What role did the Yukon River play in the early trade and transportation of the Yukon territory?

The Yukon River was a vital artery for early trade and transportation in the Yukon territory. Following the discovery of gold on the Klondike River in 1896, the river facilitated the influx of prospectors and supplies. Riverboats navigated from the Bering Sea upstream, with Whitehorse serving as a crucial southern terminal for water transport northward. Even with rapids like those at Whitehorse, which necessitated a railroad to bypass, the Yukon River was instrumental in connecting communities and enabling the movement of goods and people during the gold rush era and beyond, until replaced by road and air transport.12