Klondike

Klondike is a region in the northwest Yukon Territory of Canada, centered on the Klondike River and the town of Dawson City. The name is most closely associated with the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s, when a flood of prospectors traveled to northern gold fields.

Geographically, the Klondike encompasses river valleys and subarctic terrain along streams leading to the Yukon River. The region experiences long winters and short summers, with gold mining shaping much of its early settlement and development.

Gold was discovered in 1896 on Bonanza Creek near Dawson City, triggering a mass migration that peaked in 1897–1898. An estimated 100,000 people traveled to the Klondike, though only a fraction found substantial fortunes. The rush significantly affected Canadian policy, infrastructure, and Indigenous communities; Dawson City grew into a boomtown before decline set in as mining opportunities dwindled.

Today, the Klondike remains a historic region with museums, preserved sites, and tourism tied to its gold rush heritage. Dawson City is the principal center, and several national and local parks commemorate the era.

In card gaming, Klondike is a widely played solitaire game using a standard 52-card deck. The aim is to build four foundation piles by suit from Ace to King, using the seven tableau piles and a stock. Cards on the tableau must alternate colors and descend in rank; empty tableau spaces may be filled by a King. The stock feeds cards to a waste pile, from which moves can be made. Variants differ in stock rules and allowed moves.