Tombstone
August 24 – 30, 2024
Autumn Color in Tombstone Territorial Park
September 1 – 7, 2024
Located just south of the Arctic Circle, between the Bering and Beaufort seas, Tombstone Territorial Park encompasses over 2,100 sq. km of rugged mountain peaks and permafrost landforms, bisected by a rocky divide. Jointly administered by the Yukon Territory government and the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation people, the park provides refuge to abundant wildlife, including Dall’s sheep, two species of caribou, moose, black bears, grizzly bears, numerous smaller mammals, and at least 150 species of birds.
While the park boasts year round beauty—earning it comparison to the legendary Patagonia region—it really shines during autumn. It is then that the park’s varied flora erupts in shades of crimson and yellow, and we’ve timed our Tombstone Workshop to coincide! Join us as we seek out the most expansive landscapes, varied wildlife, and even (if we are lucky!) the dancing aurora borealis.
We’ve arranged for the perfect base camp in this remote region, comfortably outfitted with a wall tent for meals, personal tents for sleeping, and plenty of home-cooked hot food and drinks to keep you warm and fortified. Our priority during the four nights of camping is to fly into and camp at Talus Lake. Talus Lake is an amazing wilderness lake just beneath the jagged peaks of the Tombstone region. This is a separate alpine camp miles from anywhere and requires a 15 mile hike or helicopter flight. Our outfitters will arrange the helicopter to fly us in and they will setup camp at Talus Lake and provide all the cooking. We have a weather window of 4 nights from our base camp for this opportunity. Weather permitting, we’ll be traversing the park on foot, by vehicle, and by helicopter—you’ll have photographic opportunities from every angle.
This workshop begins and ends in Dawson City, with a wealth of local mining lore to serve as our backdrop. Bring your camera, hiking boots, and a sense of adventure for this journey into the wilds of the Yukon!
Muench Workshops hires local outfitters who carry all required permits and certifications.
Your Pro
Location
Yukon Territory, Canada
Tuition
$8,495
Dates
September 1 – 7, 2024
Availability
3 Spots Left
Limited to 6 Guests
Itinerary
This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, local conditions, and other factors.
August 31, 2024: We recommend spending the night in Whitehorse, Canada, to prepare you for an early flight to Dawson City the following morning. If you need help making these arrangements, we’re more than happy to recommend a hotel. We will also contact you with more information about which flight to book to Dawson City on the first day of the workshop.
September 1, 2024: Fly from Whitehorse, Canada, to Dawson City. We will update you with a recommended flight before booking. Our outfitters will meet you at the airport in Dawson City and drive you to our hotel, where you will check in and meet the group for the first dinner.
September 2, 2024: After a hearty breakfast, we’ll begin our adventure into Tombstone Territorial Park. Our drive will meander through pine-covered foothills, then wind its way up to the steep snow-covered mountains marking the park’s entrance. We should see spring greens fade to light green and yellow as we gain elevation. Before we reach our base camp, we’ll begin photographing along the highway at one of many potential locations. Once in camp, everyone will have time to unpack and place their gear and luggage in their tent. Each tent will be equipped for rain with a nice thick sleeping pad (you supply your sleeping bag). We’ll have time to eat dinner in camp before heading out (weather permitting) for more night photography.
If the weather cooperates, we’ll fly straight into Talus Lake on this first day! We would spend one to two nights at Talus Lake before flying back to our base camp for the remainder of the four nights.
September 3–6, 2024: Four full days to explore both inside the park and further north to explore the surrounding tundra. There are no other towns here, just wilderness. We have also scheduled a helicopter to take us up into the park’s high peaks, including Tombstone Mountain. Mornings will come early, as we’ll seek to photograph sunrises, but don’t worry. There will be plenty of hot coffee! After daybreak, we’ll have a hearty breakfast before setting out for a day of exploration. We’ll keep our schedule flexible to take advantage of the best light, but a hot dinner will always be waiting for us when we return.
If the weather cooperates, we’ll fly to Talus Lake as soon as possible! We would spend one to two nights at Talus Lake before flying back to our base camp for the remainder of the four nights.
September 7, 2024: After a nice hot shower in our hotel rooms in Dawson City, we’ll spend this day in a private meeting room to review the images we captured. Weather permitting, we’ll photograph some local historic mining scenes. Expect a nice dinner together to celebrate our trip.
September 8, 2024: The workshop concludes after breakfast. We will take our return flights to Whitehorse and home.
Camping
Your lodging for this workshop includes hotels and two different types of camping. We will use two camping setups, base camp and alpine camp. The base camp setting is next to our vehicles, and the tents are more considerable, offering sleeping pads and bags. The dinner tent is more extensive and provides more food opportunities for the guides to prepare. The alpine camp used at Talus Lake is a smaller footprint. The elevation at Talus lake will be approximately 5,000 feet. The tents are smaller all-season nylon tents for four people, but everyone will share a tent with one person. Food will be prepared in a shared cooking tent, and sanitary measures will be followed. Hot water for washing hands and face will be prepared, and plenty of hot water for coffee and tea will be available. Toilets at both camps will be outhouses provided by the park service.
Gallery
Fitness
Moderate: You must be able to carry your packs in a rugged alpine environment for up to two miles at 7,000′.
Flights
Arrive Dawson City Airport (YDA), Dawson City, Yukon before 6:00 PM on September 1, 2024. Flights out can be made anytime on September 8, 2024.
What to Bring
Please see our page How To Prepare For Your Workshop. We will send you a detailed information document 90 days before your workshop. This document will include specifics of where and when to meet, gear and clothing recommendations, and more.
What’s Included
- Double occupancy lodging. Single available for $400 supplement. (Hotel only.)
- All meals, soft drinks, and snacks during the workshop.
- All permits and park fees.
- All transportation during the workshop.
- All helicopter charters.
- Tips for crew, drivers, and local guides.
- Fully-outfitted, guided camping.
- Photographic guiding and instruction from Kevin Pepper.
- Image reviews and post-processing instruction.
- Adventure, fun, inspiration, and a great time!
Not Included
- Travel to and from Dawson City, Yukon.
- While not expected, we do reserve the right to add a surcharge for possible fuel cost increases. This can happen even right up until the time of the expedition, but we try to get as much notice as possible.
- Passport and visa fees (if applicable).
- Any meals or accommodations before or after the workshop dates.
- Items of a personal nature.
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Medical Evacuation Insurance (required).
- Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance (optional, but recommended).
- Anything else specifically not listed as included.
- Single rooming available for $400 supplement. (Hotel only.)
Payment Terms
Testimonials
“Thank you everyone at Muench Workshops for making this happen! I feel humbled to have been part of one of your outstanding workshops. ”
“There's no way to really quantify how much Kevin Pepper taught us. If I thanked Kevin and Muench Workshops a million times, it still wouldn't cut it. The best I can do is pass along that knowledge to my photographer friends who will be extremely jealous after I show them the pictures! It wasn't just about the pictures, Kevin made us all feel like we were your friend. It was pretty special. ”
“This was my second trip with Kevin. I really like his low key attitude. Without question Kevin was most interested in our photographic success and having fun. He was willing to stay out as late as required in our attempts to see and photograph the Aurora. He was willing to do what it took to get shots for us. I have been on other trips where that was not the case. ”
