Our chartered flight landed on an isolated strip in Minto, Yukon where we had a Turbo Beaver waiting to whisk us to Fort Selkirk. We had left our hotel in Dawson City at 10:15 am and our first group reached Fort Selkirk before 11:50 am. Pretty impressive given that a trip from Dawson City to Fort Selkirk would have taken a lot longer and would not have been as enjoyable in the late 1800s when Fort Selkirk was used as a trading post.
Even more impressive was Fort Selkirk itself. Set on the banks of the Yukon River, it used to serve as a strategic trading post for the Hudson Bay Company. Some of the buildings have been restored which gave us an impression of the idyllic, yet challenging life in this area. Fort Selkirk had trade significance due to its location on the Yukon River where it meets with the Pelly River.
The expansion of the Klondike Highway in 1940s opened a faster route for people and goods. This eventually led to the abandonment of Fort Selkirk as a trading post, but this might also be the reason the site has been preserved from new development.
The trip was akin to stepping back in history, and it was a rare experience to be able to step back, relax and ponder how far we have evolved in terms of trade and transportation in a relatively short period of time.
And as with all good things, this visit came to an end, but I will always remember with fondness the few hours that we were able to spend in Fort Selkirk. Thanks Rick Nielsen and Keith Halliday for sharing such an amazing experience with us.
– Pankaj Sood, ’14