Silver Trail Interpretive Plan Yukon Depar tment of Tourism Heritage Branch December 1997 Inukshuk Planning & Development In Association with Anne Leckie, Alber t Drapeau and Aasman Design Inc. 2 Silver Trail Interpretive Plan–December, 1997 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 3 Table of Illustrations 1.1 Program Background & Plan Context .................................. 5 1.2 Purpose & Objectives.................................................................... 6 Map of Silver Trail Interpretive Plan Study Area................................ 2 1.3 Planning Approach......................................................................... 6 Map of Existing Dept. of Tourism Interpretive Signs........................ 10 Typical Regional Site ...................................................................... 27 2.0 The Tourism Context ................................................................................ 7 Map of Overall Corridor Plan .......................................................... 28 Typical Minor and Major Sites......................................................... 29 3.0 The Existing Situation ............................................................................ 9 Map of Silver Trail, Stewart Crossing to Mayo................................. 32 3.1 Program Background & Plan Context ................................. 11 Map of Silver Trail, Mayo to Keno ................................................... 34 Map of Silver Trail, Duncan Creek Road Loop ............................... 35 3.2 Duncan Creek Road Corridor Overview ............................ 17 Corridor Identity Image .................................................................. 36 3.3 Assessment of Current Sign Text.......................................... 20 Typical Panel Design, Colour Pallet ............................................... 37 3.3.1 Stewart Crossing to Mayo ........................................ 20 Panel Frame Cross-Section and Post Details ................................ 38 3.3.2 Mayo to Keno City........................................................ 21 Stewart Crossing–Regional Orientation Exhibit ............................. 39 3.3.3 Duncan Creek Road .................................................... 24 Stewart River Valley Overlook–Major New Site ............................. 40 3.4 Analysis of Thematic Representation ................................. 25 Minto Bridge–Major New Site ......................................................... 41 3.5 Implications for Interpretive Plan Development .......... 26 Major and Minor Site Advance Warning Signs ............................... 42 4.0 Silver Trail Corridor Interpretation Plan ....................................... 27 4.1 Approach ......................................................................................... 27 4.2 Thematic Representation Rationale .................................... 30 4.3 Media and Audience ................................................................... 30 4.4 Highway Interpretive Units ...................................................... 31 4.5 Sign Types and Locations ....................................................... 31 4.5.1 Silver Trail Corridor...................................................... 33 4.5.2 Duncan Creek Road .................................................... 33 5.0 Sign Design Concepts.......................................................................... 36 6.0 Implementation and Operations ...................................................... 39 6.1 Priorities ........................................................................................... 39 6.2 Directional Signs .......................................................................... 41 6.3 Capital and Maintenance Costs ............................................ 42 3 Silver Trail Interpretive Plan–December, 1997 Be av er R SILVER TRAIL INTERPRETIVE PLAN iver STUDY AREA Kathleen YUKON Lakes NORTHWEST ▲ SCALE ALASKA TERRITORIES N 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 km McQuesten Lake er iv Klond R ike River n e t Wind r s B.C. e e v River u i R Trail Q c en M st h ue rt Q No c Wernecke M er th iv Sou Keno Hill Summit Ke e R Elsa no Ladu d a Keno S Mt. Haldane o tew R a k City rt e R e i r ve D C Mayo r r unca n Mayo Lake ve Halfway Lake Ri Road n te Lake es Mayo u Ri Penape Q to La ver Mayo c in ke Ro M ad Dam Edwards Lake M Lake Minto Lake Wareham Janet Dam Lake Mayo Williamson Lake Mayo Old Indian er Village Riv art Moose Fraser Stew Creek r Falls ve Ri rt wa Ste Hungry Mtn. H es Stewart Ethel Lake s River Crossing Big Kalzas Lake 4 2 Silver Trail Interpretive Plan–December, 1997 Silver Trail Interpretive Plan–December, 1997 1.0 Introduction The Silver Trail branches off the Klondike Highway 1950s, United Keno Hill was the largest silver significant mineral potential and active exploration at Stewart Crossing. It follows the north fork of the producer in North America and the fourth largest in and mining activity continue to this day. Stewart River into the heart of the traditional terri- the world. The tourism potential of the Silver Trail was not tory of the Nacho Nyak Dun for a distance of 112 The communities in the Mayo Mining District have really appreciated until the early 1980s. As part of km At Mayo the road turns north to Elsa, ending at experienced the boom and bust cycle common to a bid to encourage more tourism into the region, a Keno City. The current highway was constructed in mining regions throughout the world. A number regional tourism association was established. Ten 1950 to link Whitehorse to Mayo. The original of mines have since been abandoned with the Elsa interpretive signs were erected by Yukon Tourism Mayo to Keno City wagon road intersected the town-site being dismantled following the closure of along the Silver Trail corridor in the mid eighties. Liberal Trail winter road from Mayo to Dawson the United Keno Hill operations. The population of One of the most noticeable initiatives of the new City and the Duncan Creek Road just north of Keno City has also dwindled to around 40 perma- regional tourism association was to adopt and Minto Bridge. These original roads were nent residents. With a population of just under 500 promote the “Silver Trail” theme. This resulted in constructed in 1904 with the road to Elsa (Galena people, Mayo continues to function as the govern- the visitor information booth development at Creek) built by 1915, following the discovery of ment, transportation, service and regional supply Stewart Crossing and the erection of banner poles at silver. The Stewart River bridge was completed in centre for the central Yukon. The area still has key locations along the road corridor. 1960. Numerous exploration roads and trails have been constructed off the Silver Trail since. The Wind River Trail, McQuesten, Minto and Mayo Lake roads are all examples. Mining interest in the Mayo region began in the late 1800s. A minor gold rush took place in 1885 when the first placer miners came to work the river bars of the Stewart and McQuesten Rivers. By 1887, $100,000 worth of gold had been extracted from the bars in the Stewart River bed. Miners headed for Duncan Creek, disembarked from the steamboats at Gordon, and later, Mayo Landing. The current Mayo town site, named after Frank Mayo, was established in 1903. Silver mining began in 1906 when H.W. McWhorter discovered silver in Galena Creek, three miles south-west of Elsa. The first silver mine, at Silver King, operated between 1913 and 1918. The entrance shaft is still visible from the road. The nearby United Keno Hill Mines Ltd. continued to extract ore until the late 1980s. At its peak in the The “Silver Trail theme” promoted with the use of banners. 5 Silver Trail Interpretive Plan–December, 1997 The tourism association also started to develop its drier soils and southern slope exposures. There are alone, towering over the adjacent ridges. As the own site location identification signage. also lodgepole pine trees which are near their traveller reaches Minto Bridge, the wetlands visible northern limits. At the end of the McConnell glacia- at the bridge provide excellent migratory water- The Silver Trail provides the visitor with three tion, a lake was formed behind an ice dam which fowl habitat. The wetlands were created as a result distinct driving images. Between Stewart Crossing crossed the valley at km 54 (Burn 1985). The lake of the construction of the Wareham dam and early and Mayo, the driver is exposed to occasional views extended upstream as far as Fraser Falls, leaving fine placer mining activity. Approaching Elsa and of the river and Hungry Mountain as the road ice rich sediments underlain by permafrost. Galena Hill, evidence of the area’s mining history follows the Stewart River valley away from the gradually becomes more visible with good views Tintina Trench. The visitor passes through a white The stunted black spruce, extensive wetlands and out over the McQuesten River valley. The original spruce forest in the first 5 kms. which insulates the thermokarst lakes (often called “drunken” forests) Silver King claim and drift, at km 93, is easily underlying permafrost. The swampy marshland in between Mayo and Elsa reflect this glacial history. missed, its significance unmarked. the valley floor, visible at km 6, reflects past river The visitor is afforded a panoramic view of the meanders. This narrow winding portion of the road Mayo