Slogging North of 60
Half a century of ski trekking through the Yukon and beyond
by Peter Heebink and Karen McColl

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Join the author and over 160 companions as they journey through 15,000 km of true north landscapes. This book is an account of more than 1,500 days and nights, over 45 winters, travelling through the backcountry of the Yukon and into N.W.T., B.C., and Alaska. These self-supported ski and snowshoe expeditions weave through First Nation Traditional Territories, across pristine rivers and over mountain passes. Routes span the western reaches of Mount Logan to the eastern edges of the Ragged Range Mountains, and forge a continuous path from the shores of the Beaufort Sea to Juneau, Alaska. These are stories of resilience, ingenuity, camaraderie, and an unyielding spirit of exploration.

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"Slogging North of 60 is equal parts expedition chronicle, cultural record, and meditation on endurance. For anyone drawn to the Yukon’s wild heart—or anyone who’s forgotten what real adventure feels like—this is your wake-up call." —Pat Morrow, Canadian photographer and mountain climber

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Peter was born in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1942. He went to the University of Wisconsin on a football scholarship. After completing an undergrad in math, science, and engineering, Peter got a master’s degree in social psychology and began a five-year teaching career which took him to California. By 1972, many of his friends had moved to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War draft. Peter and his partner, Ginger VanVleet, got married in Seattle one day and drove to the Canadian border in a Volkswagen van the next day. They lived in a teepee at Cowley Creek, outside Whitehorse, while they built a log cabin by hand. Peter eventually formed a small company and built more than 50 log homes. He developed a love of cross-country skiing on the trails out their back door. In addition to long ski slogs, Peter enjoys cycle touring and has done trips all over the world. He moved to Marsh Lake, 30 minutes south of Whitehorse, in 1980 and has never tired of hearing trumpeter swans in the spring. Many ski trips have been planned at his kitchen table, where a basket of maps is a permanent fixture. Peter has three grown children: Bret, Britni, and Doon, who have each joined him on at least one ski slog.

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Contributors

Author

Peter Heebink

Author

Karen McColl

Cartographer

Eric DeLong