Challenge of the Yukon - Single Episodes


(4.3 stars; 51 reviews)

Challenge of the Yukon was a long-running radio series that began on Detroit's station WXYZ. This adventure series follows Sergeant William Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police and his lead sled dog, Yukon King, as they combat evildoers in the Northern wilderness during the Gold Rush of the 1890s.

The program originally aired as a 15-minute serial starting on February 3, 1938, and transitioned to a half-hour format after acquiring a sponsor, Quaker Oats. It aired on ABC from June 12, 1947, to December 30, 1949, and then on The Mutual Broadcasting System until its final broadcast on June 9, 1955. The title changed to Sergeant Preston of the Yukon in November 1951.


This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

License

Chapters

Meeting the Terms of a Contract 14:42
Till a Man's Proved Dead 14:52
A Swindler Swindled 14:46
A Footprint in Leather 14:38
Caught by a Button 14:44
The Last Days of a Freight Line 14:33
A Swill O' Gunpowder 15:00
King's Ransom 14:46
Murder on Train Time 14:45
A Previewed Confession 14:40
Attempted Manslaughter 14:36
Lantern Rock 14:45
The Ring on His Finger 14:46
The Tell-Tale Bullet 14:19
A Date to Remember 14:32
Belated Revenge 14:21
Return to the Crime 14:26
King Spots Murder 14:32
Self Defense or Murder 14:15
By Hook or by Crook 14:45
The Eleventh Hour 14:49
Murder in ABC's 28:35
Bob Hite Announces 28:50
No Escape for a Murderer 14:42
Revenge in the Yukon 14:35
Forgery and Murder 14:19
Macbeth's Bloody Knife 14:31
Wolf Pack 14:34
Cabin on the Trail 14:40
Lady Luck Claim 14:23
As a Man Thinketh 14:53
The Hannagan Brothers 14:16
The Great Dog King 14:28
The Vallera Diamond 14:20
King Meets Soapy Smith 14:05
A Pack of Bacon 14:03
Edward Carson 14:15
The Plaid Coat 14:11
Belle Brady's Gesture 14:20
Preston's Right Hand Man 14:14
A Woman Scorned 14:15
Outlaw Dog 14:20
The Outlaw's Nemesis 14:32
The Idol 14:26
A Joke Led to the Gallows 14:15
Reverend Jim 14:24
The Man from Missouri 14:34
Design for Murder 14:31
The Duke Bows to a King 14:28
The Lady's Locket 14:35
Lucky Walters 14:42
Of Dogs and Horses 14:36
Maintiens Le Droit 14:38
The Plan That Failed 14:36
King Breaks the Wheel of Fortune 14:40
A Rendezvous 14:38
Smokey 14:49
A Frame-Up That Failed 13:48
Death and the Flickering Eye 13:36
A Masquerade 27:48
Eyes for the Blind 27:34
King Saves the Day 14:29
Suzanne Verrill 14:36
Case History of a Mountie 14:25
Seahorse City's Editor 14:14
King Found the Clue 14:15
Florabelle's Adventure 14:19
Paula Buchanan 14:22
King Meets a Grizzly 14:07
Trial by Fire 14:05
One Went to the Gallows 14:10
How Connelly Paid the Law 14:10
Preston's Dilemma 13:47
Trap for a Mountie 13:47
Manhunt 13:56
Murder on the Trail 14:03
The Fugitives 14:46
King Led the Way 14:51
An Unlucky Gambler 14:23
Guilty by Proxy 14:56
Wilderness Girl 14:49
Colinns Canyon 14:56
Trail Scent 14:40
The Dog-Head Nugget 14:48
Silver Point Renegades 14:28
Landslide 14:52
Blizzard in the Yukon 14:36
Back Door of the Mountain 14:39
Her Weight in Gold 14:34
Spawn of the North 14:29
The Dog Team Race 14:34
God of the Mountain 14:28
A Boy and a Dog 14:29
Ambush 14:33
Trap Robber 14:38
Medicine Man 14:28
Thunder 14:15
Recovered Claim 14:24
Old Tom 14:34
The Brass Button 14:27
Escape 14:34
Skipper 14:30
The Chase 14:29
The Map 14:29
Arctic Chase 14:34
Maw Baker's Pies 14:23
Magnanimous Ghost 14:33
Bear Trap 14:33
Alibi 14:19
Big Bill 14:31
The Red Mitten 14:39
Chechako 14:34
The Black Bear 14:31
Scorpion Sam's Gold 14:14
Dynamite Provides 14:36
The Trail 14:48
The Last Laugh 14:13
The Irish Wolf Hound 14:09
Father Donovan 13:34
Long Fall Canyon 13:53
The Bonanza Belle 14:36
The Dachshund 14:34
Christmas Present 14:26
New Year's Eve 14:38
The Grave Robbers 14:38
The Mail Team 14:31
Preston Takes Over 13:59
Jane Gets Her Man 14:32
The Blind Man 14:15
The Cure 14:28
Mabel 14:34
The Shamaness 14:39
Mad Wolf 14:22
The Bully 14:34
Hold Up 14:39
The Rivals 14:44
The Return of Pete Hunt 14:39
Ned's Wife 14:44
Rex 14:44
Torn Parka 14:44
Balmy Bill 14:45
Eskimo Justice 14:44
Shrimp Togan 15:06
Episode 1 14:46
The Mitten 14:38
Annie Jones 14:20
The Great Dane 14:38
How Preston Got King 14:27
The Sharp Shooter 14:35
The Pup That Ate Too Much 15:00
Flash 14:48
Preston Breaks a Rule 14:58
Beaver Dam 14:31
The Silver Fox 14:39
The Mute Speaks 14:39
Grizzly Martin 14:19
Preston Goes to Jail 14:32
The Epidemic 14:11
Preston Sells King 14:22
Blind Man's Claim 14:00
The Wooden Case 14:08
Trap in the Mountains 14:01
The Choice 14:10
The Cat Collar 14:21
Thanksgiving in the Wilderness 13:55
The Watch Dog 14:11
The Dog Fight 14:14
Christmas Present 14:18
The Man Who Limped 14:12
The False Beard 14:08
Zeb 14:13
The Black Dog 14:16
A Question of Ethics 14:15
The Gold Fang 14:17
Pet Bear 14:07
The Substitution 16:09
The Red Parka 14:07
The Hermit of Nugget Hill 14:40
The Coffin 12:42
Sunshine Stones 14:29
The Birthday Present 14:02
The Big Stone House 14:18
The Dancing Bear 14:04
The Story of Big John 14:10
The Torn Sleeve 14:09
The Mad Trapper 14:12
The Red Setter 13:54
The Usurpers 14:18
Lost Mitten 14:02
The Wolf Cub 28:52
Grizzly 29:08
Pet Bear 27:34
The Puppy 28:16
Sam's Gold 29:18
The Man in the Fur Cap 28:40
A Dog Named Mabel 28:26
Messenger of Mercy 29:03
Derelict Dog 27:48
The Revenge of Steve Carlton 29:37
Clue to a Killer 29:25
The Stolen Pups 28:28
The Northern Pursuit 28:13
The Fraud 29:18
Reprisal 29:23
The Proof 29:22
The Malamute Pup 29:19
The Last Cabin 29:46
Rex 29:15
Sam's Wife 29:11
King's Escape 29:50
The Limping Dog 27:28
King Gets His Man 29:19
Tara 29:32
The Marked Cards 28:22
White Man's Law 28:44
The Shepherd Dog 28:52
The Silent One 29:21
Tago, the Half Breed 29:17
The Bridge 29:45
The Loyalty of Chief 29:43
The Pamphlet 29:42
The Red Herring 29:40
The Klondike Palace 29:44
Aunt Em 29:36
Silvertip 29:41
The Debt 29:36
Witness for the Crown 29:34
King Comes Home 29:37
The Wire Haired Terrier 29:37
Rusty 30:21
Breakup 28:45
Shots in the Dark 29:17
Winner by Proxy 29:28
Trader Muldoon 29:17
The Showdown 25:31
Lost Indian Mine 26:02
Icebound 25:54
Old Ben's Gold 29:12
Pot Luck Killers 25:12
Ghost Town 29:30
Find the Body 29:36
The Extra Uniform 28:48
Record Run 29:03
Parson Shorty Meadows 29:03
The Red Ace 29:02
Mine of Good Hope 29:06
White Hawk 28:45
Underground Ambush 29:03
The False Trail 29:06
The Poisoner of Chiliwaw 29:03
Samaritan of the Trail 29:31
Preston Turns the Tables 29:34
The Phantom Gang 29:38
The Call of Duty 29:25
The Man with the Red Hair 29:36
Death on the Trail 29:36
The Wilderness Uprising 29:38
Ben Yancy's Legacy 29:41
Shadow 29:31
The Second Chance 29:41
Manhunt 29:33
The St Bernard Dog 29:31
Mutiny on the Penguin 29:21
Old Moby's Cairn 23:46
Lost River Roundup 29:23
Strike at Pelican Creek 29:11
The Black Husky 28:39
The Sergeant's Right 21:39
Timber 29:22
The Dawson Fire 29:23
The Trap in Cabin Four 29:31
Escape to the North 29:24
Marlow's Gang 24:22
Faith in a Mountie 25:32
The Emerald in the Nugget 23:54
The Man with the Red Coat 29:19
Injun Devil 29:16
Arrowhead Frame-Up 29:10
Case of Frank Weaver 29:13
King Takes Over 29:35
Episode 47 14:06
Jim Belden's Secret 13:47
King Proves His Worth 29:10
Lem Baileys Pet Bear 29:13
White Water 29:12
Jimmy's Birthday Cake 29:17
Skagway Patrol 29:18
Mystery in the Cave 29:17
The Moose River Murder 29:23
Lost River Ambush 29:09
The Mongrel 29:12
On One Condition 29:15
The Trail of Grizzly Grayson 29:58
Rogue's Progress 29:24
Sergeant Preston Faces Death 29:35
Ambush 29:24
The Coward 29:23
Double Cross Creek 29:30
The Dog with the Gold Tooth 29:30
The Magic Light 29:32
Signal in Green 29:27
Danger Signal 29:24
River Pirates 29:27
Ambush at Forty Mile 29:27
The Music Hall Murder 29:27
Trail Mates 29:35
Bulldog Charm 29:24
The Meal that Convicted 29:23
The White Huskie 29:42
The Klondike Queen 20:04
The Caribou Case 29:40
The Black and White Pup 29:16
The Devil Dog 29:45
Letters to a Killer 24:44
Conover's Crime 29:28
Crumpled Handbill 29:40
The Killer 29:35
The Remittance Man 29:39
Dead Man's Map 29:29
The Knife Throwers 29:35
The Lucky Shirt 29:40
The Trail of the Werewolf 29:31
Trouble at Forty-Mile 29:22
The Luck of the Newtons 29:25
The Empty Coffin 29:04
The Doomed Witness 29:05
The Bear Trap 29:43
The Perfect Crime 29:03
Fire in the Sky 29:32
Escape to the North 29:09
The Sparrow 29:09
The Case of the Hard-Hearted Hermit 29:22
Race to Twenty Mile 29:20
The Million Dollar Deadline 29:06
The Skagway-Mail 29:00
The Counter Plan 29:04
The Bad Penny 29:45
Adventure in Selkirk 29:32
The Duel 29:06
Death and the Lucky Seven 29:30
The Skull in the Stone 29:26
The Case of the Turncoat Mountie 29:29
The Case of the Frightened Child 29:30
The Case of the Canyon Holdup 29:33
The Missing Code 29:06
The Case of the Yellow Ribbon 29:26
A Boy and His Dog 29:37
The Uphill Sled 29:54
King Takes Over 29:33
The Case of the Beautiful Swindler 29:52
The Case of the Crown Fire 29:18
Trickery in the River 30:46
The Case of the Kind Hearted Killer 29:32
The Case of the Unwilling Guardian 29:51
The Renegade Huskie 29:18
What Price King 29:23
The Case of the Friendly Enemies 29:16
The Yellow Kitten 29:37
The Minister's Missing Money 29:31
The Case of the Detective Who Liked Excitement 29:51
The Fan-Tan Gold Robbery 29:29
The Boy Who Feared Dogs 29:38
The Case of the Wishbone 29:43
Fire on the Trail 29:58
King and the Baxter Gang 29:25
The Case of the River Pirates 29:45
Ambush Near Selkirk 29:34
The Case of the Sourdough's Dog 29:47
The Phantom Witness 29:31
The Scent of Blood 29:46
Murder on the Mountain 29:24
The Generous Hobo 29:41
Allen's McRae's Birthday Present 29:07
The Burning Cabin 29:31
The Great Charlotta 29:22
The Doctor Disappears 29:48
Hazel Crest Decision 29:28
Rescue in the Forest 29:42
The Missing Money 29:37
Bad Boy 29:43
The Last Will 29:11
Nipper Moves Himself 29:28
Bear Trap 29:24
Dr Blake's Surrender 29:39
The Miser and the Mob 31:53
The Old Timer 33:33
The Senator Finds a Treasure 35:37
Note of Evidence 31:19
The Brothers' Promise 30:51
The King Emperor 30:13
The Stolen Box 29:34
The Barbary Gang 30:53
Grubstake for Vickers 32:35
48 Hours to Pay 32:04
Outlaw's Twin 29:58
Dance at Caribou Creek 29:24
The Return of Tom Becket 29:22
Swindler's Luck 32:36
Copper Gulch Patrol 31:29
The Wainwright Cache 31:57
The Black Bag 32:17
Missing Gold 32:16
The Shanghaied Sergeant 31:55
The Sergeant's Present 29:12
Journey for Revenge 27:39
Swindler's Luck 27:13
The Prodigal Father 33:26
Rainbow's End 32:53
Jeff Marco's Gang 32:22
The Battle at Bradley's 28:10
Barry Jeffer's Trust 29:24
Red Devil 33:54
The Miners' Meeting 33:44
The Diamond Collar 28:50
The Long Trail 33:21
No Epitaph for Tombstone 32:32
The Ten Thousand Dollar Rewards 32:37
The Trap That Failed 32:02
The Ghost Raider 33:20
Casper Mott's Adventure 29:23
Circumstantial Evidence 29:18
Blind Man's Buff 58:39
Jailbreak 29:27
The Runaway Heir 59:01
Flaming Valley 29:27
The Haunted Mine 33:04
The Black Cat 33:16
The Murdered Witness 34:57
Trail's End 32:45
Uncle Joe's Luck 28:37
Guardian for Jimmy 31:38
When Thief Catches Thief 32:44
The Innocent Criminal 29:37
Wolf Creek 29:45
Restitution 29:53
The Lost Lady 29:36
Hidden Evidence 29:53
Secret Orders 29:36
The Man Who Fled 25:35
The Cascade Case 31:10
The Fugitive Bride 28:13
The Wolf Cub 29:50
Canyon Cache 29:20
Mystery of the Ridge 30:07
Twenty Little Indians 29:46
Unfinished Note 29:09
The Two Bullets 29:18
Wand Diamond 28:48
Notorious Chet Craig 30:32
The Dead Man's Trail 29:25
The Angel of Death 29:52
Six Gun Clue 29:38
Jose's Return 31:00
Revenge from Beyond 29:20
The Bag of Gold 29:43
Race of the River Boats 29:42
The Diamond Solitaire 29:43
Stolen Gold 30:09
The Spread Eagle Raid 30:44
The Beaverton Legacy 31:11
A Change of Mind 31:13
Ten Thousand Counterfeit 29:53
The Branded Pelts 30:32
Logan's Luck 30:03
Cal Dorset's Heir 30:23
The Gold Behind the Waterfall 30:47
The Polar Quest 24:22
Left to Die 30:39
The Sack of Sand 31:44
The Malemute Express 21:59
The Torn Map 30:15
Diagram of Danger 28:53
The Red Raiders 27:10
Dog Crazy 29:08
The Malacca Cane 25:53
The Vagabond 28:09
The Criminal Collie 26:47
The Blue Paper 28:52
Harper's Castle 26:32
A Dog Called Sparky 28:48
Fugitive from Bald Rock 28:47
The Masked Gunman 28:30
Out of the Night 28:03
Heart of a Killer 29:40
Dead Man's Whistle 29:21
A Call to Action 28:22
Undercover 28:01
Contention 29:31
Whistling in the Dark 29:40
Friend in Need 29:42
The Ghost Riders 29:10
The Clue of the Silver Pup 29:23
Passport to Death 29:28
The Telltale Knife 29:42
The Wrong Map 28:48
The Rebel Yell 28:02
Death Waits on the River 28:05
The Man in the Canyon 28:32
Gold Fever 27:45
Spider Burke's Daughter 28:53
Wild Dog 28:54
The Indian Sign 29:22
The Notorious Hawk Cooper 29:29
Danger at Devil's Gorge 29:40
Murder on Fox Run 28:04
Escape by Night 30:18
White Fox for Marie 28:32
Storm the Pass 31:06
The King of Keeno Creek 29:23
The Trail Robbers 29:34
Wrong Trail 28:50
Honest Young Man 31:07
Blackmailer's Payoff 29:33
Vanished Loot 30:27
Job for Jim Lackey 28:08
The Russian Rubies 31:04
Secret of the Closed Room 31:13
Doctor Redcoat 29:53
The Third Strike 31:21
Never Be Missed 30:15
The Counterfeit Heiress 31:21
Old Faithful 31:07
Cabin 102 29:21
The Blue Scarf 26:24
Trapper's Trail 26:47
Take It Easy 30:17
The Blind Husky 26:44
Team-Mates 31:03
Rowdy's Choice 29:40
Indian Dream 29:56
Number One Challenger 28:52
The Stuffed Shirt 28:38
Murder at the Flood 29:28
A Boy Called Jack 29:27
Thieves' Congress 29:26
Tom Barry's Return 29:21
The Trail's End 29:22
The Innocent Fugitives 29:31
And Far Away 29:28
The Widow's Son 29:23
The Man Who Feared Dogs 29:20
Ambush in Bellary Flats 29:23
Against Time 28:17
The Red Parka 28:36
The Scent of Death 28:21
Bullets for Preston 28:38
Red Coated Crook 25:05
Boy Alone 28:40
Junior Partner 28:40
Dividend on Murder 28:32
The Landlady 22:01
The Killer Cree 28:19
Chance Meeting 29:21
Trapper's Gold 28:01
Uncle Ben 27:54
Open and Shut 27:53
Fire in the Forest 28:18
Man in Hiding 27:49
Double Identity 27:59
The Mutiny's Survivor 29:23
Claim 22 22:21
Reward for Shiloh 28:53
Trail to Trouble 29:12
The Diamond Solitaire 28:32
Forbidden Ground 28:44
Si Adkin's Gold 27:38
The Forgetful Killer 29:12
Sneak Gun 27:57
The Trail of Gold 29:48
Neil Holton's Vow 29:55
Rainbow Gold 29:57
King Proves His Worth 29:56
Sins of the Father 29:56
White Water 29:41
McAllister's Bonanza 29:56
The Christmas Mite 29:53
Arms and the Girl 29:55
The Little Mountie 29:49
The Return of Red Gruver 29:48
Mystery Boy 29:52
Treacherous Journey 29:53
White Doctor 29:59
Man on the Trail 29:57
Ex-Partner 29:57
The Streets Are Guarded 29:53
Downriver Adventure 29:53
One Man's Meat 29:51
Ordeal at Fort Promise 29:43
The Hidden Cabin 29:34
Dead Man's Gold 29:51
Bread upon the Waters 30:05
The Case That Was Not Closed 29:58
Brotherhood of Man 29:55
Killers Live to Die 29:54
The Missing Heir 29:46
Laurie and the New Recruits 29:57
Thunderbird 29:54
The Land Otter's Totem 29:55
The Burial Totem Case 29:02
The Killer Whale 29:54
The Sun and Raven 29:47
The Prisoner 29:46
The Boy from Seattle 29:55
The Death Card 29:50
Hard Luck 29:59
The Ice Trail 29:50
Arctic Odyssey 29:49
Out of the Past 29:53
Stand-In for Cheeka 29:51
The Two Shots 29:57
The Haunting Fear 29:58
Brave Death 29:59
The Fugitive 29:55
Partners in Crime 29:58
Gold Legacy 29:58
Strange Treasure 29:58
The Pack-Rat Nest 30:02
The Young Camper 29:56
Guard of Honor 29:41
Mistaken Identity 30:00
The Shelf-Ridge Incident 30:00
Caw River Camp 29:55
Death by Proxy 29:52
Man from Missouri 29:58
Murder on the Mountain 29:31
The Queen's Parlor 29:09
SOS from Panamint 28:44
The Death Dart 29:19
The Rag Doll 29:15
Outlaw in Uniform 28:28

Reviews

Sgt. Preston of the Yukon (Challenge of the Yukon)


(5 stars)

It's hard for me to believe that no one, to date, has written a review about this mainstay of young people's (and many adults') radio listening. Even today, at age 64, I find myself chilled at the descriptions of the sub-zero temperatures that this low-paid but gallant hero and his wonder dog King faced during the Klondike gold rush in the Canadian Yukon Territory late in the 19th Century. Also, no mention is made here of the man who portrayed Preston during much of its long run which went well beyond the coming of television. He was Paul Sutton who in real life looked nothing like the man we would imagine our hero to be. Sutton usually played heavies in budget movies and during the mid-50s tried to get into Michigan politics. He's not getting the credit he deserves. When I listened to the show during the late 1940s and early '50s, the sponsor was Quaker Puffed Wheat and Quaker Puffed Rice — announced as "the only cereals shot from guns" followed by simulated gunfire. I've read that the slogan came from an ad man who was touring the Quaker plant. He observed that these cereals were cooked in a tank that resembled a cannon (exploding like popcorn?), hence the claim and the picture of a cannon shooting out cereal on the cover of each Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rick box. The gun on the box has disappeared, but the products taste the same, just as this vintage program today can still entertain anyone with an imagination and a sense of adventure. JohnMc

This is a hidden gem.


(5 stars)

I really enjoy this show. I remember listening to it when I was a kid. (I'm 55 yrs old) The portrayal of the cold wintery scenes are very well done. I give this show 5 stars!

Faith in a Mountie misplaced


(4 stars)

That is, the file titled "Faith in a Mountie" is not that story. It is a duplicate copy of "The Showdown" According to David Goldin's plot summaries, "faith in a mountie" should be a story about the kidnapping of a newspaper editor. I'm heading off to search for it in other archives because I would really like to hear it!

Cold and Gold


(4 stars)

The series DOES deserve more credit. Coming out of Detroit radio with cast similar to their other bigger hits, Lone Ranger and Green Hornet, it was vastly underrated. The true to life setting and special effects as well as a "hero" huskie and good scripts make this worth the time to listen. Of the old-time-radio shows, this belongs near the top.

Start with "Swill O' Gunpowder"


(5 stars)

If you haven't listened to this series yet and the wonder where you might start, start with Swill O' Gunpowder." It's an engaging thriller with a hilarious twist and a most enjoyable 15 minutes of old time radio listening.

The mental picture!


(5 stars)

I love the Yukon Territory and have been to some of the towns depicted that are along Hwy 1. Someday we'll take Hwy 2 and see some others! Having been in the region I can picture the scenes described, the desolation, the beauty, and vast emptiness. Robert Service is also one of my favorites.

Some files are corrupt


Some of the files in this collection seem to be corrupt, playback is ok at the start and then stops within about a minute. An example of this is 'Mad Wolf' https://archive.org/details/OTRR_Challenge_of_the_Yukon_Singles/COTY+46-03-07+(0421)+Mad+Wolf.mp3 which stops at around 49 seconds in, but there are similar problems in other files are well

One of the best


(5 stars)

I listen to this show everyday I love it