So Many Fun Winter Adventures In The Yukon In Canada
We headed north to experience winter adventures in the Yukon in Canada. Our stay at the Inn on the Lake at Marsh Lake was the perfect spot to finish the year with some Northern Lights. Whitehorse offered us cold weather fun for a short getaway adventure.
Heading To The Yukon In The Frigid Winter
It was an easy 2.5 hour flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse in the Yukon. We had lots of Air Canada Aeroplan points so decided this trip to the Yukon was a great way to use travel loyalty points in 2025.
The other major airline into Whitehorse was Air North. We were told by locals that Air North was a much nicer airline to fly with better onboard snacks and included baggage. And their flights into Whitehorse seemed to be cancelled far less frequently than Air Canada. We thought a points flight was still a better option for us with Air Canada. Until we had a 3 hour delay when Air Canada could not easily unfreeze one engine!
The planes used to fly into Northern Canada were all small jets. We packed lightly for carry-on and dressed in cold weather gear for our flight. We were not sure whether there was an actual jetway in Whitehorse or if we boarded from the tarmac. In both Vancouver and Whitehorse, we were delighted to board from inside.
The weather at home on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia (BC) was around 5°C (41°F). We knew that the Yukon would be much colder. But an extreme cold front moved through on the week we headed north. It was about -30°C (-22°F) when we landed. The coldest day we had in the Yukon was down to below -42°C (-44°F) and with brisk winds it felt as low as -54°C (-69°F).
We bought cold weather gear for our cruise to Antarctica and added some gear when we cruised in the winter Norway for Northern Lights. So we packed lots of warm clothes. But even then we were often cold when we ventured outside!
Winter adventures in the Yukon in Canada required a little planning to enjoy all there was to offer.
A Scenic Spot At The Inn On The Lake
The staff from the Inn on the Lake picked us up at the Whitehorse airport. We got a short tour around town before we headed for the resort on Marsh Lake. We purchased a complete package for the Inn on the Lake and our transportation was included in the rate. Given how cold it was when we visited, we were glad we had no worry about rental cars not starting in the cold like other guests experienced.
The chalet style resort was lovely and just the retreat we wanted to enjoy the Yukon outdoors. There were several public spaces shared with other guests. For this stay, we booked a larger suite so we also had lots of space to ourselves. If the resort was at capacity at 20+ guests, we would have been really happy to have our own space. While we visited the staff decorated the resort for the holiday season. It certainly got us in the holiday mood.
With temperatures so cold when we visited, we enjoyed the indoors at the lodge. But one afternoon, we headed out to the outdoor hot tub. We quickly jumped into the hot water and kept our bodies fully submerged. But it was fun to have snow all around as we stayed warm under the water.
The Inn on the Lake was the perfect spot to enjoy a few days for winter adventures in the Yukon.
Northern Lights Delighted Us
We started the year with an amazing trip to Norway for the Northern Lights. But we knew there were great spots in Canada for views of the Aurora Borealis. So when we looked for a winter trip, we hoped we would get some great Northern Lights in the Yukon.
We planned a 3 night stay at the Inn on the Lake to increase our chances of seeing the light show. The sun set around 5pm and did not rise again until about 10am. So we found lots of dark skies for viewing opportunities. We knew from our trip to Norway to be ready at any time. So we were always prepared to move quickly with our cameras set up and warm layers laid out.
We saw no lights our first night. But at 5am the next morning, we got up early and saw the lights were visible. On the second morning, when we looked out the window at 6:30am, even from inside we made out the Northern Lights! On the third night, the lights showed up early in the evening. We went out a few times, always looking for a better show. On the final morning, we did not see any lights at all.
The front yard faced north but there were also lights in the neighbourhood that impacted the night sky view. But when we moved around, we found lots of great spots for views of Northern Lights facing North.
From the front yard, we went behind the house and down the hill onto the frozen lake for a view of the Northern Lights over the Inn on the Lake. Several times we got great views of the lights just over the roof of the resort.
Out on the lake, we got more views along the shore. And when we looked up the night sky and stars were magnificent. We were glad we went out on the frozen lake for that view.
Views of Northern Lights were a real treat on our winter adventures in the Yukon in Canada.
Great Variety In The Winter Adventures In The Yukon
The package we booked at the Inn on the Lake included an outdoor snowmobiling adventure. We were not sure if we would actually be able to do the excursion when the temperatures dropped below -30°C (-22°F). At those temperatures, the snow machines might not start or re-start! But it was just at the limit for one day and we bundled up for some winter adventures in the Yukon.
We rode our snowmobiles behind the guide Josse across Marsh Lake, through the snowy forest and out onto Caribou Lake. It was a long time since we last rode snowmobiles but we quickly gained confidence as we rode.
At Caribou Lake, we parked our snowmobiles in the outdoor camp area set up by the Inn on the Lake. We found a camp fire area and some games to play on the ice. The hot fire was welcome as were the tasty snacks cooked over the coals.
Josse cleared a spot on the ice and used the auger to clear a hole in the ice. David and I tried our hands at ice fishing. But the cold weather defeated us before any fish bit our lines.
We trudged through the snow along the shore to see the beaver lodge and stayed away from the open water area. The beavers chose a great spot with a warm spring to set up camp.
We stayed out for a few hours of winter fun and then headed back on our snowmobiles to the resort. We were very glad the cold weather did not stop us from enjoying this outdoor adventure. And when the temperatures dropped below -30°C (-22°F) we saw the very cool way that hot water froze instantly!
A Short Stay In Whitehorse
After our stay at the Inn on the Lake, we planned another 3 days and stayed at the Hyatt Place in Whitehorse. We wanted to check out the things to do in town. We also planned a day trip excursion with Whitehorse Tours to visit the Yukon Wildlife Preserve and the Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs.
But the extreme cold weather changed all of our plans. Our excursion with Whitehorse Tours was cancelled due to the very cold temperatures. The Yukon Wildlife Preserve did not operate at these temperatures. And when we found that the Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs did not provide basic things like robes, towels or plastic shoes, we knew this was not the place to visit at these frigid temperatures.
One day when the “feels like” temperatures were around -50°C (-58°F), we bundled up and walked for an hour around town. The snow and ice provided a pretty picture of the town. We saw some of the local amazing street art. But we did not dawdle on our walk around town.
On the second day, the temperatures we marginally less cold. So we headed back out again and wandered in Whitehorse. We headed to the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre for the holiday market. Continuing our walk around town we passed by some local tourist sights.
On our few days in town, we found lots of interesting sights our winter adventures in the Yukon. Had it not been so cold, I am sure we would have enjoyed the sights more. A good reason to return at another time of year.
Eating To Stay Warm In The Yukon
The package we booked at the Inn on the Lake included all meals. For breakfast we got a cold buffet and one hot breakfast that changed daily. A hot lunch was also served. For dinner we got a hot soup to start, a main dish and a dessert. The dinner offering was fixed but changed daily. Food allergies or preferences were addressed well.
We stopped in a new coffee place Cerebus located in a converted bar shared with a record store. The barista created a great hot mocha to warm us up. On another day, after walking around icy Whitehorse we stopped in the Baked Cafe for a hot drink and snack.
We started our day well at the restaurant at the Hyatt Place. And even had dinner there one night. The 506 All Day Grill across the street was a short walk in the frigid temperatures and a good option for quick meals.
On our few days in Whitehorse, we found lots of choices for food to warm us up. We ate well and fuelled our winter adventures in the Yukon in Canada.
Great To Experience Winter Adventures In The Yukon In Canada
We enjoyed a great variety of winter adventures in the Yukon in Canada. It was a great way to finish our travels for 2025.
Even with the extreme cold temperatures, we headed outside for winter fun. And we got some good sightings of the Northern Lights too. We saw a little of Whitehorse for a few days. In the end, it was well worth a visit to this winter wonderland.
Did you enjoy winter adventures in the Yukon in Canada? Should we head back for summer experiences too?
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What an incredible winter adventure. The Yukon in deep winter is no joke, and those temperatures are next level — but the reward of seeing the Northern Lights from a place like the Inn on the Lake sounds absolutely magical. This is such a helpful, honest look at what winter travel in the Yukon is really like, especially the tips about transportation, cold-weather planning, and how quickly conditions can change.Those winter pictures are absolutely incredible — the frozen landscapes and Arctic light make everything look unreal.
I knew you would love to see this different far north adventure. It was a bit novel for us with the ultra-cold. But definitely worth a winter visit.
Sounds like an amazing adventure! Especially the Northern Lights 🙂
We were glad we finally got to see the Northern Lights in Canada!
What a lovely adventure! I dream of visiting Yukon someday! Overall, would you say the Northern Lights were better in Yukon or in Norway?
The Northern Lights in the Yukon were a bit less outstanding on our visit. But I saw pictures from the resort the next week and there were far more colours. In Norway, we saw far more movement in the lights. I think Northern Lights viewing is always a challenge of timing (new blog post on that coming up 😁).
Even in the midst of winter there looks like so much to do – fishing, snowmobiling and enjoying the indoors – love it!
Even with the very very freezing temperatures we were happy we got so many great outdoor adventures.
Braving -30° (or feels like -50°) sounds intense, but witnessing the Northern Lights must make it all worthwhile. A shame about the limited services at the spa, though it looks like the food more than made up for it, a true winter adventure.
The cold weather was indeed intense. But we were glad we braved the cold and enjoyed so many winter adventures on our visit to the Yukon. Always great to have the Northern Lights show up when we travel for it.
Wow, what a special experience! Your shots of the Northern Lights are stunning. That is still on my bucket list for sure. Ice fishing also looks so interesting. I just don’t think I could survive the -22F temperatures.
We did not expect the cold weather we got on our week in the Yukon. But made the most of it. And it was definitely worth it for the Northern Lights views.
The winter landscapes and northern lights look incredible, making this well worth the challenges of the weather conditions!
This trip certainly was well worth dealing with the weather conditions. Glad we planned this last trip of the year to the Yukon.
Oh wow, what a lovely winter trip filled with memorable activities. I hope your 2026 will be just as amazing.
This was indeed a memorable winter adventure in the Yukon.
I guess the frigid temperatures would be worth it just to get to see the Northern Lights. Every time they have been visible in Colorado, I seem to be out of town. One of these days…
We were very glad we got to see the Northern Lights in the Yukon. And have some winter fun too. All worth bearing the frigid conditions.
I loved reading about your Yukon winter trip — it truly feels like a winter wonderland!
The Yukon was a unique Canadian winter experience for sure.
This looks like a fantastic winter adventure!! I have been contemplating going to the Yukon, but not in winter!! The winter looks stunning and a beautiful adventure. Whitehorse looks wonderful and quaint.
Winter in the Yukon is a different experience for sure. We did not expect the extreme cold we got given we visited in December. But it was still a great adventure.
Sounds like a wonderful adventure, definitely very cold though! The photo of the Northern lights is wonderful!
We were so glad we got some Northern Lights on this visit to the Yukon.
I haven’t been to Canada yet, and to be honest, I’m not really a fan of winter, even though I live in a place with chilly winters. But I think it’s super cool how you go on winter adventures, like watching the Northern lights. That’s a really awesome sight.
We normally have not sought out cold winter adventures although in the last few years we seem to be doing them more. Getting them out of the way!!! 😂
I also did a winter trip the Yukon a couple years ago and had the best time, despite the frigid weather. Your Northern Lights photos are amazing, and so good you got to see them easily from where you were and could keep warm. We did a tour and it was so cold being outside for 3 hours in the middle of the night. Still, an excellent experience. You must go back and do the Wildlife Preserve one time, it was a really great place to go. I was so happy to finally see a moose
We were very happy it was an easy walk back to the lodge after we saw the Northern Lights. We did a tour in Norway for Northern Lights and staying outside for many hours was much tougher indeed. We will definitely go back and try both the Wildlife Preserve and Nordic spa. Just hope for a bit less frigid temperatures!
I cannot believe how cold it was! I actually did a double take when I read the temperatures to make sure I read them correct. Despite the cold, it looks like it was a great trip! I also love that you were able to see the northern lights!
We certainly did not expect the kind of cold we got in December – part of why we visited as early in the winter as we did. But we still managed to enjoy a lot of outdoor winter fun. And it was great to view the Northern Lights in Canada.