Advice on Far North/Arctic Canoe trip

Hello. I have never taken part in a multi-day whitewater canoe trip in the far north, but have been a whitewater canoeist, kayaker & rafter for over 40 years. I have planned, outfitted and taken part in many trips down the Grand Canyon and other western rivers as well as in Russia and Kyrgyzstan. I'm interested in people's opinion on going with an outfitter on a guided trip vs. planning and running a trip myself. I know that Arctic trips present unique challenges involving access, gear, bears, bugs, etc., etc., etc. Any thoughts?
Russ P

If you've run trips in odd areas like Kyrgyzstan, then you're probably in a good position to run your own trip if you have the partners. Logistics (and $$) in remote areas can be daunting for the inexperienced. I've done three northern trips of 4-6 weeks, all self-outfitted. The only way I'd do an outfitted trip is if I couldn't find partners to do the same trip. Paddling Pitt has some great trip reports on this site which will give you some idea of what's involved. Also, Canadian Canoe Routes has lots of resources.

Did you have a particular river/region in mind? Like Mason, I would not consider a guided trip. Too many unknowns regarding the guide and fellow travellers. Challenges on lengthy, northern trips simlpy require more planning and caution, but do not really differ from shorter, more southerly trips. My wife Kathleen and I have completed quite a few long, northern trips, generally by ourselves. Have always felt secure in our isolation and self reliance. Do you have any specific concerns in mind?

Thank you both for your replies. And PaddlingPitt you anticipated one of my other questions: What is the smallest group you would consider traveling with (2 apparently). I understand the general recommendation is prob. two canoes minimum on a river with any significant whitewater, but like you I would balance that risk against being stuck in the wilderness for 10+ days with an unpleasant person(s). It's poss. I can find additional folks to go, but currently have only one who's committed.
I do have a copy of Canadian Canoe Routes on order.
Rivers in particular that look interesting are: the Mountain River, Coppermine, Natla, Hood, Snake & Wind.
Other consideration is that my friend is an avid birder and is hoping to see a lot of birds and other wildlife (excepting, maybe, a lot of bears!) in case there is a particular river which is head-and-shoulders above the rest.
Thanks so much! Russ

RussPatt said:

I do have a copy of Canadian Canoe Routes on order.

Click to expand...

The "Canadian Canoe Routes" I referenced is a website, with an active forum--gobs of information for everything Canadian.

Kathleen and I paddled the Coppermine River in 1995, with one other couple:


The trip began by going overland from Winter Lake to Point Lake:


You might find these trip reports useful.

You should also be able to find lots of youtube videos on all those rivers.

When you say "Natla", do you mean "Natla / Keele"? - just the Natla would be a long and expensive journey for a short trip.

What "whitewater" are you looking for? - I think there is quite a variance in the difficulty of the rivers you have named.

How long a trip (in days) are you hoping for?

I share PaddlingPitt's preference for a small group. I don't even take the second person. But if you are interested in running rapids near the limit of your canoe or your skill set, multiple boats of capable paddlers would probably be a better idea. Are you willing to do (if feasible) some portaging / lining of rapids to accommodate a single boat trip?

I don't think you need an outfitted trip - but you may decide you need some "outfitting" for your trip. Would you bring your own boat, or rent? Would you drive to your "take-off" point, or fly? There are a lot of things - bear spray, stoves, fuel, even matches, etc. - that you can't legally fly commercially with and would need to obtain locally before setting out.

Finally, prepare yourself for some "sticker shock" in the northern charter aircraft market.

I don't mean this to sound negative - with your experience you should be able to do the trip, and have a great experience, regardless of the river you choose. But don't underestimate the logistics - I think the problem of getting them all organized is what leads many paddlers to turn to organized trips.

Best of luck,

wjmc

wjmc said:

There are a lot of things - bear spray, stoves, fuel, even matches, etc. - that you can't legally fly commercially with and would need to obtain locally before setting out.

Click to expand...

You can legally fly with stoves and empty liquid fuel bottles.



You can also bring one book of safety (non-strike-anywhere) matches in your carry-on luggage:


Yes, there is a risk of having your stove confiscated, but if you follow the suggestions on the MSR blog, it is unlikely. Still, you should have a backup planned or you may determine that it is not worth the risk.

For an extended trip, you will likely need more than one book of matches. Lighters are allowed on carry-on and empty Zippos or disposables with no fuel are allowed in checked luggage:

Russ, I'm not an Arctic tripper, but would like to welcome you to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos, and to start threads, in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Also, because canoeing is a geographic sport, please add your location to the Account Details page in your profile, which will cause it to show under your avatar as a clickable map link. Many of the site's technical features are explained in Features: Help and How-To Running Thread. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

I've never been on a guided canoe (or land) trip of any kind and would prefer not to be, unless I had no worries about disposable income and no other way to fulfill my trip aspirations. Even then, I'd worry about unknown traveling companion compatibility. There are so many things that can bug people about other people's habits and behavior, even on short and local group trips.