Mackenzie River System Thru-Paddle to the Arctic Ocean

My 2,400 mile thru-paddle of the Mackenzie River system, from Jasper Alberta, down the Athabasca River, the Slave River, across Great Slave Lake, and down the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean. Includes video of wolves, musk oxen and much more. For information on my adventures or to order my books and films, please visit bucktrack.com.

[@SanJuanMountainBob]

Wow - epic adventure and what an accomplishment - Mexico to the Arctic Ocean! Good to see you back on here Buck!

[@Brooks_Range]

Thank you Bob!

[@andyhatch5818]

THAT was awesome always wanted to visit Inuvik , I do visit Fort Providence to fish every year though great place

[@Brooks_Range]

Thank you Andy! I'll bet that's some fun fishing.

[@mtadams2009]

You sir are a complete bad ass. Did you plan to do the three long trips or did the vision come to you as you pushed north? Make my thru hikes seem very tame. Congratulations that is something to be very proud of. Take care

[@Brooks_Range]

Thanks! Every thru-hike is a great adventure! I hiked the CDT and hadn't seriously thought about carrying it through all the way to the ocean, although I'd done the Brooks Range, too. It was only about three years ago that I decided to push north from the Canadian border all the way to the Arctic Ocean. Then I hiked the Great Divide with my friend Wyoming, planning to finish up with this paddle the next year.

[@bigmancleverman989]

Nice one Buck, I enjoy your description of your adventures, have listened to your book twice !

[@Brooks_Range]

Great to hear. Thank you sir!

[@bigsky2081]

Awesome!!! New sub and I'll be checking on your books and films. Thank You!

[@Brooks_Range]

Glad you liked it bigsky!

[@eltonh8193]

What an amazing journey! So much cool scenery and wildlife. Thanks for sharing sharing!

[@Brooks_Range]

Glad you liked it!

[@DevinBostick]

So inspiring. Thank you for the amazing work. I was just in Quetico on Mack loop, read your book in the fortress of bears while out there, was edge of my seat on the halibut scene and a bunch of others. Such good energy! Going to read your guide stuff, dream is to do the portion into the arctic in next few years.

[@Brooks_Range]

Glad to hear it! Bet that was a great trip to Quetico. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@karldied]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing, and including some of the logistics.

[@Brooks_Range]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@NuManXplore]

Great adventure, thanks for sharing!!!

[@Brooks_Range]

Thank you sir!

[@revans4774]

You sir are insane, in all the right ways 🤩

[@Brooks_Range]

Ha, thanks!

[@thomaschapman1290]

Maybe it was the day but this place seemed more animal lively than the Yukon by the water.

[@Brooks_Range]

I think it probably is, especially the upper part of the route.

[@CanadianSledDog]

I swear that wolf was barking at you! Maybe it was part dog. Great trip!

[@Brooks_Range]

It was definitely barking at me. Full blood wolves do bark: "Barking is used as a warning. A mother may bark to her pups because she senses danger, or a bark or bark-howl may be used to show aggression in defense of the pack or territory." wolf.org/wolf-info/basic-wolf-info/biology-and-behavior/communication/

[@normpaddle]

Lots of good memories there. Wished I had seen Musk Ox. Never died but ate some burger in Inuvik which was great. The lead into ramparts sure looked rough. Wonder if I had way different water levels...it was quit placid. I lucked out on bugs.. put on repellent 1 time. So maybe being a drought year, the river was low. I'd like to repeat it. Thanks. Oh, forget to mention, met paddler at Three Forks yesterday headed to the Gulf that met you on your BWCA trip a few years ago...Oliver Simes .

[@Brooks_Range]

Interesting Norm. You did luck out on bugs. Rampart Rapids was a bit sketchy. I think you’re right on water levels. Cool you met Oliver!

[@billfarley9167]

Yep. Those moose flies are brutal. Did the Mackenzie in 1970. Fort Providence to Inuvik.

[@Brooks_Range]

Wow. That would be interesting to see how the river has changed.

[@kevinkrause744]

Great adventure!!!

[@Brooks_Range]

Thank you Kevin!

[@debskayakingandcampingadve2808]

Awesome trip video!!!

[@Brooks_Range]

Thanks!

[@danielthompson7453]

Awesome trip man

[@Brooks_Range]

Thank you Daniel!

[@JoshuaMNielsen]

Incredible! I have mad respect for you taking this trip. So beautiful. Those wolves were amazing, and the muskoxen terrifyingly large. I am glad you shared this. I am reading James Michener's book 'Journey' which is also about some British travelers on the Mackenzie River headed for Dawson City, so it made me curious to find out more about the river, which led me here. Tangentially, your tent(s) must be pretty hardy for such an epic trip! May I ask what tent brand / type you used for this journey?

[@Brooks_Range]

Thanks Joshua! It was a fun trip. My tent was Lunar Solo. It’s light, simple tent that I’ve used on many trips.

[@corrineleistikow]

Another great trip. Are you planning on doing a slide show in Fairbanks? I know a lot of us would come to see it!

[@Brooks_Range]

Thanks Corrine. No plans for a slide show, but thanks for the thought!

[@jbbouv5798]

Epic

[@Brooks_Range]

Thanks!

[@nickcrane888]

Impressive trip! Loved seeing so many wolves. Were you in polar bear territory as you approached the Arctic Ocean ?

[@Brooks_Range]

Thanks Nick! It’s my understanding that polar bears occur in the area but aren’t very common.

[@riverrockranger812]

Awesome trip. I live in Alberta. I have paddled the Athabasca from Jasper to Ft Macmurray. Minus Grande Rapids portage. Would love to do the whole trip. Alas a shoulder injury on a trip 2 weeks ago has me off the paddle. I will be checking out your books. Thanks for sharing!

[@Brooks_Range]

@@riverrockranger812 thanks! So you paddled the stretch below Grande Rapids to Ft. McMurray? If so, how were the rapids and what kind of boat were you in? Hope that shoulder heals quickly!

[@allenantonio4389]

Damn , all done in 13 minutes..

[@Brooks_Range]

Ha. Might be a little time compression. 😀

[@allenantonio4389]

@@Brooks_Range Great Trip

[@Brooks_Range]

@@allenantonio4389 thanks Allen.

[@ivanoutdoors]

What a cool trip. How many days did it take you? I don't think you mentioned or I didn't catch it. What boat did you use? I'd like to do something like that with my Packraft

[@Brooks_Range]

Hi, sorry for the delay in answering, I was out in the boonies. bucktrack.com/hunting-and-fishing/arctic-survival-trip/ It took me from mid-May until the end of July. I used a 13 ft. AdvancedFrame Expedition Elite Inflatable Kayak. Have fun!