Carcross

Carcross is a village about a 45 minute drive south of Whitehorse.  It's orginal name was Caribou Crossing, because it is where the caribou cross in migration but the name was later changed to Carcross.

The Tlingit and Tagish First Nations live here.  It is located at the narrows between Bennett and Nares Lake called the Naatasaheenie River.  Bennett Lake is part of the headwaters of the Yukon River, Canada's second longest river.  The view of the lake with the mountains behind it is breathtaking.

Swing train bridge crossing the river between the two lakes.

Some of the older buildings in Carcross.

The buildings below are part of a new "plaza" where First Nations of Carcross can sell their art, etc.  The design on this building was by Keith Wolfe Smarch, a well known carver and artist who has his carving shed in this plaza.

Below is Keith Wolfe Smarch holding one of his masks.  He has presented one of his masks to Prince Charles.  Currently he is carving a series of totem poles with his son in this carving shed.

About 4 km north of Carcross is beautiful Emerald Lake.  The blue-green colour is created by sunlight reflected off a layer of "marl" on the lake bed.  Marl is a white calcium carbonate clay that forms in the water and the settles onto the lake bottom.

About 2 km north of Carcross is the Carcross Desert, the world's smallest desert of 260 hectare.