Packing list for Yukon in summer

The 12 essentials

1) Waterproof shell jacket — rain hits without warning. 2) Insulating midlayer (fleece or light down). 3) Long merino base layer. 4) Actual hiking boots, broken in. 5) Bug head net ($8) — non-negotiable in June-July. 6) DEET or picaridin bug spray. 7) Sun hat and polarized sunglasses — 19-hour days.

8) Reusable water bottle. 9) Small daypack (20–30L). 10) Blackout eye mask for the midnight sun. 11) Bear spray (buy in Whitehorse, don’t fly with it). 12) Camera or phone with tripod for aurora if visiting shoulder season.

The 5 things you don’t need

1) Formal clothes — nowhere requires them, not even the nicest restaurants. 2) Umbrella — useless in Yukon wind, bring a jacket. 3) Traveler's diarrhea kit — tap water is excellent everywhere. 4) A universal adapter — Canada uses standard North American plugs (120V). 5) Cash for tipping — cards work in 99% of establishments.

The 3 things everyone forgets

1) A power bank — trails are cold on batteries, and if you’re stranded, phones die fast. Get a 20,000 mAh unit. 2) Wool socks in a pack of 4 — cotton socks in wet boots at 8°C is misery, and dryers in Yukon Airbnbs are hit or miss. 3) A real headlamp — even in summer, campground bathrooms and pre-dawn hikes need one, and phone flashlights burn battery. Petzl Tikka runs $40 and lasts years. Buy before you fly; the outdoor shops in Whitehorse are excellent but limited on selection.