A little more than a century after the Klondike Gold Rush, an incredible discovery was made in far northwestern British Columbia. In 1999 three men who were hunting sheep came across human remains melting out of a glacier. CAFN, which co-manages Tatshenshini-Alsek Park where the find was made, played an active role in the recovery of the remains and subsequent scientific studies. The CAFN people did this both to learn about the long-ago person and to ensure that First Nations' cultural values were honoured. The find, named
, which in Southern Tutchone means "long-ago person found", was identified as a young native man and dated to about 500 years old. The discovery on the glacier was not unexpected given that several traditional trails between the coast and the interior were known to have crossed glaciers. Following studies to determine his cause of death and what people he possibly belonged to, the long-ago person was cremated and his remains returned to the park. His story illustrates the history of this rugged country – of connections between the coast and the interior, and of living in and traveling through a dynamic, challenging landscape.