Crossing Lake Laberge is a true Yukon adventure.
This 50 km stretch of open water demands respect — wide, wild, and exposed to wind and weather. Early starts are key, with calm mornings offering mirror-like reflections of distant mountain peaks.

As you paddle deeper into the lake, the vastness sets in. The shoreline drifts far off, and the silence is broken only by the dip of your paddle and the occasional cry of a raven overhead. It’s a place where navigation, teamwork, and preparation matter — and where wilderness surrounds you in every direction.

Reaching the north end is a triumph. It’s more than a crossing — it’s a rite of passage for paddlers exploring the Yukon River.

 After the wide, open expanse of Lake Laberge, the Yukon River narrows and transforms — faster, wilder, and more intimate.

 The Yukon River reforms at the north end of Lake Laberge, flowing swift and clear into the Thirty Mile River — one of the most scenic and untouched stretches on the route. With current on our side, we cruise past cliffs, quiet forests, and excellent wildlife habitat. We make camp at a remote gravel bar deep in the wild. 

 We reach the historic site of Hootalinqua, where the Teslin River joins the Yukon. Once a riverboat hub and telegraph station, it now holds scattered ruins and silent stories. After exploring, we set up camp nearby and soak in the rich history of the site. 

 The river widens as we paddle deeper into the Yukon backcountry. We pass the mouth of the Big Salmon River, a famed tributary, and continue through broad, peaceful channels. Camp is made along the riverbank, perhaps with time for a swim or a bit of fishing. 

 At Little Salmon Village, a Fist Nation fish camp,  we meet again for the first time civilization. In the next two days we will reach Carmacks, the end point of our canoe trip. After loading the boats on the trailer we will drive over the Klondike Highway back to Whitehorse. 

 Saying goodbye at the end of a Yukon canoe trip is both satisfying and emotional. After days on the river — paddling together, camping under the stars, and sharing quiet moments in the wild — it’s hard to part ways.