tributary of the Yukon River, in western Yukon Territory, Canada. With its major tributary, the North Klondike, it rises in the Ogilvie Mountains and flows westward for 100 mi (160 km) to join the Yukon at Dawson, the river's historic settlement. The Klondike became famous in 1896 with the discovery of gold (gold rush) in Bonanza Creek and other small tributaries. As a result thousands of prospectors swarmed into the valley. Several years later, with the exhaustion of the most readily accessible placer deposits, the population decreased drastically. Limited mining by hydraulic and dredging methods continued along other tributaries of the Klondike River until 1966, when all operations ceased. The surrounding territory bears the river's name, which is of uncertain origin.