Many have called the Stikine River the "gateway to the vast interior of northwest Canada" and a canoeing adventure on this wilderness highway is unforgettable. Coursing through the Coast Range, the Stikine River or "Great River" (as it is known by the local Tlingit) boasts vast glaciated mountains, icebergs, hot springs and native fish camps. Wildlife viewing is excellent with grizzlies, black bears and bald eagles are attracted to the lush coastal environment. John Muir, travelling up the Stikine from its mouth in 1879, called the lower Stikine "a Yosemite 100 miles long".
We canoe in 2-person and Voyageur (minimum 5 person) canoes along this coastal range river from Telegraph Creek, British Columbia to Wrangell, Alaska over 10 River Days and traveling downriver 267 km (165 miles) with an elevation drop of 200 m (approx. 600 feet).
Craft Description: Canoe - Voyageur (minimum 5 passengers) or 2-person canoes
Prerequisites: Novice Moving Water Experience.
Available Dates
| | Fri. Jul 17 - Fri. Jul 31, 2009
(to be confirmed when Alaska Ferry schedule is available) | Book this date |
Rate Details
CAD: $5,925
USD: $5,008 *fluxuates daily
Current CAD/USD Exchange Rate: 0.8453
Additional Stikine River Trip Notes:
There are a number of good books related to the Stikine River available through our news letter. These include: |
Map
The following is a tentative agenda and has been designed with much thought to capitalize on the most scenic and exciting parts of the river, while making time on other sections. Your guides will adjust the schedule to make the best use of river and weather conditions.
The following initials indicate the meals included each day:Breakfast = B | Lunch = L | Dinner = D
Day 0 WHITEHORSE, YUKON
Your journey north from your home will be a refreshing departure. You will fly over the largest expanse of wilderness in the world with stunning views on cloudless days, pass through quieter and friendlier airports, meet friendlier and less harried service personnel and generally begin to immerse yourself in the wilderness experience that is about to unfold.
The scheduled flights arrive in Whitehorse throughout the day. Aim to arrive by 6pm. Please make your way to your hotel and plan to rendezvous with your guides at the Westmark Klondike Inn at 8 pm for an orientation meeting (enquire at the desk for meeting room). Hotel costs and meals while in Whitehorse are not included in the trip fee. There will be a chance for last minute questions concerning clothing, gear, packing and other details.
Whitehorse is a great place to spend a few extra days.We will send you a visitor’s booklet. The historic sites are interesting and there are day hikes, gold panning float trips through Miles Canyon and 4X4 outings in the region.
Day 1 (L/D) GOLDRUSH HISTORY
We will meet 8am in the hotel lobby after breakfast (not covered). After driving to the airport we will fly to the“picture perfect” gold rush town of Telegraph Creek on the Stikine River downstream of the innavigable Grand Canyon of the Stikine. Once in the tiny community of Telegraph Creek we will load the canoes and prepare to travel the short distance to our first camp in the vicinity of Tsikhini River.On the Stikine – translated to Great River in the language of the Tlingit Indians – you will feel at once the speed and power of this grand river.
Day 2 (B/L/D) OLD GROWTH FOREST
Floating past native fish camps, we will pass the tiny community of Glenora. Now nearly a ghost town, it once held 10,000 occupants and was the head of steamship navigation. From here the river begins its cut through the highly glaciated Coast Range. Camp will be in the vicinity of Jackson’s Flats.
Day 3 (B/L/D) LITTLE CANYON
The swift flowing but smooth river will whisk you further into the land of the Stikine. Increasingly larger mountains appear on the horizon and we watch for grizzlies, moose and mountain goats. Camp will be in the vicinity of Little Canyon.
Day 4 (B/L/D) FLOOD RIVER
Making our way into the dramatic region of the Flood River Valley, many glaciers begin to dominate the horizon.Camped along the swift flowing river, we will read stories of the rich native and gold rush history of the region.
Day 5 (B/L/D) GLACIERS
The river channel broadens and braids. New panoramas await around each bend. We will find ourselves camped in the region on Mud Glacier, far more beautiful than the name implies.
Day 6 & 7 (B/L/D) GREAT GLACIER LAKE
Flood and Mud Glaciers are but two of the ice caps that dominate the valleys feeding the river in this stretch. Seals may be seen in the main channel at this point as they follow the spawning salmon.The Great Glacier once breached the river and was the sight of a clash between Tahltan and Tlingit warriors. We will camp here and a hike from the river will take us to an ice berg-dotted lake at the foot of the glacier where it now resides. If possible,we will use our boats to paddle among the ice flows.This portion of the Stikine passes into the Coastal Western Hemlock and Mountain Hemlock biogeoclimatic zones. Even at this latitude there is a rich rain forest ecosystem supporting eagles and ravens, steelhead and salmon, bears, foxes, wolves,mountain goats and numerous other mammals. Its wetland habitats are particularly important to water fowl and moose.Sitka spruce, cottonwoods, yellow cedar, white fir and abundant wildflowers are present. Nearly a million migrating birds of the Pacific Flyway use the delta and wetlands.
Day 8 (B/L/D) FRESH SALMON
Back on the river your guides will organize fresh salmon at an interesting local fish camp. Camp will be in the vicinity of Goat Creek Islands.
Day 9 (B/L/D) CHIEF SHAKES HOTSPRINGS
After a paddle down a hidden back channel you will be rewarded by a soak in the luxurious hot water of Chief Shakes Hot Springs. Splendid scenery will top off a memorable day. If river conditions allow we will make our way into Shakes Lake for more close interaction with spectacular glaciers.
Day 10 (B/L/D) ALASKA
Making our way through the delta we will enter the rich coastal environment of Frederick Sound. The scenery continues to please. Skirting the shoreline, we will paddle to the colorful fishing community of Wrangell, Alaska. Camp will be in this coastal community and you will have time to explore the town.
Day 11 (B/L/D) INSIDE PASSAGE
We will leave Wrangell in the afternoon via the Inside Passage Ferry. This provides a classic view of the famed Alaska Inside Passage. Steaming through the villages of Petersburg, Sitka and the state capital of Juneau, we will have “birth’s”. Showers are available and you will have access to all the ship’s facilities.Be sure to have proof of your citizenship with you for US and Canadian customs.
Day 12 (B/L/D) SKAGWAY
We will arrive in the goldrush town of Skagway, Alaska late in the evening. We can help you arrange any hotel accommodations (participants are responsible for their own hotel costs. We will send you Skagway attractions and hotels booklet).
Day 13 (B) WHITE PASS
The following morning, we will drive through the dramatic White Pass. The two hour drive will place us in Whitehorse by early afternoon. You can book your flight to leave Whitehorse for 4pm or later, otherwise you may want to relax for one more evening and fly out the next day.
Day 14 HOMEWARD BOUND
Note: Upon booking, we need to know which craft you would prefer (2-Person or Voyageur Canoe). Please note that numbers will indicate how thoroughly we will be able to match preferences for craft - please let us know your preference on the application form and call with any questions 1 800 297 6927.See “The Details” package for an additional explanation of the craft.At the time of printing, the Alaska State Ferry schedule was not finalized. Please contact us before finalizing flight arrangements to ensure the scheduals match.
Nahanni River Adventures is an equal opportunity provider and is a permit holder of the Tongass National Forest.