Last Light | 8-Day Yukon Autumn Expedition

Travel in basic comfort in a converted original American school bus, your wilderness lodge on wheels.

• Comfortable sleeping area with cozy bedding
• Small washroom with a toilet for convenience
• Kitchen facilities with a stove, cooler, and cookware
• Solar-powered lighting and USB charging ports
• WiFi, on occasional moments
• Seating and lounge area for relaxation
• Woodstove for cozy vibes and warming up on chilly nights
• Rooftop deck for stargazing, sunset views, and bonfire nights

This trip is designed for active adventurers who love the outdoors and aren’t afraid to break a sweat. You don’t need to be an elite athlete, but you should feel comfortable spending full days outside, hiking on uneven terrain, and gaining elevation.

We’ll tackle daily hikes ranging from 8 to 25 km, with up to 1,500 meters of elevation gain. Trails will take us through rugged landscapes, with some steep sections, rocky footing, and even a bit of light scrambling. You’ll also get a taste of vertical movement with an intro to rock climbing session—no experience needed, just a willingness to try something new.

If you’ve got a sense of adventure, an appreciation for big views and wild places, and the energy to embrace full days in nature (and maybe get a little dirty along the way), you’ll feel right at home.

We’ll pick you up in Whitehorse around 8:00 AM before officially kicking off the expedition.

After loading up the bus and meeting the crew, we begin with a local cultural experience and introduction to the Yukon through First Nations perspectives, stories, and connections to the land we’ll be traveling through over the next 8 days.

From there, we leave the city behind and start heading south toward the Southern Lakes region, where winding highways, massive glacial lakes, and rugged mountain landscapes quickly remind you that you’re very far north now.

Depending on weather and conditions, we may head out for our first short hike or exploration before continuing deeper into the wilderness to set up our first camp of the expedition.

The rest of the evening is pure Yusquatch expedition energy: campfire dinners, route chats around the fire, gear explosions everywhere, steaming mugs of coffee, and hopefully our first glimpse of northern lights dancing overhead.

We leave Whitehorse behind and head south into the Southern Lakes region, where long glacial lakes, mountain passes, and winding northern highways set the tone for the expedition ahead.

Depending on weather and trail conditions, we head out for our first hike through rugged Yukon terrain before continuing deeper into the wilderness to set up camp for the night.

This is where expedition life really starts to settle in: cold morning air, campfire dinners, muddy boots drying beside the bus, and dark enough skies for our first real chance of catching the northern lights overhead.

Today we explore the Carcross region, one of the Yukon’s most unique mountain landscapes. We spend some time wandering through the community before heading into the mountains for a flexible hiking objective adapted to conditions.

October in the Yukon likes to keep things interesting. One day might bring sunshine and golden tundra. The next could bring frozen lakeshores, fresh snow in the alpine, and wind that reminds you very quickly you’re in the North now.

By this point, everyone usually starts settling into expedition rhythm — living out of duffel bags, passing around snacks in the bus, chasing views down random side roads, and somehow becoming completely okay with smelling slightly like campfire smoke all the time.

Today we head deeper into the Southwest Yukon toward the Tatshenshini-Alsek region, where huge valleys, glacial rivers, and endless mountain views make the whole place feel wildly remote.

The drive itself is part of the adventure. We stop constantly for roadside viewpoints, short explorations, wildlife spotting, weather checks, and the occasional “okay this view is absolutely ridiculous” moment.

Depending on conditions, we’ll head out on another hike before finding a remote place to spend the night somewhere deep in Yukon mountain country.

No rigid itinerary. Just mountains, weather, and choosing the best adventure available.

This is a true expedition-style day where we adapt to conditions and head toward the most interesting objective available — whether that means alpine ridgelines, snowy mountain passes, hidden valleys, glacial viewpoints, or dramatic lakeshores shaped by early winter conditions.

Some days in the Yukon go exactly to plan. The best ones usually don’t.

Back at camp, we settle into another evening of northern skies, campfire dinners, and whatever weather the Yukon decides to throw our way next.

We continue north toward the Kluane region, home to massive mountain systems, powerful winds, huge open landscapes, and some of the wildest scenery in Canada.

Today may include a mountain hike, lakeshore exploration, photography stops, or simply slowing down enough to take in the atmosphere of the Yukon as winter slowly starts creeping into the mountains.

Later in the day, we’ll take part in a cultural experience near Kluane Lake, including a fireside conversation led by a citizen of the Kluane First Nation, sharing stories, perspectives, and connections to the land we’ve been traveling through over the course of the expedition.

To finish the evening, we’ll settle into an outdoor sauna experience in the wild — surrounded by cold northern air, dark skies, and the raw landscape of Kluane country.

Expect dramatic skies, steaming coffee, campfire smoke in your jacket, and the kind of scenery that suddenly makes an entire group stop talking for a minute.

Our final full expedition day is all about embracing the North in transition.

We spend the day exploring one final region depending on weather and conditions, with opportunities for hiking, wildlife viewing, and soaking in the strange beauty of the Yukon in October.

As darkness settles in, we gather around one final campfire with another chance to witness the first peak of northern lights season dancing overhead.

Not a bad way to end an expedition.

After breakfast, we pack up camp one final time and begin the drive back toward Whitehorse through quiet mountain highways and autumn landscapes slowly preparing for winter.

Before returning to town, we’ll make one final stop at Takhini Hot Springs for a well-earned soak in the hot springs — because after a week of hiking, mountain weather, and expedition life, nobody’s saying no to hot water.

We’ll return to Whitehorse later in the day, officially wrapping up the expedition.

The minimum age to book with YuSquatch Mountain Adventures is 18 years old unless accompanied with a legal guardian on the tour.

A 25% deposit is required to secure all bookings.

Cancellation Schedule

• More than 90 days before departure: Full refund less a 4% payment processing fee and $100 CAD administrative fee
• 90 to 61 days before departure: 25% of the total trip cost is non-refundable
• 60 days or less before departure: 100% of the total trip cost is non-refundable

If you are unable to attend your trip, please contact us as soon as possible. Subject to availability and operational considerations, we may be able to offer a trip transfer, participant substitution, or trip credit.

Please Note
Trips operate in remote wilderness environments where weather, wildfires, transportation disruptions, medical emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances may impact itineraries or trip operations.

Yusquatch Mountain Adventures reserves the right to modify, delay, reroute, postpone, substitute activities, or cancel trips when necessary for safety or operational reasons.

We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance, including trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical, and evacuation coverage.

For full details, please refer to our complete Cancellation & Terms Policy.