Established
in 1972, this park offers some of the most varied habitat
in the province. Within the 2,201,500 ha (22,015 sq. km)
boundaries of Kluane National Park are the St. Elias Mountains
which contain Canada's highest peaks and the world's largest
non-polar icefields. Valley glaciers including the Donjek,
Lowell and Kaskawulsh, many great rivers and their tributaries
flow from these icefields.
A
large movement of alpine glaciation, water and wind erosion
and tectonic adjustments are constant and contribute to
the park's young landscape.
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There
are two major zones within Kluane: the icefields, which
are largely inaccessible, and the greenbelt where a wide
variety of plant, bird and wildlife thrive. Species such
as Dall's sheep, grizzly bears, moose, lynx, wolves and
wolverines as well as golden and bald eagles, ptarmigans,
magpies, arctic terns and peregrine falcons. A variety
of asiatic, coastal, arctic, northern prairie and western
mountain species are found in the Kluane yet not outside
it.
There
are three basic life zones in the park; the grasslands
in the low areas and valley bottoms, the montane forest
zone of white spruce, aspen and poplar and the subalpine
zone where the trees are stunted and gnarled. Above this
is the alpine tundra, with its treeless expanse. Species
such as arctic poppies, purple saxifrage, mountain heather
and moss campion.
LOCATION
The park is located in the southwest corner of the Yukon.
Highway #3 follows the southeast section. The Alaska Highway
#1, the Kluane Game Sanctuary and Kluane Lake from east
to west. The park may be accessed by either Highway #1
or #3. There is no road access into the park.
PARK
FACILITIES & ACTIVITIES
Camping
There
is an unserviced campground at Kathleen Lake (41 sites).
There are limited numbers of rough trails and campsites
throughout the park.
Activities
Visitors
with wilderness experience will enjoy camping, hiking,
mountaineering, fishing and boating. Photography is
a popular activity in the park and film presentations
are given regularily.