When Jason Flores moves to the Yukon for a new job, he's not sure what to expect. His son Micah seems enchanted by the wildlife, but his recent fear of the dark means that the eighteen-hour nights in the winter will be a difficult adjustment. When Jason takes Micah to the local museum's interactive lecture series on the Gold Rush, it turns out to be one of the best decisions he's ever made.

Pete Odjick, a tattooed First Nations man, dresses up for the weekly lectures as Skookum Jim, one of the first prospectors to find gold. He takes an immediate interest in Micah and an even bigger interest in Jason.

As their flirtation grows into something more serious, Jason's job at a big name oil company and Pete's volunteer work with an environmental group become a point of contention. Can they come to an understanding and give Micah a family again? Or will the drastic differences between them tear them apart? As the winter nights grow longer, Pete and Jason worry their love won't be enough to chase the darkness away.