Explore The St. Elias Icefields, helicopter not required

Have you ever wanted to explore one of Canada’s most dramatic glaciated landscapes without mountaineering skills, extreme weather gear, or a chartered flight? Thanks to a new suite of Virtual Geology Tours developed by Yukon University’s Earth Sciences program, the vast and ice-covered St. Elias Icefields are now open to everyone.

Through immersive, interactive online experiences, users can journey across glaciers, soar above rugged alpine terrain, and uncover the geologic stories written into one of the most remote regions in the North all through the power of technology in the comfort of their home, office or classroom.

A digital fieldtrip

The Yukon Virtual Geology Project has captured inaccessible terrain from the furthest reaches across the Yukon using the ArcGIS StoryMaps platform, these tours combine cutting-edge geospatial data with compelling storytelling to bring the geology and landscapes to life.

For most people reaching these spectacular locations in person is just not possible. So, the Virtual Geology tours bridge that accessibility gap, creating meaningful opportunities to explore these northern landscapes while learning about the powerful geologic processes that shaped them.

Newest virtual tour release: the St. Elias Icefields

The St. Elias Mountains are legendary for their scale and beauty and equally known for their remoteness, extreme weather, and technical terrain. Few people ever have the chance to safely immerse themselves in this environment in this way. The newly released St. Elias Icefields Virtual Geology Tours change that.

This collection features seven freely available tours, each highlighting different areas and themes across the icefields. Users can visit locations ranging from the toes of massive valley glaciers to breathtaking high-alpine research sites on ice. The tours also explore rock glaciers and landscapes shaped by glacier-dammed lakes that existed in the recent past.

Along the way, users can:

• “Fly” over glaciers and rugged mountain terrain
• Observe world-class glacial and geomorphic land formations
• Learn how this region preserves remnants of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet that once covered much of Western Canada

Whether you’re an educator looking for an engaging classroom resource, an outdoor enthusiast planning a future adventure, or simply curious about Yukon’s glacial landscapes, the St. Elias Icefields tours offer an educational, accessible, and visually stunning way to explore this remarkable region.

Learning on the land

The St. Elias Icefields Virtual Geology Tours visit locations within the traditional territories of the Kluane First Nation, the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, and the White River First Nation. The project acknowledges the deep and enduring connections these Nations have with the land.

Start exploring

Ready to begin your journey into the icefields? The landscape is waiting.

• Virtual Geology homepage: https://www.yukonu.ca/virtual-geology
• St. Elias Icefields tour collection: https://arcg.is/10Ojui0

The Yukon Virtual Geology Project is funded by the Geological Survey of Canada’s GEM-GeoNorth Program, with in-kind support from Yukon University’s Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining (CNIM).