Gold fever

I know it's in here somewhere

Today I panned for gold in the Yukon and found some. That's because the very kind tourism people put it there before we even started. Sometimes it's fun to be a journalist.

There's gold in them thar hills.

 For just a moment our team from India, Korea, China and Canada felt like pioneers. You should have seen the looks on our faces as, after shaking and washing our stones,  we picked out our tiny gold flakes on our fingertips and placed them in our glass vials.

You might need a microscope but this is my gold

At the McBride Museum there is tons of fascinating history of the Gold Rush - including stories of the many women who made a name for themselves here. It was a woman, after all, who some believe first struck gold here - Kate Carmack.  A great wildlife exhibit too if large stuffed animals is your thing. Look out for the albino moose.

View from Rapids Fishway

The mountains were looking stunning this morning and as my cousin drove me up Grey Mountain we looked back at the others and took a million pictures. Up at the Rapids Fishway there were more good views of the Schwatka Lake and a walk along the Yukon river past the Whitehorse Dam. Later at Temptation island we hiked into the campground for lemon and coffee ice creams. My favourite stop of the morning was the Miles Canyon where speedboats cruised through the green waters beneath the very wobbly suspension bridge. ``

Miles Canyon 

While out hiking everyone seems so friendly here - taking me by surprise with a cheery hello as you are about to walk past them in silence. At the Goldsmiths on Main Street I asked David Ashley what sort of a necklace he could make me with the gold flakes in my vial and without cracking a smile he replied, a very small one. They specialise in recreating the viking tradition of using caribou antlers to fashion jewellery here. A huge pair of antlers hangs above their workshop as a reminder.

The SS Klondike this morning

Of course I found another Geordie, Sheila, who has worked for Yukon tourism for more than 30 years, and thought I looked British. Even above the 60th parallel there are Geordies lurking in the hills.

Find out more about the Yukon and Whitehorse.
Read: Where the ravens play