Dave O'Farrell shows off the catch of the day new Grizzly Creek Lodge in the Yukon. (Peter Brewster/Special to QMI Agency)

The Yukon is pure gold. Scenery, history, wildlife and real wilderness writ large on vast canvas.

It's also one of Canada's more accessible northern regions, which makes visiting easy and leaving hard.

Talk to a Yukoner and commonly hear: "I came up to take a look a decade ago and never left."

Gold rush, Robert Service, midnight sun, northern lights, blistering winter cold and exquisite sun-drenched days: It's all there.

What is not on most Canadians' radar, however, is the charm of Whitehorse, the capital. Hands down the most complete city of its size in the country, it bustles with artists, artisans, chefs, colour and character, scenery and magnificent local beer. The 25,000 denizens comprise the bulk of the Yukon's 34,000 population.

The secret to the Yukon's accessibility is the Alaska Highway, the wartime road slammed through brutal terrain at warp speed. Whitehorse is not a dead end like some other northern communities.

This excellent paved road continues to Alaska, but the truly adventurous stay in Canada, visit places like Dawson City then travel the long, gravel Dempster Highway north to Inuvik.

Opportunities abound for sightseeing and adventure, and Yukon Tourism does a superb job of welcoming visitors. You could happily fill two weeks in the Yukon -- or a lifetime.

One way to cover many bases with one throw is Skanse's Grizzly Creek Lodge.

Rustic and remote, the Yukon's Grizzly Creek Lodge caters to four guests at a time. (Peter Brewster/Special to QMI Agency)

This beautifully appointed operation recently opened to the public after a quarter-century of exclusively private use. It handles just four guests at a time.

Set on the Toobally Lakes and the Smith River, Grizzly Creek mirrors the careful taste of the Skanse family and is far removed from a typical fly-in camp. Literally: At 100 air miles off the Alaska Hwy., it is one of the most remote lodges.

Hosts David and Reggie O'Farrell and their family reside year-round in the Yukon and have managed the lodge throughout its life. They helped build it, round log by round log, gorgeous fittings and all.

What makes Grizzly Creek special, exclusivity apart, is that packages include a night's stay in Whitehorse and a rental car to drive yourself the 500 km along the Alaska Hwy. to Watson Lake, where a float plane wings guests over untracked hills, rivers and rugged bush to a Shangri-la with wi-fi.

There is world-class fishing, of course, with all equipment supplied, but many other options. I saw 16 moose in one week; bird life is abundant; the O'Farrells are prospecting the Toobally Lakes region's rivers as canoe routes. Photo ops are boundless. Your choice.

Oh, the Grizzly Creek name? The lodge keeps a dedicated bear dog among its canine crew. Bruins both black and brown are any-time possibilities.

More information

-- Skanse's Grizzly Creek Lodge, grizzlycreeklodge.com or 867-399-3791.

-- Yukon Tourism, travelyukon.com.

-- Getting to the Yukon is simple. Choose your flight to Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver, then seriously consider Air North, the Yukon-based carrier, for the flight into Whitehorse. But if you have time, drive. The journey is magnificent. Air North, flyairnorth.com.