For years, the romantic story of the S.S. Klondike revolved around the historic sternwheeler that travelled the Yukon River from 1929 to 1955 carrying silver-lead ore, freight, passengers and tourists. But the tale of how a steam-powered boat retired and found new life as the S.S. Klondike National Historic Site glossed over negative parts of its legacy.

“Going in the right direction on the trail.” That’s the literal translation of the Nuu-chah-nulth name — ʔapsčiik t̓ašii — for a new paved pathway in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, but there are layers of possible meaning. The name can refer to a person’s personal life journey or to being mindful of the environment and all living things. When the name is used collectively, First Nations Elders say “the land we walk on is made from the dust of our ancestors — in our life journey, we walk it carefully, respectfully, with humility and dignity.”

North of the Arctic Circle, our Twin Otter soars over the Mackenzie Delta’s maze of waterways and patchwork of tundra, darts across the Beaufort Sea and passes over the British Mountains before shaking and shuddering its way down to Sheep Creek International Airport. Well, that’s what the hand-painted sign says at the end of the grassy wilderness landing area. Parks Canada marks the spot as Imniarvik base camp in Ivvavik National Park, a place that just 100 or so people get to see each year in the extreme northwest corner of the Yukon.

Six young plains bison have arrived at Waterton Lakes National Park, replenishing a small herd that had to be relocated during the 2017 Kenow Wildfire.