Yukon - Pelly
Canoeing Tour
Yukon - Canada
And the rivers all run God knows where"
When Robert Service wrote these words, he was talking, of
course, about Yukon. The great gold rush of 1896-1899 attracted people from
all over the world to the land of the midnight sun. Although the lure of the
gold rush has passed, the magic of Yukon dreams and adventures is as strong
as ever. People are still attracted to the majestic mountains, wide valleys
and winding rivers. The canoe trip from Pelly Crossing to Dawson City
captures this sense of adventure and history. The Pelly and Yukon Rivers are
in virtually untouched areas and contain a large variety of wildlife. The
scenery is varied, as it passes through some beautiful mountains and
forests.
From Whitehorse, we drive for 3-4 hours to Pelly Crossing where we launch
our canoes. We paddle on the Pelly River (grade 1) for two days and visit
the Pelly Farm, which was originally established to supply hay for horses
travelling the road to Dawson. The Bradley brothers now run it.
At the confluence of the Pelly and Yukon Rivers, we visit Fort Selkirk and
spend one full day (two nights) there. Originally established by Robert
Campbell in 1852 as a Hudson's Bay Post, it was the first non-native
settlement on the Upper Yukon River. It was destroyed by Chilkats the next
year. The town site remained abandoned until 1889 when Arthur Harper
operated the post until the Klondike Gold Rush. In 1899, it became the
headquarters of the Yukon Field Force of the Canadian Army. Churches and
schools were built and, in 1938, the Hudson's Bay Company returned to build
a post.
We spend the next five days paddling the Yukon River to Dawson, seeing some
homesteads and old ruins as we go. We arrive in Dawson the evening of the
eighth day and spend three nights and two full days seeing the sights of
this historic city.
The next day, we drive to Whitehorse (about six hours). Clients depart the
following day for home or for other destinations in the North.
This trip truly captures the adventure, beauty and spirit of Yukon
wilderness travel, the rivers are all grade 1 (no rapids) and there are no
portages! with an immense variety
of bird life, including coots,
mergansers, widgeon, mallards and Canadian geese. Previous paddling
experience is not necessary. Our guides will teach you the basic skills you
need to enjoy one of the truly great wilderness adventures in British
Columbia.
PREPARING FOR YOUR PELLY-YUKON TRIP 2004
This 11-day trip is designed for people who wish to experience a Yukon
adventure. A professional, certified canoe guide and assistant, who are
concerned about your safety and comfort, accompany clients. They will help
you improve your river paddling skills and make sure you enjoy your trip.
Life jackets are provided and all participants will be required to wear them
while in canoes.
Participants should be familiar with the six basic canoe strokes (bow,
reverse, "J", pry, draw and sweep). They should also have some experience
with river paddling. Clients should be prepared to camp in wilderness
conditions for 11 days. Be aware that Yukon weather can vary - from long,
hot days (when one must guard against over exposure to sun), to cold days
and nights with rain, wind or even, on occasion, snow.
All incl. Whitehorse, Yukon,
all meals
on the river, gear, 3 night B&B in Dawson
ZZ-Canoe-YU01
11 days/ 10 nights
$ 1,795
plus GST tax (3.5%)
2008 Dates:
Aug 6 to 15, 18 to 27
Big Salmon:
July 27-Aug 3
Additional charges: meals and
accommodations in Whitehorse
