Canoeing The North Saskatchewan River - Saskatchewan Crossing To Abraham Lake

[@paulkerby4829]

Wow great vid

[@nickharland3795]

Hey thanks very much Paul. Glad you enjoyed, take care.

[@steveweatherbe]

Great video. Did this stretch with St.Johns Scool of Albert in 1970. Tipped the canoe against snags at an island a few miles along. Dumped everyone out.

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much Steve. Yeah it can be quite braided, and wood can definitely be a problem. Hope everyone was OK. I wish I could have canoed the river there before Bighorn Dam was built. Thanks for watching, take care.

[@rialobran]

I take my hat off to you, I don't know how you paddle in that scenery, I'd be too busy catching blackflys in my open mouth and wide eyes. Thanks for posting these awesome videos :)

[@AlbertaGeek]

Speaking also an Albertan outdoorsman, I've never found blackflies to be any kind of problem hereabouts. Maybe it's just me.

[@rialobran]

I'm in the UK, all I know of Canada is bears, blackflys, beautiful scenery, nice people and maple syrup (no offence) :)

[@AlbertaGeek]

rhialobran None taken. :)

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much. Haha, yeah the scenery in the mountains is always impressive. The bugs can be bad at times, but it's getting late in the year and there weren't many out at all (thankfully). Quite windy there too, I think that also helped keep them away. Take care.

[@jimhanson7476]

Hi nick , great video, the north saskatchwan offers many great trips... Lucky you.

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks Jim, yeah I really love that river. I am slowly working my way up it. A few more sections I'd like to canoe, but need to practice and improve more. Hopefully next year or so. Thanks again, take care.

[@potatothorn]

that crazy tree around 16:40 looks almost like a bristelcone pine , very neat .. Awesome canoe trip this is some spectacular area for a ride thanks for taking us with you

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much Thorn, glad you could come along. Yeah that is the oldest tree around here, and the oldest tree I have ever seen in person. But only a fraction as old as some of the pines on the west coast near you. Very impressive how it seemingly grows out of solid rock. The Rockies in western Alberta (outside of the National Parks), my favorite area to camp, and it's all free. Take care man.

[@bohrerbros7555]

Hi Nick, another good video and adventure. I found it interesting that you came across a Limber pine over 1,000 years old. Just image the undeveloped world when that pine took root 1,000 years ago. The North Saskatchewan River is definitely a very scenic river and worthy of days paddle. Take care.

[@nickharland3795]

Hello, yes this is a very nice day trip in a canoe. As you know, the whole Abraham Lake/David Thompson country is spectacular. Indeed, many generations of natives would have watched that tree slowly growing along the riverbank. It looks to be going pretty strong too, hopefully another 500 years or so. Thank you for taking the time.

[@williamjhanson]

Hello again Nick! You have been a big part of my inspiration to finally start covering all the rivers the west has to offer after being in Edmonton almost 10 years. Wish I had started sooner! The two day run from rocky to drayton went great. Long first day but really nice trip. This is a day run I would love to try but will do the nordegg to Rocky first. I just paddled a day run on the bow river last weekend from bow falls in Banff to the three sisters campground in Canmore. I could not suggest that one to you more, excellent trip! :) this will have to be my next one dayer. Could get pretty windy out there but looks like you had a nice day, thanks again for sharing :)

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much William. This was an enjoyable paddle, and good practice too. Canoeing in strong wind; some trickier eddies and eddy lines with all the braiding and rock outcrops; some small rapids; lazy flatwater sections, and the lake at the end. Yeah Nordegg to Rocky is a really nice trip. It was a big step for me the first time I paddled that section. Have gone back many times now. Great to hear that your trip to Drayton Valley went well. Hope you got a bit of relaxing and down time that first night, paddled many km's I'm sure. The Bow River is on my radar for sure. Same with the Highwood, and eventually the Kananaskis River. I hear you, I wish I had started canoeing 20 years earlier. But I've got a few years left, and many rivers to try. Thanks again William, and keep up the paddling. Take care.

[@t.w.milburn8264]

'mornin, Nick; You're never one to disappoint, on any trip we paddle together on. Glad we got to watch Brother. Have a great week ahead ATB Terry God Bless

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks so much Terry. I'd been wanting to try paddle this section for a while now, glad I got it done. It's always great to have you along. Yeah I'm headed out camping this weekend, should be very nice. Hope you have a great week ahead as well. Take care. Nick

[@savedpurplecat]

Your area is so different than any of the other channels I watch Nick, simply stunning landscape, the colours seem unreal compered to green damp UK lol. Amazing tree like you say not to bad for its age and the lake is vast. Love where you set the tent up mate class :) Tim

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much Tim. It is probably my favorite area to visit, and my favorite river for sure. I had been wanting to see that tree for quite a while now, and it did not disappoint. There are many older trees in different places around the world, but still amazing to think that tree was alive and well in the years around 800-900AD. I loved that camping spot, ended up spending 3 nights there. Thanks again, and take my friend. Nick

[@teec3385]

Wonderful Nick, Awesome Landscape....Thanks for taking us along :) Terry

[@nickharland3795]

Hey thanks very much Terry. It was a very enjoyable trip. Hope you are doing well, and getting lots of wildcamps in. Thanks again, take care. Nick

[@Heartlanddualsport]

How awesome is that my friend, thank you so much for sharing the beauty there with us all. I appreciate you and I hope you have a blessed weekend .

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks so much. Yeah it was a very enjoyable trip, really enjoy that area. The scenery was great, and the paddling was both exciting and fun, with some relaxing sections too. Thanks, yeah I had a very nice weekend, hope you did as well, take care.

[@manicheanwarrior8589]

Love your videos. Thanks for taking me along.

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks so much. Just trying to capture a bit of what I really enjoy to do, and am glad you enjoy as well. Appreciate you watching and commenting as always. Take care. Nick

[@steveforsythe9264]

Beautiful...beautiful thanks for sharing. Love to kayak there someday!

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks Steve, yeah it is a fantastic area, my favorite for camping. There are some slow sections, but I think it would be a nice kayak day trip overall. Take care.

[@joeoblenis6193]

Nice video, nce canoe...Clipper 16 Prospector, kevlar duraflex looks like. Taking mine out for a paddle tomorrow here in Northwestern Ontario .

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much. Yeah I love that canoe, suits my needs perfectly. Have a good time out there. Canoeing in the Canadian Shield is always a worthwhile trip.

[@wyopobo5339]

Hey Nick, great canoe trip. A bit of wind other than that a perfect day. on to the next video..

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks Martin. I'd been wanting to try this section for a while now. It didn't disappoint. Yeah it was a nice fall day out there. Thanks, take care.

[@CanoeingTheEdgeOfTheWorld]

Wow. Beautiful place for a day trip! That current really moves you along and I'm guessing you can cover a lot of distance (as long as you're going downstream). Here in Florida we don't have many rivers with fast moving water. There are a few but nothing like Canada. What a canoeing paradise you have up there.

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks, yes it was a very nice day trip. It's always fun to paddle in the mountains. Most of the rivers are fairly swift, so it is pretty easy to make good time. Definitely some good canoeing up here, many medium to large sized rivers to choose from. But we don't have alligators... that would be incredibly exciting (and slightly terrifying). I am envious. Take care.

[@CanoeingTheEdgeOfTheWorld]

@@nickharland3795 Gators are everywhere down here now. In my video "Canoeing To Hell 'n Blazes with Alligators" I saw 600-700 in just that 17 mile paddle. Some were undoubtably the same alligators on the return I'd seen going out but it's worth noting I passed 700 toothy water lizards in a single day. When I was a boy my grandfather and I saw a gator in a creek and I said. "you must have seen a lot of gators when you were a boy." He replied, "no actually, when I was your age we seldom saw alligators." When I asked why he laughed and said, "because they'd all been shot." Great recovery from near extinction! They're in every roadside ditch and pond now.

[@KentuckyWoodsman]

Cool video! I really enjoyed it. I visited the very spot you started your trip when the wife and I were there in 2014. Beautiful area man!

[@dansallsadventurersinlife4311]

we have the best backyard, don't you think?

[@steveforsythe9264]

Same here in the 1,000 Islands

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much Chris, yeah it is a really nice spot, and quite popular in the summer. Yeah you had some great pictures of the area, enjoyed your video of it. Take care man.

[@NatureInspiredSnipsnSnaps]

always enjoy your videos Nick, great clips and such an adventure, truly wonderful, take care and thanks for stopping by my channel, appreciated.

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much. It was nice to get out and enjoy some fresh air. The mountains are always great to visit. And the river of course. Take care.

[@sortavala]

Hahaa...Nice to see MTB in your canoe. :D Enjoyable video and amazing view! I have already planned my next solo trip. Three days canoeing and biking in wilderness 5.-7.10. sounds nice.

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks Asko, I considered filming some of the biking, but didn't want to steal your idea, haha. Yeah I am hoping to get a few more canoe trips in this year,. Days are short and it's getting colder, but water should be open for a while yet. Your trip sounds awesome, can't wait to see the video. Take care.

[@WanderingSoleTV]

Looks beautiful. I'd love to paddle this someday.

[@nickharland3795]

Yeah it is very beautiful. Living in Edmonton, it's hard to believe that it's the same river. I'm slowly working my way up it. Thanks, take care.

[@dansallsadventurersinlife4311]

nice trip, at least you had some blue sky! hasn't been a great summer on the upper part of the river. you still have an open invitation for a BBQ at our house buddy

[@nickharland3795]

I just love that river, and it gets more beautiful the further up-river you go. Just got back from a canoe trip on the Mcleod River and basically got rained on for 2 days. It has been a very wet and windy summer. I still am planning one more trip up there, the dam to Rocky, probably in October. I'll send you email when I know for sure what I am doing. Take care.

[@deepsouthNZ]

looks like NZs south island, we have braided rivers just like that one, somewhat shorter though :)

[@nickharland3795]

Yes, some epic landscapes down there. Looks beautiful from what I've seen.

[@CyndiLH]

Great video...we are planning to canoe the same route this weekend...any pointers on getting through those boils at Whirlpoint point? We are not advanced paddlers...what is the water trying to do to the boat? What do you have to do to get through? I'm sure we'll have some fun! (we are going with others)

[@nickharland3795]

At Whirlpool Point, the river narrows a bit and a geological formation produces large eddies on both sides of the river. They stick out quite far, and only leave a few meters of actual current in the middle You will want to have good momentum going in, and stay in the middle of the current. The eddies are pushing current upstream, so paddling into them could spin/capsize the canoe if not prepared. It's unlikely, but if one of the eddies starts to grab you, lean into it and be ready with a strong brace. Once past the "whirlpool", the current tries to push you towards a rock wall, be sure to drive to your left. Thanks for watching, and enjoy your trip.

[@shawnyork9065]

Thanks for sharing ? What year was this ? After the big fire that destroyed all the trees that would have been on your right side .

[@nickharland3795]

This was in September, 2016. Definitely evidence of past fires in this area. Thank you for watching, take care.

[@nigelcampbell8460]

Hey Nick, what was the total travel time on this trip of 29km. Thankyou for this video it was great to see river conditions as I frequently camp in the area aswell.

[@nickharland3795]

Thanks very much Nigel. I think it was around 5 hours of actual paddling time. It's an easy day-trip, or even a half day-trip if you wanted to. It was actually 36 km, not 29 km. I misspoke in the video. It can get fairly windy in there, but it's a great paddle. Thanks again, take care.