Cover Art: Layers of Autumn Splendour at the Takhini Salt Flats
Abstract
The Takhini Salt Flats is a unique geologic feature of sediments from ancient Glacial Lake Champagne, in the Ibex Valley 40 km northwest of Whitehorse, that comes alive in the fall.
Each year, thanks to the dry, warm summer climate of the Ibex Valley, the lake water evaporates to reveal white flats of sodium sulphate salts. This special habitat supports several species of birds and wildlife and unique salt-loving plants. Most peculiar of the these plants is the Arctic glasswort (Salicornia borealis), an annual, succulent halophytic plant that is green in spring and ripens to vibrant red in the fall.
The Takhini Salt Flats hold deep cultural importance for the Kwanlin Dün First Nation (KDFN) and the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations (CAFN), and were specifically selected by the KDFN as part of their Settlement Land, to protect their ecological and cultural value.
As a long-time resident of Whitehorse, I love visiting these unique Takhini Salt Flats in the fall to enjoy the stunning layers of colour.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ray Marnoch
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