Whitehorse is more than just Knute Johnsgaard's birthplace

Whitehorse'sKnute Johnsgaardburst onto the cross-country skiing scene in 2017 after being alast-minute addition to the nationalmen's relay team that captured Canada's first evermedalin the event.

The 2017 season was a year of firsts for Johnsgaard. The 24-year-old qualified for his first world championships, landed his first world cup podiumand secured a spot to the Winter OlympicGamesall in the same week.

Johnsgaardsees Whitehorse as more than just his birthplace it's where the rookie developed into an elite ski racerand exploredwhat he says is "one of the world's last true wilderness areas."

The first-time Olympian credits his explorations and Yukon's warm and supportive people for helping himachievehis spot on the national cross-country ski team.

The wilderness shapedJohnsgaardinto an elite athletebut it was his hometown that shaped him into the person he is today.

Knute Johnsgaard always misses Whitehorse when when he has to be away from home

7 years ago

Duration 1:24

The cross-country skiier always feels at peace when he's at home because "It always seems like it's a bright sunny day"

Get to know Whitehorse

• Notable Olympians include: Zachary Bell (cycling) and Jeane Lassen (weightlifting)
• It has roughly the same population today as it did in 1900 (33,897 in 2015, 31,055 in 1900)
• The city has85 kilometresof groomed cross-country trails and 20 kmof back-country trails
• It started as a transportation hub during the Klondike gold rush in 1898
• Known as "the wilderness city"