukon, we are lucky enough to have semi-arid conditions, almost constant summer daylight and a crazy amount of mountain bike trails. Which is a perfect blend to create a fantastic mountain bike destination. We ride in the boreal forest, hence our name, and this means we have a lot of little hills and valleys that are perfect for making fast, flowy singletrack trails that weave amongst the spruce trees and constantly pop out to scenic vistas. Most of the riding is geared for intermediate riders, but with the variety within the trail networks, a lot of the trails are great for beginners as well.
A great, unique feature of Whitehorse and Carcross riding is that the alpine is very accessible. We have two great rides that get us up above the treeline where you can really get a sense of the space and untouched beauty that makes the Yukon such a great place to visit. The feeling you get when you reach the top of a mountain and are rewarded with the view of the mountains after mountains in the distance is truly irreplaceable. It reminds me of infinite potential and it is a view that keeps us in the Yukon, year after year.
We can’t wait to show you! We’re in Vancouver at the moment, gearing up for the Vancouver Outdoor and Bike Show at Canada Place. If you are interested in free tickets, please let us know either on our Facebook page or email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Happy March 1st!
- Marsha
Airfare deal!
Feb. 6 2012
Our local airline, Air North, is offering a crazy seat sale on flights between Vancouver, BC and Whitehorse, Yukon. Round trip airfare is $285 total price and is valid for the entire summer! You must book by February 14, 2012.
If you have been thinking about riding up in the Yukon, or have been and want to come back, here’s your chance! To book this fare, you must go directly through Air North. Remember, the bike fees are only $25 each way AND they give you cheesecake!
To match Air North’s deal, we are offering an early bird special: $650 total price for our Weekender Special. Includes 2.5 days guided mountain biking, 3 nights accommodation and all meals! (Minimum 2 people required to access early bird special rate)
Dates are:
May 17 - 20, 2012
May 24 - 27, 2012 ** This is the weekend of the super fun Boogaloo to Boréale fun race
May 31 - June 3, 2012
Also remember, if you are interested in coming later in the season, our Cat Herder Discount applies: find 6 friends to join you on a mountain bike trip with us and we give the organizer a free trip!
Send us an email if you have any questions or are ready to book! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Have a great week,
Marsha
Sunny California
Feb. 4 2012
Team Boréale has spent the last 10 days soaking up as much vitamin D as our deprived Yukon winter bodies can take on a recent promotional trip in California. We just took our newest sister company, Boréale Explorers, to the LA Times Travel Show to introduce the concept of a Yukon vacation for the folks of southern California. So far, to a great response! People seem to be looking for somewhere unique, relatively close to home and not for a long vacation. The Yukon is perfect for all of these!
We continued on to the Bay Area to start a rumour of Yukon mountain biking. There we peppered every bike shop, yoga studio and fitness centre that our rental car came across. It was busy, but fun! We also had the pleasure of hanging out with key members of the mountain bike community, club representatives and bike enthusiasts. We are coming back in April to attend the Sea Otter Classic mountain bike festival in April and we are looking forward to hitting the trails with our new friends!
We have posted new photos from 2011 on our facebook page. Good memories for sure!
Ride on!
LA Times Travel Show
Jan. 25 2012
Team Boréale is leaving the lovely north to the wilds of Los Angeles, California to attend the LA Times Travel Show. If you are in the area and would like some free tickets to this weekend’s travel show (January 28-29, 2012) please go to this website and enjoy as many complimentary tickets as you would like!
Website: http://lattravelshow.eventbrite.com/
Password: EXHIB
We would LOVE to chat with anyone that loves bikes and travel. I have a feeling we may be the minority at this show! Come down, we promise to entertain you with some great joke that Sylvain and Isabel have been practicing. We will be in a booth for our sister company, Boréale Explorers. Please come by and say hi!
Spread the word if you have any friends living in the LA area that may be interested in tickets.
Stay warm and if you can, get on that bike!
Marsha
Winter has arrived!
Jan. 16 2012
If you are in the northern hemisphere, the ‘arrival’ of winter in January should not be too surprising. Especially if you live in the Yukon. But still, everyone seems to be in a bit of a stunned winter state at the acceptance that we did indeed go from -3C/25F to -40C/-40F within 5 days!
Cold weather is part of living up north in the winter. While it is difficult, dressing to go outside requires 5 layers of clothing and a mirror check to ensure bare skin is covered, it is also absolutely gorgeous. It is the appreciation for this that I believe sets Yukoners apart. Everything is harsher at these frigid temperatures, including the natural beauty. The sun is brilliant; the snow crystals are glistening; the trees are frosty ; the stars are brilliant.
If you do get the chance to experience cold winter, do it! There is a sense of adventure and it feels humbling. Especially when you still see the ravens out playing around, as they usually do!
At these temperatures vehicles protest loudly and even bikes seem to be a little unwilling to maneuver as usual. Here is a blog post from a friend who dressed appropriately and hit the trails on her snow bike yesterday. Enjoy! Mrs. North of 60. What it feels like to ride at -40