A swimmer imitates the shape of the mountains in Yukon. Shot by Hallie Herz
"Some friends who had paddled the Wind River years before told us about a gorgeous glacially-formed lake a few kilometers' hike west of the river. We found what we hoped was that lake on the map, and went for a hike. We climbed what felt like a hundred hills to find this absolute GEM of a turquoise lake tucked into the mountains. We felt like we had stumbled upon something sacred, and we all took off our clothes and dove in, Susan first. I snapped this picture right before diving in myself. We stayed at the lake for as long as we could, and when we got back to our campsite, Susan's chef husband cooked us up some three-cheese chipotle macaroni and our drink of the evening, Arctic blueberries and vodka mixed in tin cups."
-Hallie Herz
Go: Fly into Whitehorse, drive to Mayo and charter a floatplane to fly you and your gear to McClusky Lake. You can paddle the river from there. While difficult, if you can get there, do it – the clear blue water and mountains of the Wind River are unreal.
Stay: Camp on the rocky sand bars of the Wind River. There are more rocks than sand, so make sure to bring along a good self-inflating air mattress. Firewood is easily found, but be sure to bring enough food and a water filter.
Eat: There are tons of places to get incredible food and drink in Whitehorse. Klondike Rib and Salmon is famous for its, well, ribs and salmon, while Baked Café has unbelievable coffee and baked goods.
Drink: Order a Yukon Brewing Company beer at Klondike Rib and Salmon, or, if you can get up to Dawson City, there's the infamous sourtoe shot.