Shane Gordon, a.k.a. the Alaskan Assassin, learned leadership through outdoor education... And shared it with the world

Learning to snowshoe through the trail system at Chadburn Lake on a frigid winter day was one of the toughest things Shane Gordon has done all year.

“We were all tested on that day,” says Shane. “It’s crucial in leadership that you have to take care of others – the instructors took care of us in the cold and pushed us to move out of our comfort zones. 

“It was sure uncomfortable, but we made it through.”

Shane is Inuvialuit from Inuvik, NWT. For the past few semesters, he had been enrolled in Yukon College’s Business Administration Program, where he took the Northern Outdoor Pursuits and Leadership course as part of his studies. 

He decided to take the class to try something new and to challenge himself.  

“I didn’t really grow up doing things outside – I was more of an indoor person, into video games,” he says. “I want to develop myself as a leader and to learn how to give my children those outdoor experiences.” 

Shane and his wife, Sandy, have four children, and he came back to College to get a better job to support his family. 

“I have some work experience, but a lot of the places I applied are looking for certification, so I came back to school to get that certification,” he says. “I am looking for a better paying job so I can provide for my family better.”

His family moved to Whitehorse with him, so Shane could  finish his studies.  

It hasn’t been an easy road. He failed Accounting 101 and had to re-take the class online last summer.

“I didn’t really understand the course. I tried to memorize terms, rather than do the math. So, I passed the final, but by then it was too late to pass the course,” he says. “It did get kind of dark because I was set back another year, but I made adjustments and re-took the course. 

“You have to work hard if you want to achieve something and be good at it,” he says.

In May, he graduated from the one-year certificate program and plans to come back to earn his diploma. 

Shane runs his own YouTube Channel under the name, “The Alaskan Assassin”. He earned the nickname because his father’s family is Alaskan and he was really good at sinking baskets on the basketball court—he had an assassin’s aim.

Throughout his Northern Outdoor Pursuits and Leadership Course last semester, Shane posted videos of himself and his classmates learning and participating in the activities, such as skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and winter camping.

“I enjoy bringing entertainment into peoples’ lives,” he says.

You can find his YouTube Channel by searching Alaskan Assassin.