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The Yukon Gold Rush began in August of 1896 when a First Nations man named Keish found gold near the Klondike River in the Yukon territory, a part of Canada just to the east of Alaska that is larger than California. Miners from nearby areas flooded the Klondike area, and when news reached the outside world, they were joined by thousands more, including Jack London. About 100,000 set off but only 30,000 made it to the Klondike. Would-be millionaires sailed or hiked land routes through Canada and the Yukon. The hike took them across a long and difficult trail. Hikers had to move their gear along in stages through cold and snowy mountain passes. The winter temperatures in the area were typically subzero, and the hikers had to stay in tents. Many died of disease, drowning, hunger, scurvy, cold, and avalanches. They were faced with con men and outlaws along the trails. The trails themselves were often too tough for pack horses, who often died along the way, so some used sled dogs as transportation. Thousands of dogs were eventually used in the Yukon to transport logs, gear, and the mail. Small towns in the area suddenly boomed as they became filled with miners and those who wanted to sell them goods and services. Although the first people to find gold did end up wealthy, most treasure-seekers ended up broke. The Yukon Gold Rush ended as suddenly as it began when gold was rumored to have been discovered in Alaska.

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