kids encyclopedia robot

Carmacks, Yukon facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Carmacks
Carmacks is seen from the Yukon River bridge with the river in the foreground.
Carmacks is seen from the Yukon River bridge with the river in the foreground.
Carmacks, Yukon is located in Yukon
Carmacks, Yukon
Carmacks, Yukon
Location in Yukon
Carmacks, Yukon is located in Canada
Carmacks, Yukon
Carmacks, Yukon
Location in Canada
Country Canada
Territory Yukon
Area
 • Land 36.87 km2 (14.24 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total 588
 • Density 13.3/km2 (34/sq mi)
 • DPL
206
Time zone UTC−07:00 (MST)
Climate Dsc

Carmacks is a village in Yukon, Canada, on the Yukon River along the Klondike Highway, and at the west end of the Robert Campbell Highway from Watson Lake. The population is 588 (Canada Census, 2021), an increase from the Census of 2016. It is the home of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation, a Northern Tutchone-speaking people.

History

The name of the community comes from George Washington Carmack, who found coal near Tantalus Butte (locally called Coal Mine Hill) in the early 1890s. He built a trading post near the present site of Carmacks and traded with locals before opening a coal mine in the south bank of the Yukon River. The focus of his entrepreneurial energy switched a few years later when he or his wife, Kate Carmack, discovered gold with her brother, Keish (Skookum Jim), and Dawson Charlie (Tagish Charlie) at what was to become the Discovery Claim, near Dawson City, which started the Klondike Gold Rush. Carmacks incorporated as a village on November 1, 1984.

Geography

The community consists of the Village of Carmacks and the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation. Carmacks Landing Settlement is within the Village of Carmacks.

Carmacks is situated at the confluence of the Nordenskiold and Yukon rivers, approximately 180 km (110 mi) north of Whitehorse and 360 km (220 mi) south of Dawson City on the North Klondike Highway. It is the site of one of the four bridges over the Yukon River. The Campbell Highway also intersects the community and carries on to Faro, Ross River and Watson Lake, providing a gateway to the Canol Road and some of Yukon's most spectacular scenery.

Climate

Carmacks has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with short but mild summers and long, severely cold winters.

Climate data for Carmacks
Climate ID: 2100301; coordinates 62°06′54″N 136°11′31.1″W / 62.11500°N 136.191972°W / 62.11500; -136.191972 (Carmacks CS); elevation: 12.2 m (40 ft); WMO ID: 71039; 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1963–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 9.5
(49.1)
13.0
(55.4)
17.3
(63.1)
23.3
(73.9)
35.0
(95.0)
35.3
(95.5)
34.2
(93.6)
33.0
(91.4)
27.0
(80.6)
23.4
(74.1)
12.8
(55.0)
10.2
(50.4)
35.3
(95.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −16.4
(2.5)
−10.0
(14.0)
−1.7
(28.9)
8.4
(47.1)
16.5
(61.7)
21.4
(70.5)
22.5
(72.5)
19.9
(67.8)
13.7
(56.7)
3.9
(39.0)
−9.1
(15.6)
−14.3
(6.3)
4.6
(40.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) −21.8
(−7.2)
−17.0
(1.4)
−9.6
(14.7)
0.7
(33.3)
8.3
(46.9)
13.5
(56.3)
15.3
(59.5)
12.8
(55.0)
7.1
(44.8)
−1.2
(29.8)
−13.8
(7.2)
−19.3
(−2.7)
−2.1
(28.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −26.7
(−16.1)
−23.4
(−10.1)
−18.1
(−0.6)
−6.9
(19.6)
0.0
(32.0)
5.6
(42.1)
7.9
(46.2)
5.6
(42.1)
0.4
(32.7)
−6.0
(21.2)
−17.8
(0.0)
−23.6
(−10.5)
−8.6
(16.5)
Record low °C (°F) −57.8
(−72.0)
−57.2
(−71.0)
−50.0
(−58.0)
−33.4
(−28.1)
−13.6
(7.5)
−3.9
(25.0)
−1.1
(30.0)
−5.0
(23.0)
−16.5
(2.3)
−32.5
(−26.5)
−46.7
(−52.1)
−54.4
(−65.9)
−57.8
(−72.0)
Record low wind chill −53.0 −50.7 −47.5 −31.7 −15.7 −4.1 −2.1 −3.4 −14.5 −26.5 −47.4 −51.5 −53.0
Average precipitation mm (inches) 15.4
(0.61)
10.2
(0.40)
10.3
(0.41)
7.1
(0.28)
23.5
(0.93)
31.7
(1.25)
57.4
(2.26)
44.9
(1.77)
24.9
(0.98)
22.5
(0.89)
20.5
(0.81)
18.8
(0.74)
287.1
(11.30)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 0.0
(0.0)
0.1
(0.00)
0.1
(0.00)
2.7
(0.11)
23.9
(0.94)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 16.7
(6.6)
10.8
(4.3)
10.2
(4.0)
1.2
(0.5)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
20.5
(8.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 9.2 6.7 6.4 4.4 8.3 10.1 13.2 11.1 9.4 9.1 10.9 9.6 108.3
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 0.0 0.06 0.07 0.87 7.2 0.0 0.0
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 7.7 5.1 4.1 0.53 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.9
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada

Demographics

Combined federal census population history of Carmacks (post-amalgamation)
Year Pop. ±%
1986 404 —    
1991 349 −13.6%
1996 466 +33.5%
2001 431 −7.5%
2006 425 −1.4%
2011 503 +18.4%
2016 493 −2.0%
2021 588 +19.3%
Source: Statistics Canada
Federal census population history of Carmacks Landing (pre-amalgamation)
Year Pop. ±%
1981 —    
1986 124 —    
1991 106 −14.5%
Source: Statistics Canada
Federal census population history of Carmacks (pre-amalgamation)
Year Pop. ±%
1941 50 —    
1951 148 +196.0%
1981 256 +73.0%
1986 280 +9.4%
1991 243 −13.2%
Source: Statistics Canada

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Carmacks had a population of 588 living in 263 of its 302 total private dwellings, a change of 19.3% from its 2016 population of 493. With a land area of 36.87 km2 (14.24 sq mi), it had a population density of 15.9/km2 (41/sq mi) in 2021.

As a designated place in the 2021 census, Carmacks Landing Settlement had a population of 206 living in 86 of its 95 total private dwellings, a change of 22.6% from its 2016 population of 168. With a land area of 2.41 km2 (0.93 sq mi), it had a population density of 85.5/km2 (221/sq mi) in 2021.

Carmacks has a 91.4% First Nations population the majority of which belong to the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nations. The local language of the LSCFN community is Northern Tuchone, which is carried on both by the elders and taught to all students at the local Tantalus Elementary/high School.

Panethnic groups in the Village of Carmacks (2001−2021)
Panethnic group 2021 2016 2006 2001
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
Indigenous 420 73.04% 340 70.83% 325 76.47% 295 68.6%
European 120 20.87% 115 23.96% 95 22.35% 135 31.4%
Southeast Asian 25 4.35% 20 4.17% 0 0% 10 2.33%
South Asian 0 0% 10 2.08% 0 0% 0 0%
African 0 0% 10 2.08% 0 0% 0 0%
East Asian 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 10 2.33%
Middle Eastern 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Latin American 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Other/multiracial 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Total responses 575 97.79% 480 97.36% 425 100% 430 99.77%
Total population 588 100% 493 100% 425 100% 431 100%
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Economy

The area around Carmacks has abundant mineral resources, including coal, copper, and gold. Various mining activities are taking place on mineral sites around Carmacks. There is a small zinc-copper mine in production near Carmacks operated by Western Silver and a gold property northwest of Carmacks currently in the exploration stage operated by Northern Freegold Resources based out of Whitehorse.

Attractions

The Carmacks Recreation Centre is at the east end of River Drive between the nursing station and visitor centre, and is a community focal point for youth. There is a youth drop in daily with a computer access, video games, table games and other activities, often funded by Yukon grant programs. The gymnasium is host to adult floor hockey and other sports. The Recreation Centre also holds a three lane curling rink, fully loaded fitness gym and a full kitchen for all occasions.

Carmacks also has an indoor swimming pool that is open to the community from June to September.

Infrastructure

Carmacs-bridge across Yukon River
The Yukon River bridge at Carmacks

Carmacks is served by the Klondike Highway by cars and Carmacks Airport by air.

It has been proposed as a hub for an extension of the Alaska Railroad, and historically for an extension of the White Pass and Yukon Route from Whitehorse.

Sports

Every February, Carmacks hosts a checkpoint for both the long-distance Yukon Quest sled dog race and the Yukon Arctic Ultra foot/ski/bike race.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Carmacks para niños

kids search engine
Carmacks, Yukon Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.