Places, Earth
Carcross Desert

State Parks, Historic Sites, and Museums need your help.

Throughout the country, important state parks, historic sites, homes, buildings, and museums are in trouble. Because of the recent rise in gasoline prices and the general world-wide financial collapse, state parks, historic sites, and museums are in danger of closing. Some are being forced to sell off artifacts and property. Most operate on a thin margin and will not weather these hard times without your help.

Places Earth recently encountered closed state parks in Arizona and California is threatening to close all state parks. The story is similar throughout the country.

Places Earth urges everyone to support these vital and important public resources any way you can. Please find a worthy local or distant historic site or museum that is in financial danger and donate your treasure, time, and talent. Write to your governor and other elected officials telling them to find a way to keep these parks open. It will be your loss.

Public Service Announcement

Back	Southwest Yukon Main Page

Carcross Desert

CONTENT

The Carcross Desert is often called the smallest desert in the world because of the sand dunes and dry climate, but it is not a true desert. Although the area receives less precipitation than the surrounding areas because of a rain shadow from the surrounding mountains, it still receives about 20 inches (50 cm) a year which make the local climate semi-arid. The approximately one square mile site was once the bottom of a large glacial lake. As the glaciers retreated, the sandy lake bottom was exposed to be worked by winds from Lake Bennett. The sand has made it difficult for vegetation to become established resulting in sparsely covered sand dunes. The two most common plants are lodgepole pine and the ground cover kinnikinnick. Carex sabulosa, or Baikal sedge, common in Asia, is rare in North American but grows here. The sparse vegetation helps stabilize the blowing sand.

Locals use the site for recreation which has tended to prevent its official protection. The dunes straddle the Yukon Highway 2 a short distance north of the town of Carcross in southwest Yukon.

Southwest Yukon Main Page

This page last updated: Wednesday, 18-Mar-2009 23:49:21 CDT

Note: This is not the official site for any of the places shown in Places Earth. Places Earth is not responsible for accuracy of the information. Hours of operations, prices, exhibits, and sometimes locations are subject to change without notice.

Support this Web Site This web site started because of my love for Architecture and interest in History. This web site is for your benefit and I make no profit on it. I don't allow paid advertising. This site is supported primarily from my regular paycheck as a Set Designer and there haven' been many this year. My wife sells Gold Canyon products at www.valleygirlcandles.com and I sell art at www.klimages.com. A non-tax deductable donation to help cover the cost of operating this web site may be made to Kesign Design Consulting through PayPal ...
Valley Girl Candles	Or, donations can be mailed to the address on the contact page.	Valley Girl Candles

This site maintained by Kenneth A. Larson.
Copyright © 2004 - 2010, Kenneth A. Larson. All Rights Reserved.
Website content including photographic and graphic images may not be redistributed for use on another website.

This site is a non-commercial alternative to my commercial design portfolio site. This site's only purpose is for your enjoyment. There is no advertising and I make no profit. If you are in the need of a designer, please check my commercial site www.kesigndesign.com.

Places, Earth Carcross Desert

State Parks, Historic Sites, and Museums need your help.

Carcross Desert

This page last updated: Wednesday, 18-Mar-2009 23:49:21 CDT

Places, Earth
Carcross Desert