Final answer:
The man is identified as a "chechaquo" through his lack of preparation for the cold and his use of the dog to test dangerous situations, revealing his inexperience with the Yukon's harsh conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The text provides several details that reveal the man is a chechaquo, or a newcomer to the Yukon. First, his lack of preparation for the extreme cold, demonstrated by not packing a nose-strap, which results in his face becoming frozen, highlights his inexperience with the harsh conditions.
This is further emphasized by his disregard for the profound cold, as he thought it was only uncomfortably cold and did not meditate on his frailty as a creature of temperature. Second, his failure to send the dog in front to test the footing indicates a lack of understanding of the dangers of the environment. This decision to use the dog to test out dangerous situations rather than trying them himself shows he is not familiar with the survival strategies needed in this wilderness.