Old Crow, Yukon, is a unique community nestled in the Canadian territory of Yukon. This northernmost non-Inuit community in North America is situated in a periglacial environment on the Porcupine River. Old Crow is the only Yukon community that cannot be reached by motor vehicle, making it a unique destination for those seeking an off-the-beaten-path adventure.
The Old Crow area is rich in history, with human-modified animal bones discovered in the area dating back 25,000-40,000 years ago. These findings, notably at Bluefish Caves and the Old Crow Flats, suggest human habitation of North America several thousand years earlier than generally accepted.
The community of Old Crow was established around the 1870s, thanks to an Indigenous chief named Deetru Kavihdik, or "Crow-May-I-Walk". The town was named after him and was founded around muskrat trapping, which continues to provide a basic income for the community.
The people of Old Crow are heavily dependent on the Porcupine caribou herd for food and clothing. The herd migrates to the coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska to give birth to their young. The community has been actively involved in lobbying against oil-drilling in the ANWR, which they believe threatens the herd.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Old Crow had a population of 236 living in 116 of its 168 total private dwellings. This represents a 6.8% increase from its 2016 population of 221. With a land area of 13.51 km2, it had a population density of 17.5/km2 in 2021. The majority of its population are Gwich'in, a First Nations people who belong to the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.
Old Crow Airport provides year-round transportation to other communities. During winter, a temporary winter road is sometimes built to transport freight into Old Crow. However, this is not an annual occurrence but is constructed only when a significant need arises, such as a major building project.
Electric energy in Old Crow is supplied by three diesel generators, operated by ATCO Electric Yukon. Due to the community's lack of road access, diesel fuel needs to be flown in. In 2019, a PV plant was added to the microgrid, generating electricity in the summer season and saving about 190,000 litres of diesel per year. By May 2021, the solar plant had begun producing electricity and is projected to be fully operational by July.
Old Crow experiences a subarctic climate with mild summers and severely cold winters. The average annual temperature is −8.3 °C. The community experiences annual temperature average daily highs of 20.2 °C in July and average daily lows of −33.5 °C in January. Old Crow is located north of the Arctic Circle, experiencing polar day or midnight sun in summer and polar night in winter. The midnight sun typically occurs between May 5 and August 8, while the polar night usually starts around December 14 and ends by December 29.
