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High end wilderness expedition. All participants have to be
willing to work together as a team. Intermediate canoeing
skills appreciated. 11 days on the river (not including road transportation (Mayo, Yukon is 5
hours from Whitehorse) and flight delays (single engine otter on floats)
allows for 2 days hiking and river navigation.
Following a scenic flight (1.5 hours) north from Mayo Yukon, we land at a
small remote mountain lake and make preparations for our river trip. The
first day is spent positioning gear to the put-in (3-5km river lining or
portage). At the put-in we take some time to explore some wonderful hiking,
and this will be the tone for the next week (spectacular hiking and
panoramic mountain vistas). The river itself is fast clear mountain blue
water. You will have to perform manovers such as eddy turns and
cross-current ferries to be comfortable on this water.
Well into the trip we will encounter many braided channels and possibly some
natural river obstructions (sweepers, a rapid or two (class II at Deception
Mtn). All through our trip we will be surrounded by sparsely vegetated
mountain ecology. Access to these areas is fairly simple and people of all
fitness levels will be able to enjoy the sights. The river eventually drains
into the larger Peel River basin noted for its natural and human history.
All rivers draining into and including the Peel were ancient and modern
travel routes for people and we will see some evidence of this throughout
our trip.
There are several species of fish and wild mammals on this trip. Dall's
Sheep, Moose, Grizzly Bear, Caribou, Wolf are a sampling of the wildlife we
will see. In terms of fish, Greyling, is plentiful, and can be a great
complement to any meal. The weather on the Wind River can be rather
changeable and variable. We can have snow showers or very hot bright
sunshine. The water levels can rise or fall depending on rainfall, so being
prepared for these eventualities is key.
8 days into the trip and at the confluence of the Wind/Peel Rivers we camp
and ponder the high canyon walls and colourful rocks of lower Aberdeen
Canyon. Then we continue two days to the mouth of the Snake River (where the
Snake meets the Peel River). Here we await our flight.
Our guides are trained educators and naturalists and are very familiar with
this area both in terms of human history, ecology, geology and biology. A
second bonus is the first class food served to any taste or preferance, with
classic mountain scenery always in the background.
There are not many people travelling on this river, and no road access. The
Wind River is truely one of Yukon's most remote rivers set in a wild and
mountainous beauty. This is the recommended river for those with some canoe
skills and a keen desire to experience sub-arctic, boreal forest ecology and
natural history in Canada's north.
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