"Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?" is a quintessentially Canadian question. And if you're stationed somewhere south of 60, the answer typically depends on being in the right place at the right time.

Venture further north, however, and the odds of spotting the aurora climb quickly. Indeed, when I was in Yellowknife a few Octobers ago, shimmering veils of colour danced across the sky every single night.

I admired the celestial spectacle from various NWT locations -- my hotel room, a gravel road, the viewing platforms of the quirky Aurora Village -- and was under the impression the experience was as good as it could realistically get.

Now, there may be an ever better way to see the aurora. Last month, Tourism Yukon, Air North and the Yukon Astronomical Society announced a new partnership to view the Northern Lights from 36,000 feet in the air aboard a private-chartered flight, the first of its kind in Canada. This will get passengers closer to the lights, which range in altitude from 80 to 600-plus kilometres, but more importantly will eliminate cloud cover and reduce light pollution.  

The flight out of Whitehorse starts at $950 and is set to take place on either Nov. 24 or 25, depending on the local aurora forecast. In addition to optional accommodations and flights to the Yukon capital, packages include a pre-flight welcome reception at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and a certificate from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada stating that guests have crossed the Arctic Circle.

So that's TWO quintessentially Canadian questions sorted, then...

I won't deny that there are some glaring gaps in the Canada 150 Countdown.

These regional omissions were pointed out to me several times as July 1 neared. As “Canucklehead” put it in a comment: "The Canada 150 Countdown? Where's Manitoba? Yukon? The WHOLE DAMN EAST COAST? Time for a new title!"

Fair point.

Then there's this comment from “From The Rock”: "Still waiting for something from Newfoundland. Why don't you come visit?"

Honestly, I would like nothing more. Between now and the Canada 200 celebrations I plan to attend as a vampire or mummy, I solemnly pledge to explore more of the six provinces and two territories that aren't covered by the Ontario-Quebec-BC-Alberta-NWT Countdown. (Happy now, Canucklehead?) Now that my Atlantic Canada to-do list is out there, here are the five spots at the top of my 50-year itinerary for Yukon and Nunavut:

Dawson City
There’s still gold in the hills surrounding the former Yukon capital, but these days it’s far from the only draw. The vestiges of the late-19th-century Klondike Gold Rush are still prominent: The Yukon Gold Panning Championships each July; tours of Robert Service‘s home, which provide insights into the life and work of the “Bard of the Yukon;” Diamond Tooth Gerties saloon, where live can-can shows remain a staple; and the Downtown Hotel, where Sourtoe Cocktail, made with a real mummified human toe, is still served. One simple (and disgusting) act will get you into the Sourtoe Cocktail Club: “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips have gotta touch the toe.” And note-to-self: Several toes have been swallowed over the decades, and I don’t want to be “that guy.”

Dempster Highway
Starting near Dawson City, the Dempster winds 730 gravelly kilometres to the town of Inuvik, NWT, on the wildlife-rich delta of the Mackenzie River. Along the way it crosses the Arctic Circle, passes the jagged peaks and moss-carpeted valleys of Tombstone Territorial Park, and bisects enormous tracts of tundra that are home to moose, caribou and grizzly bears. If all this doesn’t make the miles melt away, the highway is also an essential lifeline for remote northern communities where First Nations customs are still practiced as they have been for centuries.

Kluane National Park and Reserve
Do the math: When 82 per cent of a national park is covered by either mountains or glaciers (or both), you know you’re in for something spectacular. It certainly adds up in this list’s largest park, a 21,980-square-kilometre wonderland of icy beauty tucked into Yukon’s southwest corner. Mixed forests and colourful alpine tundra flourish in Kluane’s remaining 18 per cent, providing a home for eagles, grizzly bears, wolves and other creatures that are often at risk in busier parks to the south. And topping it all off — literally — is Mount Logan, at 5,959 metres Canada's highest peak.

Auyuittuq National Park
If you’re going to name a peak after the Norse god of thunder and lightening, it had better be…striking. And Mount Thor is certainly that. The dramatic granite monolith in Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island is a respectable 1,675 metres tall — starting almost at sea level — but 1,250 metres of that is sheer cliff, creating the Earth’s greatest purely vertical drop. In addition to being predictably popular with rock climbers, the precipice is world-renowned among base jumpers. For my part, I’ll probably leave my wingsuit at home.

Bathurst Inlet Lodge
Formerly a Hudson’s Bay Trading Post and Oblate mission, the 42-year-old lodge offers nicely appointed rooms in a variety of quirky locations: a deconsecrated church, cabins overlooking the Burnside Delta, the two-bedroom Taipana House, a former trading post warehouse, and a former radio transmission station. Staying here is said to offer a glimpse into the traditional Inuit lifestyle, as well an opportunity to spot Arctic wildlife such as foxes, seals, barren-ground caribou and muskox from hiking trails and sea kayaks. Also in the area is the Wilberforce Falls, the highest waterfall above the Arctic Circle.

I usually feel like a bit of a Johnny-come-lately when I discover a new Netflix series (despite the 85 emails). But with just 10 sleeps to go until Halloween, I couldn’t have timed my Stranger Things obsession better.

I’ve done the math: Five episodes remain in Season 1, plus an evening to prepare my costume, plus two evenings to help with my daughters’ costumes, plus candy shopping, plus the entire weekend to turn our front porch into the stuff of nightmares, plus more candy shopping, equals…well, the kids had better want to be ghosts this year.
My Halloween to-do list is almost as extensive as my Halloween bucket list, which grew even longer this week when Hotels.com emailed me its “10 travel experiences to confront your real fears.” (Too bad “Luposlipaphobia” isn’t included, as it’s one of my deepest, darkest fears.)

​Between Stranger Things and everything else, I can only dream of making an Oct. 31 pilgrimage to one of these phobia-related spots:

Fear of public speaking
What better way to get over glossophobia than by standing on Speaker’s Corner in London’s Hyde Park? Karl Marx, George Orwell and Marcus Garvey are just a few of the many orators who have given speeches in a spot that stands as a symbol of free speech.
 
Fear of Halloween
Seriously, samhainophobia is a real condition. It’s mostly experienced by young children who don’t understand that the ghosts, vampires and Donald Trumps wandering the streets on Oct. 31 aren’t real. If you’re a grownup who still has that fear, then you may be overwhelmed by Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights.
 
Fear of heights
A thrilling way to confront acrophobia is to ride the elevator to the observation deck of the CN Tower in Toronto. At 553 metres, it’s the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere. If you really want to get over your fear of heights and get a shot of adrenaline at the same time, try the EdgeWalk, which will have you walking along the tower’s roof while safely tethered.
 
Fear of insects
Prevail over entomophobia by stuffing a few creepy crawlies into your mouth. In the night markets of Bangkok you can get a bag full of deep-fried and salted insects. Grasshoppers are a good choice, but crickets and silkworms are also on the menu.
 
Fear of the dark
Face a case of nyctophobia by dining in complete darkness in the Blindekuh restaurant in Zurich, where you can only use the senses of taste, touch and smell to enjoy your food. Conceived as a way for sighted people to experience a bit of the life of a blind person, these “dark dining” restaurants have popped up all over the world, including in Vancouver and Montreal.
 
Fear of dogs
Dogs may be man’s best friend, but they can also be fearsome creatures to cynophobes. This winter, try a dogsledding experience in Canada’s Yukon. There are plenty of tour operators that will fix you up with a team of yipping and barking dogs that will carry you across the frozen land.
 
Fear of snakes
If you’re going to confront ophidiophobia, do it in the Land Down Under, where it seems like every other creature is out to kill you. Near Sydney you can visit the Australian Reptile Park, where you can sign up for a VIP tour that allows you to see their animals up close.
 
Fear of flying
By the numbers, flying is a lot safer than driving in a car. To really confront aerophobia, do it in a plane with an open cockpit so you can feel the wind in your hair. One place to do that is at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, where you can take a quick flight over the nation’s capital in a 1930s-era Waco biplane. 

Round 2 of the Great Canadian Travel Draft kicks off amid a storm of controversy and recrimination. Himmelsbach is stuck in a meeting. Smith is juggling 17 deadlines. Esrock is surreptitiously calling from the cabin of a taxiing aircraft, and Byers is still a bit miffed about not being able to pick McDavid. I’m still smarting from Smith’s Round 1 Tofino pick, but not matter: With so much at stake – and the actual stakes yet to be determined – these battle-hardened travel writers won't back down without a complimentary upgrade to first class or something!

(To see how Round 1 of this fantasy travel draft went down, click here. For an explanation of what the heck is going on, click here. For a photo of a man in a narwhal costume, click here.)

ROUND 2
Robin Esrock: “Cycling across PEI. Gentle slopes, great seafood, the Confederation Trail, luggage shutte service, sweet coastline. Who needs Tuscany?  Shuck me an oyster...”

Adam Bisby: “A skeleton run at the Whistler Sliding Centre: I spent the scariest 30.45 seconds of my life hurtling down the 2010 Olympic track at nearly 100 kilometres an hour and pulling four Gs in the turns.”

Karan Smith: “Dancing under the red and white striped big top during the Dawson City Music Festival in this dusty Yukon town.” 

Vawn Himmelsbach: Beamsville Bench along the Niagara Peninsula, where you can walk or bike between small, charming wineries. Well worth a visit: Tawse, Malivoire and Daniel Lenko.”

Jim Byers: "For all the amusement park atmosphere around the town of Niagara Falls, there's also an immense beauty to the falls. The majesty and power of the billions of gallons of water that come thundering over the Niagara Escarpment every day is truly awe-inspiring, especially when seem from below on a boat excursion or from inside the rock on the Behind the Falls experience.

ROUND 3
Byers: “Alberta’s Icefields Parkway. The majesty of ageless, dark brooding mountains capped with the fiercest and most pure white snow imaginable. Deep canyons filled with gushing white water in spring. Summer time visits from elk and deer and, yes, powerful black bears. Fall colours that sparkles in the autumn sun. There's a reason the drive from Jasper to Banff is considered one of the finest in the world.”

Himmelsbach: “Montreal! Hanging out at my favourite spa-sur-l'eau in the old port ... on a boat ... with a bar ... and a DJ.”

Smith: “Okay, I think Ontario needs a little more love. Canoe camping in Algonquin Park.” 

Bisby: “Well then how about Ottawa’s Carleton Cup, aka ‘the Ultimate Canadian Triathlon.’ Skating the eight-kilometre length of the world's longest skating rink, running through the Byward Market, and sipping a ‘victory quart’ at a local dive bar.”

Esrock: “Spending one chilly night in the Hotel de Glace in Quebec City. If you can handle it. Many guests don't make it all the way through.”

Stay tuned for the draft’s dramatic conclusion on Wednesday…