We had no electronic gear with us. By now we were in sync with the river. The first day Steve and I were in different places, he jovial and relaxed, while I worried about the unknown. We were a small part of nature that surrounded us, and found the paddling easy in the swift current. We saw no one and heard nothing but our own voices, the water dripping off our oars and the cries of the eagles. One good thing about the largely roadless Yukon is that we couldn’t get lost on the river. Days 6-17: Canoeing and exploring the Yukon … Introducing more models brought over from our Swift canoe line, as well as some new lightweight laminates and options, the … You’ll spend the long, relaxed days of summer paddling, camping in tents and eating by the campfire under the midnight sun. All Rights Reserved. “Have a good time, see you at the other end,” said the outfitter cheerily with a wave after wheeling our well-stocked canoe to the riverbank on a dolly. We even came to enjoy it, those times when we’d lose our edge and spin around in a circle like a teacup ride at the fair. I carefully and quietly dipped my paddle into the water with the intention of putting some distance between us and him. Over the last 15 years Steve and I developed a fascination with the history of Northern settlers, from the ancient crossing of the Bering land bridge that landed the first aboriginal people 20,000 years ago, to the gold seekers a century ago. Has a very good glide and is easy to keep up at cruising speed. I slid into a reverie, warmed by the sun. Swift River is a settlement in the Canadian territory of Yukon, primarily a service stop on the Alaska Highway at historical mile 733. Use without permission is prohibited. I considered the lessons of mastery and acceptance the river patiently taught me, leading me from my fear of the unknown to the self-reliance I gained. Width: 37" Eagles stood in trees in twos and threes, finding easy meals with the plentiful fish. I saw the bow angle toward the right bank and paddled harder to correct the course, to no avail. This gave new meaning to the phrase, “go with the flow” and we learned to do just that, letting the river be the guide. Price: $1,649-$1,999. […]. This leg of the trip involved paddling 460 miles down the Yukon River in northern Canada, just the two of us. On the Thirty Mile River section, we will be introduced to the wonderful world of swift water with an extensive introduction and/or review of swift water techniques and safety. Glacial fed rivers dumped their load of chocolate milk colored water, heavy with silt. seaeagle.com. “What?” I asked, “I’m trying to get away from him!” I had been attempting to turn the canoe in one direction, while Steve had been turning it the other, resulting in our merry-go-round. I waited for last minute instructions about government regulations or life-saving tips but the outfitter had turned away and was walking toward the street, whistling happily. “Nope, not for a couple of days,” Steve replied. As long as we stayed far enough from shore that we didn’t get entangled with brush and downed trees we were safe from danger. Weight: 69 lb. Choose from our selection of Canadian made lightweight Canoes, Kayaks and Pack Boats. “It’s the sound of the glacial silt running under the fiberglass canoe,” I said. “Yeah, there you go. They, like most other wildlife we saw, never noticed our silent canoe freely slipping by—we were just part of the landscape. Suddenly I remembered a passage from an explorer’s account of the Yukon. One day in the canoe Steve whispered, “Look on the right bank.” Scanning the distance I noticed some movement. The current in much of the Yukon is swift, but there are only 2 sets of rapids, and both are short, and not particularly difficult. The Yukon is one of a very few places where one can experience boundless wilderness. Travel Canoe from Sea Eagle. Here we were in the fight of our life and we were just going to succumb? We spoke in hushed tones, our voices sounding unnaturally amplified, as we unconsciously became part of the quiet land. You’re a real river woman now,” said Steve with a smile. I stopped paddling and found myself looking upstream as the canoe found its own sweet spot, going backwards. It wasn’t until days later that he told me how close. © 2016 Inga's Adventures. We practically flew down the “30 Mile” section, said to be the most beautiful part of the entire river, with crystal clear blue-green water magnifying the pebbles below, fat grayling and arctic char swimming evasively under the boat, and thick stands of spruce lining the banks along the narrowed waterway, so close we could easily cross from bank to bank with a couple of strong paddles. Meet up with your guides in the morning and gather gear to begin the canoeing portion of our trip. “What?” I shouted incredulously. The long daylight hours give us lots of time to enjoy the vast scenery! Not in the sense of ownership, but that, for the moment, we were an integral part of it. Swift Canoe & Kayak owner Bill Swift says the genesis for the Cruiser’s shape started with one of Yost’s earlier marathon racing canoes, the Sawyer Shockwave. We paddled in a straight line. Handles whitewater and tripping conditions well. The far northern reaches of the continent have long been a draw for me and Steve. The Yukon integrates a remarkable balance of performance characteristics to suit northern paddling conditions. All of a sudden a gust of wind interrupted my reverie and I popped up like a jack in the box. Like its … It is a true expedition canoe designed for wilderness conditions in the far north. The boat started feeling precarious and visions of bodies and clothing scattering across the river propelled me to dig harder. In contrast, our Yukon River expedition began abruptly without any regulation-laden preface. Discover why the Yukon … One afternoon the sun was out and we were drawn into a side slough, the main current far away on the other side of an island. Day 5 -16: The canoe trip down the Yukon … Without even realizing it we had become one with the river, adapting to its rhythm, two more sojourners flowing downstream, harmonizing peacefully with the natural world. We cocked our heads this way and that, listening closely. Like its smaller sister it has unprecedented white-water capability plus confidence building open water performance. Exploring Yukon from the water is an unbeatable way to experience our wilderness, and offers opportunities for beginners and pros alike. The clear, swift water and the superb scenery of the coast mountains compete for your attention. That evening we found an obvious campsite with little trouble and feasted on our fresh food, starting with appetizers of sharp cheese and peppery salami, then supplemented our reconstituted  freeze dried meal of Beef Stroganoff with a salad of cabbage, crisp carrots and piquant radishes smothered with ranch dressing, and washed it all down with a glass of Pinot Noir. Wilderness Adventures in British Columbia & Yukon since 1988 . It was that early struggle with the river that windy afternoon that taught us the most about the river. The preferred engine for this model is a … Check out our new to us "Swift" canoe! Then, he says, “We gave the Cruiser more … I thought about all the unknowns we faced the first day, how foreign it had felt to be on the water, the uncertainty I felt stepping into the canoe and the strangeness of being so isolated. A wave of sadness swept over me as the realization sank in that it was over, knowing that river likely had many more lessons to share that couldn’t be rushed, but rather, had to be experienced as circumstances unfolded. I contemplated the number of people that might be between me and the North Pole—not many based on the official count of 0.17 persons per square mile. The original inflatable, all drop … Wonderful all around canoe. Our eagle count dropped from dozens in a day to one or two per day, but the venerable raven, held in great esteem by northern aboriginal people, was ubiquitous. One of the worst fire seasons in history hung over the Yukon … We’ve been to Alaska and the Yukon to hike, backpack, canoe and sightsee so many times that I’ve lost … This leg of the trip involved paddling 460 miles down the Yukon River in northern Canada, just the two of us. The weak Northern sun almost felt warm on my face and I dozed. The current slowed and instead of tight turns the curves became more meandering. The bear reared up and crashed into the bushes, his peace, and ours, dispelled, and that’s the last we saw of him. For awhile we could hear comforting sounds of trucks from town trundling in the background, reminding us that civilization was near. In many visits to the North we had seen black bears but never a grizzly (also known as the brown bear). Neither of us paddled. We weren’t moving fast, but the scenery was compelling, with dead quiet water and a high cliff dotted with swallows nests towering over us on the right. The 8-day canoe trip down the Yukon from Whitehorse to Carmacks is specially tailored for visitors who like to travel far away from tourist routes, following the trail of the old history. Now we were in sync, as I gained confidence and we learned to work together, and with the river. “Did we see anyone today?” I asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful scene, but realizing that we hadn’t seen anyone for quite awhile. Canoeing the Yukon A 16-foot canoe loaded with food, 500 miles of wilderness ahead of us, camping on islands under the stars: paddling down the Yukon River remains one of my favourite adventures. We poked around the first of many abandoned cabins we would discover along the way, marveling at the small size and rough interior, though outfitted with glass window panes to allow light to penetrate. Swift Canoe & Kayak is a leading manufacturer of high quality composite canoes and kayaks, built right here in Canada. Most trails begin with a welcoming sign followed by a lengthy list of what not to do. Right away I could tell this was going to be a different kind of backcountry trip. From the narrow confines of the “30 Mile”, the river broadened to become braided with sandbars and tree covered islands. We fussed over the canoe, tying everything down and making sure everything was there– life jackets, sponge, bucket and paddles. The radius of the area is estimated to be about 22.71 kilometres … The mist lifted to display the remains of the SS Evelyn, one of the 250 sternwheelers that used to ply these waters, and we eagerly beached the canoe to explore the area. Originally published as Rolling Down the River-How the Yukon Can Transform a Traveller, p. 16 in Coast and Kayak Magazine (Fall 2012). I couldn’t figure out why were spinning around–after so many days paddling together we had mastered synchronizing our strokes. We progressed down the river. The hump on his back sent shivers down mine. I leaned against the upside-down canoe with our last glass of wine and watched the river flow past, careless to the activity I knew we would find in Dawson City tomorrow. 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