Yukon Books by Gus Karpes

Gus has been writing about the Yukon for many years and has lived in the territory for more than forty years, many of which were spent roaming the Yukon’s waterways with his partner Irene Pugh. As a river guide, wilderness tour operator, riverboat captain, camp cook and historian he has literally touched the lives of thousands of visitors to Canada’s Yukon. Since 1985 his river guidebooks have been the river adventurer’s bible. More recently Gus has also added a novel, a book of short stories and a book of camping savvy to his repertoire. His short stories have earned him a number of writing awards. His writing typically reflects a true understanding of what living in the north is all about. Gus and his wife Irene live at Lake Laberge.

RIVER STEW – A Collection of River Savvy
167 pages – cerlox bound – ISBN No. 978-1-8960407-17-3 Kugh Enterprises
170 pages. – soft cover – 1st edition
$9.95

Book description

In this book Gus shares with you a unique collection of campfire wisdom, recipes for the trail and his secrets that make a wilderness canoe or boating trip a lifelong wonderful memory. Liberally scattered throughout the book are a number of his true river adventure stories that occurred during his years of travel along Yukon’s magnificent river valleys. . First edition - first printing - signed by author.

Footsteps on the Livingstone Trail – A novel.
170 pages – soft cover – 1st edition – ISBN No. 978-1-896407-15-9 – Kugh Enterprises
$14.95

Book description

The Livingstone Trail connects the small frontier village of Livingstone with Lake Laberge and Whitehorse. Peter Cranston is on his way home to Seattle hauling a sled loaded with gold when he is brutally murdered by two trail companions. For fear of discovery the two bury the goods but never come back to claim their prize. More than 40 years later, a chance encounter with the only witness to the crime leads private investigator Sam Jeager on a quest into the Yukon wilderness to find the cache of gold. The Yukon does not give up its treasure easily however and Sam almost loses his life to a crazed thief who is determined to get there first. In this tale, Gus writes about his favourite subjects; Lake Laberge; The Livingstone Trail and the Yukon wilderness that has been his home for many years.
First edition - first printing - signed by author.

Listen to an interview with Gus Karpes on CBC Radio about the book.

EXPLORING THE YUKON RIVER: Part One.
Whitehorse to Carmacks, Yukon – 200m/320k - 5th revised edition – 1996 – 140 pages ISBN No. 978-1-896407-04-3 – Kugh Enterprises
$8.95

Book description

Chock full of information on this one-week wilderness canoe trip. 13 pages of detailed scale river maps. Historical photos and information such as planning the trip, what to pack, how to pack it and where to camp. Includes some basic do’s and don’ts for traveling in bear country and tips for the fisherman

EXPLORING THE YUKON RIVER: Part Two.
Carmacks to Dawson City, Yukon – 260m/416k – 112 pages – ISBN No. 0-88839-421-7 Hancock House Publishers 1998
$12.95

Book description

Indispensable for this wilderness trip of 7 to 10 days. 21 pages of maps. Travelling tips, historical photographs and a 44 page historical log. Detailed index and a few river tales.

TALES FROM THE LAKE – A collection of stories from Lake Laberge, Yukon.
187 pages – soft cover – 1st edition - ISBN No. 978-1-896407-16-6 Kugh Enterprises 2009
$19.95

Book description

A delightful collection of sixty-three life stories. The tales are about living at the lake off the grid and away from the urban comforts and convenience of the city. Gus shares many of his experiences as a river guide, naturalist and wilderness tour operator accumulated over the years that he and his wife Irene have lived in Canada’s Yukon.
First edition - first printing - signed by author.

Watch Youtube video on Footsteps on the Livingston Trail and Tales from the Lake.

Listen to an interview with Gus Karpes on CBC Radio about the book.

THE TESLIN RIVER: Johnson’s Crossing to the Yukon River.
97 pages – cerlox bound - 5th revised printing – 1995 ISBN No. 1-896407-00-5 – Kugh Enterprises.
$8.95

Book description

This 7 to 10 day 115m/184k canoe trip is one of Yukon’s best kept secrets. 11 pages of detailed maps. History and period b&w photographs. The book includes camping and paddling tips, including some advice on how to conduct yourself in bear country.

THE BIG SALMON RIVER: Quiet Lake to the Yukon River.
62 pages – Hancock House Publishing – 1998 – ISBN No. 0-88839-422-5
$11.95

Book description

An eight to 11 day trip from Quiet Lake to Carmacks on the Big Salmon and Yukon Rivers. Inclusive of the upper lakes it is 147m/235k to the Yukon River at Big Salmon Village. 15 pages of detailed scale maps. History, traveling tips, wilderness advice and more.