Kluane National Park in the Yukon Territory of Canada has many hiking and backpacking opportunities. We spent several nights at the Congdon Creek Yukon Territorial Campground for access to the northern region of the park. We day hiked the Sheep Creek Trail and the Bullion Plateau Trail, both starting from a trailhead on the access road that leaves from the Tachäl Dhäl (formerly known as Sheep Mountain) Visitor Centre. A quick stop in the visitor centre can yield trail handout guides and trail condition updates. Both hikes go through brown bear country, use bear safety practices such as making noise and carrying bear spray. We enjoyed both hikes.
Sheep Creek Trail
The Sheep Creek Trail is listed at 6 miles roundtrip and 1,400 feet elevation gain. I think the measurement reflects the difference between the bottom and top, but does not include the interim ups and downs. It was very overcast and looked to threaten rain when we started the hike. We were very fortunate that the rain waited until we were finished, but this was a very windy day. The region is very dry and the trail surface was very dusty, which resulted in a lot of dust flying around. We had dirt caked above our knees, despite wearing long pants and hiking boots.
Winds whipping up dry dust near the visitor’s centre
The trail starts off of an old mining road and immediately heads upwards through boreal forest. After about 2 km of slogging, the trees open up and you are rewarded with views of Sheep Creek. Looming above you on your right is Tachäl Dhäl (formerly known as Sheep Mountain). If you are lucky, you may get to see some Dall sheep on its high slopes.
The beginning of Sheep Creek Trail travels through boreal forest
Tachal Dhal, formerly known as Sheep Mountain looms on your right
Higher up the trail, you gain views of the Slims River Valley and the toe of the Kaskawulsh Glacier. The trail ends on a gully overlooking Fourty-eight Pup Creek. As the trail is an out and back, return the way you arrived.
Sheep Creek from above
Distant glaciers
An early reward for climbing up the trail
Outstanding scenery from Sheep Creek Trail
There are several hoodoos near the end of the trail
Mike on the final climb of the trail
Looking back at the trail
Slims River Valley
Bullion Plateau Trail
The Bullion Plateau Trail starts from the same trailhead and heads back the mining road. It is listed as 15 miles and 2900 feet elevation gain. We turned around much earlier, completing about a six mile hike. This was another overcast day with periods of rain early before becoming steady rain for the end of the hike. I used my smart phone to take the pictures for this hike due to the persistent rain.
The beginning of the Bullion Plateau Trail
The trail travels through some forested and heavy brush areas, don’t forget to make noise, carry bear spray and pay attention to your surroundings. The one death due to a bear mauling in Kluane National Park occurred along this trail in July 1996.
Along the route you will find a few remnants of attempts to mine the area, such as the road, a track and cabin remnants.
A track from heavy equipment is a remnant from earlier days
View of the valley section of trail
There is a crossing of Sheep Creek, where we utilized an existing temporary rock and tree trunk bridge.
Sheep Creek
Bullion trail travels through the valley bottom for 2.8 km. The trail then heads up hill. As you gain elevation, views of Slims River Valley, wetlands and the surrounding mountains are your reward. We found wolf tracks on the trail. Return by retracing your route in. Mike described the trail as a “nice wilderness romp through varied terrain including fording a creek, wetlands, rolling hills, mountains and a river valley.”
A look at the early hill sections of the trail
Wolf tracks along the trail
View of Slims River Valley
