Planning a canoe trip on the Wind River, Yukon

This video gives you the information you need to organize a canoe trip on the amazing northern remote Wind River in the Yukon Territory, Canada.
Please note : the flotilla plane is a ONE hour ride (not 5 as in the typo in the video)!
Some of the links mentioned in the video:
Map (in french) = www.cartespleinair.org/Canot/C...
Our outfitter/shuttle = upnorthadventures.com/
Our floatplane = alkanair.com/
Water levels (at confluence of Wind and Little Wind Rivers) = wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/r...
And a video of our trip = Wind River Canoe Trip
• Wind River Canoe Trip
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:46 Upper Wind
5:45 Middle Wind
7:40 Peel
12:02 Logistics

[@MarcMacKenzie-wq4ny]

So much useful detail! A must watch for anyone contemplating this trip. Also: beautiful video!

[@ndginpq]

Thanks Marc!

[@Nordener720]

Thank you for showing me your group adventure on the wind river

[@ndginpq]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tailwindsnorth1905]

Nice job guys!

[@ndginpq]

Thanks!

[@PhilRushworth]

Great video! Al! Where's the links to the checklists!?!

[@buffalo4127]

Wonderful commentary, great info, spectacular scenery thanks for your generous information. Btw, the Wind River in Wyoming is about that size but no longer wild.

[@ndginpq]

Thanks for your kind words - there must be some great canoe routes down that way!

[@buffalo4127]

Yes there are some beautiful rivers in the Rocky Mts however you have all the canoeists. kayaking is more popular here than canoeing. I wanted to add the drone images from the Peel Watershed were spectacular!

[@ndginpq]

@@buffalo4127 glad you enjoyed the video!

[@judobrett]

Great video. After watching a lot of trip videos… it’s great to have some planning tips. I would love to pepper you with some more questions if you have the time. If you are willing is there a good place to drop you a message or line? Thanks again

[@ndginpq]

Glad you enjoyed it! Feel free to ask here or email me at [e-mail]

[@diannejerryfroese9830]

Thanks for putting this together. A few questions here, so hopefully you do not mind. I assume for your arrival in Whitehorse, the lodge the outfitting with upnorthadventures along with the 6 hr shuttle ride and the flight out of Mayo ...... all this was totally scheduled long before your arrival? You mentioned taking a SAT phone. Therefore, was your pick-up at TACO Bar totally organized, or did you call when you got closer such as a few days ahead for pick-up? How about the shuttle back to Whitehorse established, was it organized well in advance, or again scheduled by SAT phone the closer you got to TACO bar. Sometimes in wilderness travel not all things go as planned so curious if you were tied into an exact schedule, or had the ability to move pick-up dates around a bit with a bit of notice? In terms of the SAT phone, many people rent them temporary, or perhaps have or rent a Garmin Inreach with text capability. Did you did have a SAT phone brought from Ontario, or did you rent it locally, or get elsewhere? In terms of what you brought from Ontario would you have brought all clothes, Hygeine gear, Meds, camera equipment, maps, tents, tarps, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, saws, axes, water purification, stoves and favourite cooking gear? Whereas did the Outfitter supply the required Gas for the various Stove types, Bear Spray, Fire starting equipment, Dry Suits, Paddle Gear, Barrels, Dry Bags, Throw Ropes, and a bit of cooking gear. How was food organized, outfitter selected, or you bought at local grocery stores, or did you bring some dehydrated food with you. Lastly, did you deploy a strategy for camp chores and cooking? Sometimes some people like doing certain things but not so good at other things. Some people like to cook while others do not, so likely you may have needed a strategy? I was curious if the outfitter supplied everything, and you organized it a head of time, or the outfitter had absolutely everything, so you just picked out what you did not bring. Thanks Jerry

[@ndginpq]

I love it: - yes, its important to have the ground shuttle and floatplane booked in advance. They wont necessarily coordinate so you have to. You can pitch your tent at the floatplane base if necessary. The time and place of pickup is prearranged, just like a regular commercial flight. You only sat-call if you need to come out early (unplanned extraction eg for medical reasons) or late.

[@ndginpq]

I use a Garmin inreach mini - ie not a phone per se but can do two-way text and email.

[@ndginpq]

Yes to the gear. We bought some food in whitehorse at the grocery store, bought our stove fuel there (Cdn Tire), and rented canoes and paddles at the outfitter. They will rent you more, and could even provide a guide (all prearranged).

[@ndginpq]

We were eight paddlers over 14 days. Each paddler prepared one common supper, all other meals were fend-for-yourselves!

[@ndginpq]

And bearspray!