Yukon Guides

Forty years on an iceberg out on the ocean wide,
Nothing to wear but pyjamas, nothing to do but slide,
The weather was cold and snarky, the frost began to bite,
I had to hug a polar bear to keep me warm at night!

Our girls love to sing this favourite campfire song year round. While there may not be icebergs here, and we certainly don’t hug polar bears, it has a definite appeal for girls and Guiders alike in this wintry land. Welcome to Yukon Guiding!

Compared to Guiding in the provinces, Guiding in Yukon is quite small. However, what we lack in numbers, we make up for in dedication, enthusiasm and energy, and our leaders work hard to ensure that our girls receive as rich, fun and as meaningful an experience as any other girl in Canadian Guiding.

You may have seen us at a recent camp, such as Guiding Mosaic 2006 and SOAR 07, or even internationally at Our Chalet, Switzerland and Our Cabaña, Mexico. We are proud to be Yukon Guides and to share our northern adventures with you.Winter lasts at least seven months in Yukon, so down jackets,mitts, long johns and snow boots are an essential part of our uniform.

We participate in all types of exciting winter activities, including sledding, snowshoeing, ice-climbing and even tent camping at -30ºC! We sing loudly and huddle together to keep the cold away during campfire.

Throughout the year, we can be seen throughout our communities, singing proudly at parades, selling cookies, fundraising and volunteering at Yukon Heritage Day and Rendezvous celebrations, and going out and about in our units to complete badge work and challenges. The Yukon wilderness is our backyard, and many of our activities focus on the environment and on our territorial heritage, while others take our focus further from home to learn about WAGGGS and international Guiding.

We may be small, but our girls and leaders are always ready for fun, challenge and adventure!

Marie Stevens, ofWhitehorse, is Grey Mountain District Commissioner in Yukon