Carmacks, Yukon

Carmacks is a village in Yukon, Canada, on the Yukon River along the Klondike Highway, and at the west end of the Robert Campbell Highway from Watson Lake. The population is 493 (Canada Census, 2016). It is the home of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation, a Northern Tutchone-speaking people.

Carmacks
Carmacks is seen from the Yukon River bridge with the river in the foreground.
Carmacks
Carmacks
Coordinates: 62°05′20″N 136°17′20″W
CountryCanada
TerritoryYukon
Area
 • Land36.95 km2 (14.27 sq mi)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total493
 • Density13.3/km2 (34/sq mi)
 • Change 2011-16
18.4%
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
ClimateDsc

Mining

The area around Carmacks has abundant mineral resources, including coal, copper, and gold. Various mining activities are taking place on mineral sites around Carmacks. There is a small zinc-copper mine in production near Carmacks operated by Western Silver and a gold property northwest of Carmacks currently in the exploration stage operated by Northern Freegold Resources based out of Whitehorse.

Geography
The Yukon River bridge at Carmacks

Carmacks is situated at the confluence of the Nordenskiold and Yukon rivers, approximately 180 km (110 mi) north of Whitehorse and 360 km (220 mi) south of Dawson City on the North Klondike Highway. It is the site of one of the four bridges over the Yukon River. The Campbell Highway also intersects the community and carries on to Faro, Ross River and Watson Lake, providing a gateway to the Canol Road and some of Yukon's most spectacular scenery.

History

The name of the settlement comes from George Carmack who, in 1891, found coal nearby. He created a trading post and began by engaging in commerce with local people, before opening a coal mine in the south bank of the Yukon River. The focus of his entrepreneurial energy switched a few years later when he or his wife, Kate Carmack, discovered gold, at what was to become the Discovery Claim, near Dawson City.

Administration

Carmacks is the only place in Yukon to be considered a designated place.

History

The community consists of the Village of Carmacks and the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation and was named after George Washington Carmack, who found coal near Tantalus Butte (locally called Coal Mine Hill) in 1893. Carmack built a trading post and traded with locals near the present site of Carmacks and also started a coal mine on the south bank of the Yukon River. Carmack soon discovered gold in the Dawson region with his wife, Kate Carmack, her brother, Keish (Skookum Jim), and Dawson Charlie (Tagish Charlie) a few years later, starting the Klondike Gold Rush. Carmacks became incorporated as a village on November 1, 1984.

Transportation

Carmacks is served by Klondike Highway by cars and Carmacks Airport by air.

Recreation

The Carmacks Recreation Centre is at the east end of River Drive between the nursing station and visitor centre, and is a community focal point for youth. There is a youth drop in daily with a computer access, video games, table games and other activities, often funded by Yukon grant programs. The gymnasium is host to adult floor hockey and other sports. The Recreation Centre also holds a three lane curling rink, fully loaded fitness gym and a full kitchen for all occasions.

Carmacks also has an indoor swimming pool that is open to the community from June to September.

Sports

Every February, Carmacks hosts a checkpoint for both the long-distance Yukon Quest sled dog race and the Yukon Arctic Ultra foot/ski/bike race.

Demographics

Carmacks is the only community in Yukon which has the status of designated place in Canadian censuses.

Canada census – Carmacks, Yukon community profile
2011 2006
Population: 503 (+18.4% from 2006) 425 (-1.4% from 2001)
Land area: 36.95 km2 (14.27 sq mi) 36.9 km2 (14.2 sq mi)
Population density: 13.6/km2 (35/sq mi) 11.6/km2 (30/sq mi)
Median age: 33.9 (M: 34.2, F: 32.9)
Total private dwellings: 246 173
Median household income: $37,632
References: 2011[1] 2006[2] earlier[3]

Carmacks has a 91.4% First Nations population the majority of which belong to the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nations. The local language of the LSCFN community is Northern Tuchone, which is carried on both by the elders and taught to all students at the local Tantalus Elementary/high School.

Climate

Carmacks has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with short but mild summers and long, severely cold winters.

Climate data for Carmacks
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 6.0
(42.8)		 12.8
(55.0)		 14.4
(57.9)		 23.3
(73.9)		 35.0
(95.0)		 35.0
(95.0)		 31.7
(89.1)		 32.0
(89.6)		 27.0
(80.6)		 18.3
(64.9)		 12.8
(55.0)		 8.0
(46.4)		 35.0
(95.0)
Average high °C (°F) −23.8
(−10.8)		 −12.1
(10.2)		 — — 14.5
(58.1)		 20.3
(68.5)		 21.9
(71.4)		 19.6
(67.3)		 13.3
(55.9)		 3.1
(37.6)		 −10.7
(12.7)		 −20.1
(−4.2)		 —
Daily mean °C (°F) −28.6
(−19.5)		 −18.2
(−0.8)		 — — 7.2
(45.0)		 12.9
(55.2)		 14.8
(58.6)		 12.5
(54.5)		 6.9
(44.4)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 −14.7
(5.5)		 −24.7
(−12.5)		 —
Average low °C (°F) −33.6
(−28.5)		 −25.3
(−13.5)		 — — −0.2
(31.6)		 5.3
(41.5)		 7.6
(45.7)		 5.3
(41.5)		 0.4
(32.7)		 −6.3
(20.7)		 −19.0
(−2.2)		 −29.6
(−21.3)		 —
Record low °C (°F) −57.8
(−72.0)		 −57.2
(−71.0)		 −50.0
(−58.0)		 −32.0
(−25.6)		 −12.2
(10.0)		 −3.9
(25.0)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −16.5
(2.3)		 −32.5
(−26.5)		 −46.7
(−52.1)		 −54.4
(−65.9)		 −57.8
(−72.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 17.9
(0.70)		 12.3
(0.48)		 7.0
(0.28)		 6.8
(0.27)		 20.1
(0.79)		 34.5
(1.36)		 55.1
(2.17)		 39.4
(1.55)		 30.6
(1.20)		 9.5
(0.37)		 18.3
(0.72)		 15.3
(0.60)		 276.7
(10.89)
Source: 1961-1990 Environment Canada [4]

See also

References
  1. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  2. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
  3. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
  4. Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1961–1990. Retrieved 22 June 2011.


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