Yukon Virtual Geology
Bringing field geoscience to your desktop.
Welcome
You have reached the Yukon Virtual Geology website, where you can learn about Yukon's fascinating geoscience from your device. Watch the short introduction video below to learn more about our project. Scroll down to learn about fieldtrip navigation and to access available field experiences. Welcome to Yukon's geoscience community!
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).
Field Experience Navigation
Go to Virtual Field Experiences
Scroll down to Virtual Field Experiences to view the available field experiences.
Decide where you want to go
By clicking on one of the experiences on the left side of the page, you can learn about the experience by reading a brief description.
Click and explore!
Click to navigate to your chosen experience and a new window will open allowing you to start. Some experiences contain multiple field sites. After you are finished, navigate back to the experience's main page to start exploring something new.
Virtual Field Experiences
Whitehorse Copper Belt
Whitehorse Copper Belt. Click to expand.
The Whitehorse Copper Belt is a ~30 km belt of copper-gold ore deposits and mineral occurrences in Whitehorse, Yukon. Learn about the area's mining history, the geological processes involved in forming a skarn-type deposit, and the characteristic rocks and minerals that can be found within the belt.
Triassic Reefs and Fossils
Triassic Reefs and Fossils. Click to expand.
Explore the Triassic reef systems of southwest Yukon that showcase amazing marine fossils. Learn about these fascinating organisms and how different the Yukon was ~200 million years ago!
Yukon Volcanism
Yukon Volcanism. Click to expand.
Did you know that Yukon has experienced recent volcanic activity? Join us for an exploration of volcanic features and their history across the territory.
Geoscience Research in the North
Geoscience Research in the North. Click to expand.
Join us in learning about earth science-related research that is actively being conducted all over the territory!
St. Elias Icefields (Coming in 2025!)
St. Elias Icefields (Coming in 2025!). Click to expand.
In the southwest corner of the Yukon lies St. Elias Mountains - home to Canada's tallest mountain and the largest non-polar icefield on the planet.
Whitehorse Copper Belt
The Whitehorse Copper Belt is a ~30 km belt of copper-gold ore deposits and mineral occurrences in Whitehorse, Yukon. Learn about the area's mining history, the geological processes involved in forming a skarn-type deposit, and the characteristic rocks and minerals that can be found within the belt.
Triassic Reefs and Fossils
Explore the Triassic reef systems of southwest Yukon that showcase amazing marine fossils. Learn about these fascinating organisms and how different the Yukon was ~200 million years ago!
Yukon Volcanism
Did you know that Yukon has experienced recent volcanic activity? Join us for an exploration of volcanic features and their history across the territory.
Geoscience Research in the North
Join us in learning about earth science-related research that is actively being conducted all over the territory!
St. Elias Icefields (Coming in 2025!)
In the southwest corner of the Yukon lies St. Elias Mountains - home to Canada's tallest mountain and the largest non-polar icefield on the planet.
Meet the Team
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Mary Samolczyk
Instructor, Earth Sciences, Yukon University Virtual Geology Project Co-Lead
Mary Samolczyk is a geoscience instructor in the Earth Sciences program at Yukon University. Her scholarly interests lie in surficial geology, geomorphology and hydrogeology; and in particular how geologic materials interact with the atmosphere, glaciers, and groundwater. She is passionate about incorporating frequent fieldwork experiences into her courses and utilizing the amazing geologic landscape in Yukon to inspire learners.
Dr. Joel Cubley
Instructor, Earth Sciences, Yukon University Virtual Geology Project Co-Lead
Joel Cubley is a geoscience instructor in the Yukon University Earth Sciences program. His interests lie in mineralogy, geochemistry, and the conditions in mountain belts where certain minerals and rocks form. Joel is invested in bringing geoscience both to his students and the broader community at large.
Quinn Worthington
Virtual Geology Project Officer
Originally from Ontario, Quinn grew up spending as much time as she could outside - from swimming in the Great Lakes to hiking the Bruce Trail. It was an easy decision for her to attend the University of Waterloo to obtain her B.Sc. in Environmental Science and M.Sc. in Earth Science. Quinn was always drawn to geoscience education, whether it was working at the UW Earth Sciences Museum or being a teaching assistant for university courses. She loves learning about the intricacies of this planet, and loves even more to share the fascination with others!
Sheilany Bouchard
Virtual Geology Student Research Assistant (2023)
Sheilany is originally from Québec but has made the North her home for almost a decade. She is an outdoor enthusiast, avid traveler and obsessed with volcanoes. After 5 years working as teacher-aid and special educator in Hay River, NWT, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream to learn more about volcanoes through formal education by enrolling in the Earth Sciences program at Yukon University. She hopes to continue to share her enthusiasm and knowledge of Earth Sciences with young learners, by educating and fostering a greater appreciation and understanding of the natural sciences related to planet Earth.
Heather Clarke
Virtual Geology Project Officer (2022)
Heather grew up in Whitehorse, and even though she moved away when she was 16 to pursue short track speed skating in Calgary, she was always drawn back to the north. She eventually landed at the University of Victoria where she completed a degree in Earth and Ocean Sciences, and took every summer break as an opportunity to return to the Yukon. Spurred on by her work with the Yukon Geological Survey and Yukon University, she is now pursuing a Master’s degree at Simon Fraser University with a focus on studying geologic hazards in the Yukon.
Mark Inkster
Virtual Geology Student Research Assistant (2022)
Mark is currently a second-year undergraduate student in Earth Sciences at Yukon University. Originally from small-town Alberta, he moved to the Yukon in 2021. A lifetime lover of natural science, Mark enjoys spending time both indoors and out, learning about and appreciating the way the world works. He enjoys learning about the natural world and is eager to share this interest with others. Mark is excited to continue his studies and pursue a career in geoscience in western Canada.
Contact Us
The number of Yukon Virtual Geology experiences is growing, and we would love to hear both your feedback on existing trips, but also suggestions that you might have for future geologic locales to highlight. Please get in touch by filling out the form below or emailing virtualgeology@yukonu.ca.
Are you interested in pursuing an education in Earth Sciences? Check out Earth Sciences at YukonU ( Earth Sciences | Yukon University ).
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