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The Station

Applications are open until March 20 for the Kluane National Park Artist Residency.

Kluane Lake Research Station

Supporting Northern Research Since 1961

The Arctic Institute of North America is home to the Kluane Lake Research Station (KLRS) which is located 220 km northwest of Whitehorse, Yukon, on the south shore of Kluane Lake (Lhù’ààn Mânʼ), on the traditional lands of the Kluane, Champagne and Aishihik, and White River First Nations. The station was established in 1961 and has provided support to researchers from across Canada and around the world since that time.

The extreme elevation difference between Kluane Lake and the crest of the St. Elias Mountains establishes a strong gradient in environmental attributes and results in a remarkable diversity of research opportunities within a small geographical area. This diversity is reflected in the unique scientific legacy of KLRS across the disciplines of glaciology, geomorphology, geology, biology, botany, zoology, hydrology, limnology, climatology, physiology, anthropology and archaeology and in over 1500 scientific publications, many of which are described in the Kluane Lake Research Station bibliographic database.

Artist in Residence 

In 2022 KLRS hosted Megan Leung, an artist and a Masters student at the University of Calgary in the Geography Department. Megan spent two months at KLRS, learned about the research in the region and created a painting to represent the intersections between disciplines and research topics studied here.  

Kluane’s Symphony illustrates how the expansive landscape of Lhù’ààn Mânʼ (Kluane Lake) and all the meaningful work that researchers, youth groups, and community members I had the honour of spending time on the land with inspired me. This piece begins with the extensive roots systems of the diverse flora and fauna of the subarctic boreal forest, including the vibrant fireweed of the Yukon, migrating to the shores of the deep turquoise glacial waters, rich with arctic graylings, rainbow trout, and mountain whitefish. These waters are connected to the land by the fluxes of surface and subsurface water flow, as well as large game that hunt them, many of which travel to much higher elevations, where Thechàl Dhâl (Sheep Mountain) overlooks these braided waters fed by the sweeping Kaskawulsh Glacier via the Ä’äy Chù (Slims River). At night, the aurora borealis dances through the dark skies, while all other complex organisms that originated from eukaryotic cells, are at rest.

Megan Leung
Artist in Residence at the Kluane Lake Research Station, 2022

Kluane Symphony by Megan Leung, 2022.

Our Surroundings

  • Aurora borealis at KLRS

Why Stay at KLRS?

Here are just some of the reasons why you should stay with us on your next visit to the Kluane Lake region.

Location

  • Next to the world's largest sub-polar icefield.
  • On the shore of the largest lake in the Yukon.
  • Located on the traditional lands of the Kluane, Champagne and Aishihik, and White River First Nations.
  • Easy access to an international airport in Whitehorse.

Community

  • AINA has been a permanent observing member of the Arctic Council since 2004.
  • Supports the Kluane National Park Artist in Residence Program, in partnership with Yukon Arts Centre and Parks Canada.

Facilities

  • Hosts up to 35 people in shared housing. However, larger groups can usually be accommodated.
  • Office space, lab space, meeting rooms and communications equipment for off-site field work.
  • Meals, internet, laundry and wash facilities provided.
  • Red seal chef on site!
  • Powered by a hybrid-renewable energy system.

Research

  • Supporting world class research for more than 60 years.
  • Huge biodiversity in the area around the research station.
  • Member of the Canadian Network of Northern Research Operators (CNNRO) and the International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT).
  • Member of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) network.
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