Dawson - the confluence of the rivers

Dawson City is a town built on permafrost so all buildings have an air cavity under them so that the soil does not thaw out and allow the building to sink. It has also been a town that has flooded regularly. High levees now protect the town from a 1 in 200-year event. The Rivers freeze here in the winter and there is a betting competition about the exact date/time, the river ice will break each year.

The Yukon is flowing strong and swift with lots of glacial silt causing it to be brown; the Klondike River is clear and grey in colour. Where they meet there is a distinct line in the water.

Riverboats, ferries, and canoes are all out on the river today.Read more