Spotting wildfires is serious business. Former "lookout" Trina Moyles visited the Dawson City fire tower and tells us about its veteran smoke-spotter, Markus Lenzin. Drawing from her own seven seasons stationed at a remote tower in northern Alberta, Trina shares the solitude, awe, and challenges of the role of a lookout in detecting and reporting wildfires in the Yukon and beyond.

Trina Moyles is the author of Lookout—Love, Solitude, and Searching for Wildfire in the Boreal Forest. She wrote about Markus and the Dawson Fire tower in the winter issue of Yukon, North of Ordinary magazine.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Protecting Whitehorse from catastrophic wildfire
The caveman of Dawson City
Off-grid luxe
Trapping--a way of life
Lessons from the Dempster

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• Email: [email protected]

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SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

Davida Wood and Tosh Southwick were featured in a story about the Yukon’s Indigenous consulting sector in the Winter 2024 issue of Yukon, North of Ordinary magazine. Now, the podcast puts them both in the hot-seat for a special two-for-one edition of the “Yukon Questionnaire.” Among other things, it turns out this dynamic pair shares a talent for telling tall tales to tourists…

(Tosh Southwick’s questionnaire begins at 16:30)

MORE FROM OUR YQ SERIES
Roch Shannon Fraser - broadcaster
Amy Kenny - writer & magazine editor
Steve McGovern – comedian
Peter Mather - photojournalist

Know a Yukoner who could really nail the YQ? Send us your suggestions!

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

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Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

Meet one of the Yukon's biggest social media stars and learn about his unlikely claim to fame. Perfect listening for your turkey hangover. Full disclosure: this is a blatant "re-gift" of an episode first published in March 2023. Featuring Yukon-bred TikToker Jonathan Ostrander, AKA Sandwich Dad. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
The Sourdough Mocktail
The ice swimmers
Microdosing on the run
On the menu: bonfire treats, birch syrup, bison, and wine

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

A wild night on the town for the North of Ordinary podcast Christmas party inspires producer Mark Koepke to create a non-alcoholic beverage that will put the Yukon on the map. It's his lovely, lovely gift to all the people of our fine territory.

Come for the snow, sample a toe... Whether you're into Sourtoe Cocktails or Sourdough Mocktails, you can plan your visit to the Yukon at travelyukon.com.

This episode is dedicated to Elliott Sack.

LINKS
Sourdough Mocktail recipes

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
These old houses: the story of YXY’s former DPW houses
Hard rock minors: the story of youth band Cows Go Moo
He’s a real batass
One the menu: Bonfire treats, birch syrup, bison, and wine
Demystifying TikToker Sandwich Dad

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

Remember when Premier Jakowsky wasn’t fooling anybody about his plans for the pristine wilderness of the Vista? Or the triumphant return of Dirty Bird to Whitehorse’s dining scene? Maybe, sort of? Former Whitehorse Star reporter Nadine Sander-Green adapted and fictionalized her personal experience in “Rabbit Rabbit  Rabbit,” a coming-of-age novel set in the territory’s recent past. During a visit in late October, the Calgary-based author discusses her work and reads a sample for a live audience at Yukon University.

LINKS
Nadine Sander-Green’s website
Mac’s Fireweed Books online store

MORE FROM THIS SERIES:
((Poetry)) by Peter Jickling
((Theatre)) by Larrikin Entertainment
((Radio) by Junction Arts and Music
((Music)) by the august arrival

EPISODE MUSIC CREDITS
ooh-guitar by larsn.wav—License: Creative Commons 0
A Cool Guitar and Synth Beat by Seth_Makes_Sounds—License: Creative Commons 0
morning view- guitar theme.wav by mareproduction—License: Creative Commons 0
Happy Quirky Theme by TheoJT—License: Attribution 4.0

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

In March 2024, a gang of tough female characters set off on a seven-day ski trip from Log Cabin to Atlin, B.C., following the historic Fantail route. Along the way, the forest revealed traces of its storied past. Now, host Karen McColl and her pulk-slingin' trip-mates reunite to reflect on a trip that tested their limits, challenged their gear, and deepened their bond. 

Mentioned in this episode: Elder Wayne Carlick, featured in A Chilkat robe is going home.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
This is (type 2) fun
Amidst Caribou on the Firth River
She will bike (and push) 430 miles
The ice swimmers
A bear encounter that started with a curious canter

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

At the mere hint that the iconic gold panner should make an exit, stage left, from the Yukon’s license plate, a lot of Yukoners seemed to go stark raven mad on the North of Ordinary Facebook page. We stuck our beak—trickster-like—into this non-issue… and suddenly turned it into a minor controversy. To clear the air, podcast co-producer Mark Koepke did a deep dive into his audio archives and put together this previously unscheduled minisode. It features a circa 2008 interview he did with the Whitehorse man who designed the much-debated raven plate. And for the record: it was NEVER intended to replace the beloved prospector.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
YQ | photojournalist Peter Mather

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

Yukon, North of Ordinary publisher Manu Keggenhoff drops in to discuss how the magazine’s popular photo essays come together. We also get our quarterly rundown on the latest issue from editor extraordinaire Amy Kenny. Plus, we highlight some of the stories we’ll be bringing you for the podcast’s winter series. We’ll even try—not for the first or last time—to draw your voice into future episodes.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Four seasons of adventure photography
A drone’s eye view
Off-grid luxe
Fall series | bats, boats & badass ungulates

LINKS
Manu Keggenhoff’s photography website

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

The story of how one determined Yukoner overcame his own ignorance, a skeptical wife, and countless winged (and fanged) adversaries to finally win a “bat-tle” for structural supremacy at a cottage on the Yukon’s Southern Lakes. Co-producer Mark Koepke joins host Karen McColl to take his verbal victory lap—and reveal a possible man crush on ‘80s movie star Michael Keaton. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Bats with big appetites

The secret life of mosquitoes

Amidst caribou on the Firth River

Stalking foxes, talking bears

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street

Peter Mather knows better than most that there are more moose than people in the Yukon. The award-winning wildlife photographer candidly answers the "Yukon Questionnaire" and takes the opportunity to pump up other Yukon artists.
_

In a previous episode, Peter tours us through the dark streets of Whitehorse to look for urban foxes and also speaks of camera trapping the "ice" bears of Klukshu. Check out Stalking foxes, talking bears.

Check out how other Yukoners have answered our "Yukon Questionnaire":

Roch Shannon Fraser - broadcaster
Amy Kenny - writer & magazine editor
Steve McGovern - comedian

Know a Yukoner who could really nail the YQ? Send us your suggestions!

CONNECT WITH US
• Facebook: @northofordinary
• Instagram: @northofordinarymedia
• Email: [email protected]

SHOP ONLINE
Subscribe to the magazine and purchase branded hoodies, shirts, stickers, and much more at northofordinary.com.

SHOP IN PERSON
North of Ordinary has two retail locations in downtown Whitehorse:
• Corner of 2nd Avenue and 206 Steele Street
• 205 Main Street