Nepal had been on my bucketlist for over a decade before I finally booked a trekking trip in 2016. The Himalayas are the highest mountain range in the world and Nepal has most of the highest peaks. After months of consulting with friends and doing countless hours of independent research, I chose to employ Nepal Vision Treks for my trekking group of 6. We signed up to do the 21 day Everest 3 Passes Trek, but had to change our itinerary due to conditions and illness. This Nepali based company either met or exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend them. For tips on travelling in Everest Region read my blog here. Here's how our trip unfolded from October 11th to 31st, 2016.

Day 1: Arrival Day
We arrived in Kathmandu after approximately 28 hours of travelling and crossing 10 time zones. We were greeted at the airport by a driver for the company and taken to our 4 star hotel named the Apsara Boutique Hotel. The hotel offered climate controlled rooms with modern bathrooms, free wi-fi, and continental breakfast. Just outside the main doors is a courtyard with a restaurant offering lunch and dinner options. We met with the company liason Chet who welcomed and greeted us and sat down to chat about plans and Nepal customs on tipping, etc.

Day 2: Kathmandu City Tour and Welcome Dinner
Our group of 6 was picked up by a van driver and city guide. We were taken to 3 sites in Kathmandu: Monkey Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, and a Cremation site.  Each site offered insight into the Hindu and Buddhist religious sites and a window into the tolerance or harmony found between these two beliefs. The city guide was a wealth of information on Nepalese customs and was proud to show off his city to us.
That evening were taken for a 'Welcome Dinner' with our trekking guide. This included Nepali dancing and band playing, as well as a typical Nepali dinner. A great way to start the trip!

Day 3: Fly to Lukla (2810m) , Walk to Phakding (2610m)
Up early to head to the airport, we were able to leave items for storage at the hotel for free. Ensuring our bags (daypack plus duffel) were no more than 15kg, we arrived to the airport and head through security and checked in our bags. Headed to Lukla on Sita Air, on a Dornier 14 seater plane. Temperatures were around 20C, we trekked from Lukla mainly downhill to Phakding. Encountering porters and mules for first time, we had our first glimpses of life in the Khumbu. Our first tea house 'Hotel Beer Garden' offered 2 single beds in a room (wood bed frame with a foam mattress 6-8") with an attached bathroom.

​Day 10: Lobuche (4910m) to Everest Base Camp (5365m) to Gorek Shep (5180m)
Woke up early today and was on the trail by 7am. The long line of hundreds of trekkers was overwhelming. We were bundled up with more layers and mitts heading to Gorek Shep. The trail here starts off flat and then rolls up and down 4 times over glacial till. Arrived at Gorek Shep at 10:30am, and got our bags into our rooms. After eating lunch, we left at noon to basecamp. Taking 2.5 hours to get there and 1.5 to return, we hiked over some rolling terrain up onto a ridge and then down onto the glacier. Some of our group members had some AMS symptoms: insomnia, nausea, vomiting, headache, disorientation, and cough.  Heading to basecamp, you are surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains: Pumori, Nuptse, and Everest. This day, as with everyday of our trek, was sunny with blue skies. We took the mandatory photos at basecamp, drank in the views, and turned around and returned to Gorek Shep. At these altitudes, our pace is as slow as a crawl, and we are having to push our bodies to do anything. We stayed at the Yeti Hotel.

Day 11: Kala Pattar (5545m) to Dzongla (4830m) 
Woke up at 4:45am to be ready for our 5am departure for our hike up Kala Pattar. We started in the dark, but soon after the sun rose and our headlamps were no longer needed. Out of our group of 6, only 3 made it to the top. One thing that most people underestimate about trekking is that you move so slowly so you have to wear more layers. It sounds ludicrous to wear a big down puffy jacket at -2C, but when you walk like a 90 year old you need it. After a late 8:30am breakfast, we returned to Lobuche for lunch, and then continued on a stunning trail to Dzongla in the afternoon, arriving at 4:30pm. We stayed at the Green Valley tea house which had a fantastic food.

​Day 12: Dzongla (4830) Rest Day
Today, instead of getting up at 5am to do the Cho-La pass, took an unscheduled rest day. And this time I mean a REAL rest day. Our group members for the most part had picked up a cold virus, and that combined with the effects of altitude was draining our energies. It was amazing how good 4830m felt after being at 5180m at Gorek Shep. Our guide accepted our group decision and planned accordingly. Thankfully the rest day was warm and sunny and we were able to sit outside and read. The food at this teahouse was also very good, so that was a bonus for staying an extra night. Thankfully the rest day helped store some much needed energy for our 12 hour Day 13.

Day 13: Dzongla (4830m) via Chola Pass (5420m) to Gokyo (4800m)
The alarm went off at 4AM and we were eating breakfast by 4:30 and on the trail by 5AM. For 3.5 hours, we ascended both rock, snow and ice to reach the 5420m Cho-la pass. This ascent was my favourite hiking section of the entire trip and I'm grateful we were able to summon the strength to do it. Descending the steep loose rock on the other side, we ascended 100m before a long valley descent down to Thangnak. We stopped for lunch there 6.5 hours after we started. At this our colds were draining us we were all coughing and blowing incessantly-there was never complete silence as someone was always coughing. We wolfed down some much needed calories and then headed out for the final 2 hour hike across a glacier to Gokyo. We stayed at the Gokyo Resort at 4800m.

Day 14: Gokyo Rest Day (4800m) and Gokyo Ri (5360m)
Today our group was suffering. Our colds had sunk into our chests and we were all exhausted. Only one of our group members was healthy enough to attempt Gokyo Ri. He went up to the summit with our assistant guide. 4 of our group members walked around town for the rest day where as the 6th member stayed in bed. We all had naps, and visited the very yummy Gokyo Bakery. The beauty of the Gokyo lakes is outstanding. A beautiful setting indeed. Our group made a decision that instead of going over our planned Renjo-la pass back to Namche, we would head directly south via Dole back to Namche. Again our guide was flexible and accommodating with our change of plans.

​Day 15: Gokyo (4800m) to Dole (4200m)
Today our 'Coughing Canadians' group descended down a beautiful valley to Dole. We passed by Gokyo lakes 1 and 2, and passed through a few villages before our final destination. At first our group was disappointed that we didn't go up the Renjo-la pass, but we quickly reversed our thoughts with this spectacular valley. In Dole, we stayed at the Lakeside tea house. Temperatures dropped below zero overnight and we woke up being able to see our breath in our rooms. 

Day 16: Dole (4200m) to Namche (3440m)
Today our group's energy was low. Although the trail today started off descending, we had a 1.5 hour hike up before lunch. The ups at this altitude should be easy for us at this point, but because we all had terrible cold viruses, it was difficult. At the top of the climb, we all coughed for 10 minutes straight. Luckily the trail for the rest of the day was mainly downhill. We returned to 'The Nest' at Namche and enjoyed a hot shower.

Day 17: Namche (3440m) to Phakding (2610m)
Re-tracing our steps down from Namche, we crossed the 5 suspension bridges and struggled with the slight undulations upward along the trail because of our cold viruses. We had forgotten how busy this corridor is: many porters, mule trains, and trekkers coming and going. Sharing the narrow trails is always challenging with the constant traffic.

Day 18: Phakding (2610m) to Lukla (2840)
An easy 3 hour hike up to Lukla, we were in a state of melancholy that our trip was coming to an end. Re-tracing your steps back to our starting point arrived for lunchtime in our tea house 'The Nest at Lukla'. We spent the afternoon shopping in Lukla and preparing tips for our trekking staff. The porters and assistant guide stay in Lukla to begin another trek and do not return to Kathmandu with the group. The only exception is the head guide. We celebrated that evening and said our goodbyes.

Day 19: Lukla to Kathmandu
Mornings in Lukla are a buzz of air traffic activity. Helicopters and planes are arriving and departing every 5 minutes. At the airport, we found a weigh scale and decided to weigh ourselves. Most group members lost between 2-5kg of weight, mainly muscle atrophy. We waited in the Lukla airport for about an hour, and then as soon as our plan arrived jumped on it quickly. The turnaround time for flights is about 8 minutes. The 25min return flight was easy and we returned to our Apsara Boutique Hotel to enjoy lunch and a long hot shower. That evening, we had a 'Farewell Dinner' paid for by our trekking company. Our company liason joined us for dinner as well as our head guide and we debriefed our trip, giving him all positive feedback despite being sick and exhausted.

Day 20: Kathmandu
We spent the day today shopping in Thamel and enjoying the Diwali festival. One thing to look up before you go to Nepal that could add to your trip are the different festivals. We enjoyed this cultural celebration that included street dancing, mandalas, marigold flower garlands, and parades. Shopping in Thamel can require full attention as cars, motorcycles, and pedestrians all use the same narrow lanes. Masks or buffs can be an asset to those people sensitive to air pollution, or to those who have lung disease or lung viruses. Shops include jewelry, scarves and blankets, knock-off and real outdoor gear, t-shirt and cultural clothing, a supermarket, and cultural souvenirs.

​Day 21: Fly home
Our company provided transport to the airport for our departure. After 21 days, I am very please with my choice of trekking company. They met or exceeded every expectation I had, and I would highly recommend them to anyone. Great job Nepal Vision Treks!

Looking back, despite some bad luck with illness, we got what we wanted out of our adventure: to plant our eyes on some of the tallest mountains in the world, test our physical capabilities at altitude, and to immerse ourselves in a new culture. Nepal is an amazing country to visit- the Nepali people are genuinely friendly, the scenery is stunning, and culture is amazing. A bucketlist dream fulfilled, and one that I am very grateful for.

A video on our trip is coming soon!
Check out my blog on Tips for Travelling in Nepal

The North Brother Mountain is located in Baxter State Park, Maine. Although in the shadow of it's more popular sibling Katahdin, the North Brother is worthwhile to to do for a few reasons. Firstly, at 4151ft, the North Brother is on the NorthEast 111 peakbagging list and for anyone interested in completing the 111 (115) peaks over 4000ft in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  Secondly, it's a great hike for those not interested in the crowds or steep scrambly elevation gain on Katahdin. This is a great hike for a beginner mountain hiker.

Before the hike, we camped at Katahdin Stream Campground. It is home to 12 lean-to's, 9 tentsites, and 3 group sites, and the nicest smelling and clean outhouses I have ever used. Reservations are strongly recommended. That said, this campground can be busy as it is also home for Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hikers that will or have completed their 3500km journey at the summit of Katahdin. The first day we arrived we heard lots of cheering and hoots of joy as the finishers rolled in.  Meeting the ranger on the first night, she warned us of bear actitivity and encouraged us to put our food in our car. Of course we did, but I woke up to my food being attacked by mice overnight. They had got into the car! Be warned as I lost about half my food.

The drive to the Slide Dam parking lot from Katahdin Stream Campground took about 10 minutes. Elevation at the parking lot is almost 1200ft, so were were looking at a 3000ft ascent. Our plan was to ascend the North Brother via a loop over Mt Coe and the South Brother. Unfortunately it had rained significantly overnight and our group of three wasn't interested in climbing a wet slide and not seeing any views. Our mission was to summit the North Brother as one of our group members was completing her final peak of the NE 111(115) list. We chose to hike the Marston trail.

The trail can be characterized by going up 3 big steps. It starts on a flat dirt path and then gradually ascends about 1000ft before the first junction towards Mt Coe. After turning left, the trail flattens out again and travels alongside an Unnamed Pond with a short lookout. For us, it was the best lookout of the day as low-lying cloud hung over the summits. After hiking around the pond the trail heads up again another 1000ft and then flattens out once again in a wooded saddle. Here, there is a final trail junction to head over to South Brother. Turning left to North Brother, you meet the last part of the ascent. The final up is a mainly above the treeline and over some boulders to the summit itself. In a few areas, you will have to scramble (using hands and feet) to get up and down these sections. 

Our summit day was not a pretty one as there were no views above the treeline. Stuck in a cloud and in the rain we carefully placed each footstep on the slippery rocks and finally saw the summit marker itself. As our group member Deb reached the summit, Mike and I blew up balloons and opened up a big sign for Deb's big moment. Standing on your 115th peak must have felt incredible, and I hope to one day feel that same sense of accomplishment.

We returned down the same way we came and finished the hike in 5.5 hours. We ascended a total of 3193 ft and hiked 13.1km. We were back to the campground in time for a late lunch and warm up of soup and tea! 

Mount Katahdin is located in Baxter State Park in the State of Maine. It stands at 5267ft and has 2 prominent peaks: Hamlin and Baxter. Both of these tall eastern peaks are on the NorthEast 111(115) peakbagging list and so our hike was to summit both peaks via a loop on September 20th, 2016. Our Plan A was to ascend the Helon Taylor Trail followed by a traverse of the famous Knife Edge Ridge then summit Baxter Peak at 5267ft and then continue on a saddle over to Hamlin Peak at 4756ft and then down the Hamlin Ridge Trail. This route is the classic way to summit Katahdin as a day hike and we are all have a background in rock climbing with exposure and are comfortable in that environment. There are other ways to get to Katahdin's summit and you should pick the route that is right for you.

Our group of three tent camped at Roaring Brook Campground the night before the hike. This campground is home to 9 Lean-To's, 10 tent sites, and 10 bunkhouse beds. Reservations are strongly recommended. The campsite has clean outhouses and a small brook as a water source (better to bring water in). After waiting for a sunny weather window for 3 days, we woke up at 5am to the unexpected weather change of rain. In fact, it had rained hard all night and we woke up with our spirits dampened. Poor weather such as rain, wind, and low-lying clouds were NOT optimal conditions for hiking the famous Knife Edge Ridge. We had to make a Plan B.

We decided to try to loop in the opposite direction as planned, hoping that the weather forecast would hold true and that by the time we got up on the ridges we would be able to do the Knife Edge. Starting just behind the Ranger Cabin, we took the Chimney Pond Trail up to Basin Ponds. The trail is rocky but has been engineered well for drainage of water. I decided to take off my gaiters an hour into this hike. 

Heading onto the Hamlin Ridge trail, we started to gain elevation and quickly. Rocky boulders started appearing and the rock was wet from the overnight rains. As soon as we crossed the treeline, we entered into a cloud and began our scramble up some boulders. Reaching the Hamlin Peak summit marker 3 hours and 3600ft later, our bodies were dripping of sweat. The humidity levels were definitely high today.

​Donning our shell jackets, the cloud we were in was windy and drizzling water vapour on us. We descended down some slippery rock boulders onto some small ball bearing type rocks. These rocks if stepped on incorrectly will sit you down on your butt before you know it. Crossing the saddle, we lost approximately 400ft of elevation gain hiking through gravel paths and alpine scrub.

We continued on over to Baxter Peak, the highest point on Katahdin at 5267ft by ascending 900ft of rock steps to the summit. In some places red rock stones the size of a nalgene bottle create a path upwards and is easy to walk on. The grade of the ascent is manageable, especially after already ascending 3600ft. The summit sign on Baxter Peak of Mt Katahdin cannot be missed. It's a large sign and great for photos. Unfortunately today there were two compounding problems. One, we had no views being in a cloud, and two, there were about a dozen AT thru-hikers finishing their epic 3500km journeys with beer and wine to boot. AT hikers ascend the Hunt Trail from Katahdin Stream Campground. Luckily we were able to squeeze a quick summit pic in with our group amongst the crowds. At this point, we had hiked 10.5km and ascended over 4500ft. We sat down and had a lunch break beside a large rock cairn.

Looking over to where the Knife Edge is supposed to be, we saw nothing but cloud. One of our group members had done the ridge before and knew that under these less than ideal conditions, our goal of doing the Knife Edge Ridge was not meant to be on this day. Instead, we decided to descend the Cathedral Trail, a trail that descends right off Baxter Peak and connects with the Chimney Pond trail we started on to make a loop.

Killarney Provincial Park is one of Ontario's best protected wilderness backcountry areas. It is a 645 square kilometre wilderness is primarily used by canoe trippers and backpackers wanting to explore its rugged but beautiful landscapes. The famous Group of 7 artists frequented this area and are largely responsible for its protection. Exposed white quartzite outcroppings, blue coloured lakes, and pine shorelines are all part of the experience in Killarney. 

Below is my trip report from a 5 day flatwater canoe trip I did in August 2016 with 4 adults and 2 children (aged 5 and 7). We did a loop in the east side of the park that started in Bell Lake, and continued through Three Mile Lake, Balsam Lake, David Lake, Clearsilver Lake, and Johnnie Lake.

Day 1 (August 22): Bell Lake to Balsam Lake (2 hours)
Driving north off of Hwy 637 on the Bell Lake Road, be forewarned the next 9km will involve some rough driving on a mixture of gravel and pavement of various quality and smoothness. Arriving at Bell Lake, park in the main lot and take a quick walk on a path over to the permit office. For more information on backcountry fees, click here. If you need to rent a boat, Killarney Kanoes is right next door.

Putting in on Bell, paddle past the lodge and campsites through a narrow section into Three Mile Lake. Both of these lakes would be suitable for trippers with a long drive the day they start. After about 1.5 hours of paddling we reached our first challenge: a 30m portage! This portage is very interesting as there are two ways of doing it. The first is a normal mud path, the second is an old concrete path with railway type steel tracks. Either way the portage is extremely short and easy.

Balsam Lake is home to some very nice sites. The lake is long and narrow and most sites are private. We stayed on site #116, on an attached island, backing on to a bog with interesting flora and fauna.

Day 2 (August 23): Balsam Lake to David Lake (1 hr 40 mins)
Paddling toward the portage, we weaved through some islands to find the bay that held our portage trail. In Killarney portages are marked with a small palm-sized yellow plastic portage sign. The 665 meter portage starts with a steep hill before flattening out and finally trending downhill again to the lake. We found some other canoe trippers having difficulty with the hill here. As fit experienced canoe trippers, we had no issue with it. 

Paddling onto David, we knew that many visitors like to stay on this lake for 2 nights in order to do the hike up Silver Peak. That was our plan too, so we wanted to grab the first site we saw. We paddled out and saw that many sites were already taken. Note: We tried taking a shortcut around the island with sites #99 and #100 on it, but you can't. You have to paddle around it. We found home on site #102. 

Site #102 is on a rocky point, has great swimming, views, and loads of quartzite rock. The only downside is the the outhouse is a bit of a walk away from the main tentsite. The kids had loads of fun on this site building with the rock, checking out the wildlife (see snapping turtle photo below left) and great swimming.

Day 3 (August 24): Silver Peak Hike Day (5 hours)
A very popular day hike, Silver Peak brings you to the highest point of land at 539m. We began our hike day by paddling to the end of David, portaging a very short 200m portage and paddling about 25m to the beginning of the David-Clearsilver Lake portage. We left our canoes here and walked about 600m down the portage where an obvious junction got us onto the hiking trail. The next junction on the map looks like you need to go right, but in actual fact you keep walking straight. The trail is well marked being part of the LaCloche-Silhouette backpacking route. The trail is wide and flat until you get to the left turnoff to the Peak.

The junction to the peak is again obvious with a large downed tree and some log stools someone created and left behind. Once you turn left here there is a 300m (900ft) climb to the summit. Starting on a dirt path, the trail soon become rocky and rooty. Some scrambling (using hands and feet) may be required in some sections. If the rock is wet, it will be very slippery.

Passing over brooks, through rocky hallways, and up to the white quartzite summit. There are actually 3 summits lookouts. The one with the old firetower cement remnents is the best one for views. On a clear day you can see much of the park, Georgian Bay, and even the smoke stacks in Sudbury.

On our return an afternoon thunderstorm rolled in so we were glad we packed our raingear as well as our lunch and water for the day. We returned to our campsite on David for a second evening.

Day 4 (August 25): David Lake to Johnnie Lake  (2 hours)
The morning of Day 4 didn't start off so great as an overnight rain storm had left us with wet gear to pack up. We packed up and set off towards the end of David to a 200m portage, back in the boat for a 25m paddle, and out again to start the 980m portage. The first 600m of this portage is overgrown and full of puddles while the second half is flat and wide. Note the small right hand turn to go down to Clearsilver Lake. If you miss this turn you'll end up on Bell Lake!

Clearsilver Lake is gorgeous. The blue-green colour of the water is stunning. Short and sweet, this lake has only one campsite. I would definitely come back to it in the future. The second portage of the day was a flat 830m portage to Johnnie Lake. Portaging a canoe through this 830m can be tricky so pay attention to the trees (think slalom!). 

Johnnie Lake is beautiful. We canoed a short 10mins to site #65. We ate lunch here and set up camp. Having a few anglers in our group, they all had success on this lake. Swimming from this site is second to none, with a steep dropoff rock right on the site. The kids had great fun exploring around the site as well on some hiking trails.

Day 5 (August 26): Johnnie Lake to Bell Lake Parking Lot
Leaving site #65 on Johnnie Lake, we paddled through the winding narrow lake to a large beaver dam. Portaging on the left, we unloaded and loaded gear over what we think is the shortest portage we've ever done: 25m. 

A short 5 minute paddle after, there is a 300m portage landing you back in the parking lot where your journey began. After all was said and done, this was a fantastic trip for the beginner canoe tripper, family tripper with young children, or one that wants a relaxed itinerary. As this was my first experience in Killarney, it is one that I will remember fondly due to it's beautiful lakes, exposed quartzite rock, and LaCloche Mountains. I will surely return in the near future to either the same section or possibly a different part of this gem of a park.

The Wind River lies in the northern half of the Yukon Territory, Canada just south of the Arctic Circle. It is located in the beautiful Peel Watershed, a collection of 6 rivers that flow north into the Peel River and later into the Mackenzie River that flows into the Beaufort Sea. The Wind is probably the most popular river in the Peel region due to its beauty and friendly whitewater. To access the river, begin your trip in the city of Whitehorse at Up North Adventures to gather supplies like bear spray, canoe rentals, shuttles and fishing licenses. From Whitehorse, drive 410km (4.5 hour) north to Mayo to the Black Sheep Aviation floatplane base. Here you can camp on the base's property, or stay at a local hotel. We opted for the North Star hotel as our plane left in the early morning and we didn't want to bother packing tents and sleeping bags in the morning. Here is an account of our 284km journey from July 16-30, 2016. We had a group of six paddlers in 3 canoes: Kalin and Krista, Joel and Mia, and Glenn and myself. Our itinerary is fairly relaxed compared to the standard, but for a personal trip we were in no rush.

Day 1 (July 16): Mayo to Wind River 
We arrived and unloaded our gear at the floatplane base at 7:15AM. Everything going into the plane had to be weighed: canoes (which if strapped on the outside of the plane count as double), gear, and people. The load capacity for our Turbo Otter was 2300lbs. We had 6 people and 3 canoes so this plane was the perfect size. Our plane took off on time at 8 AM, and we flew over mountains and Beaver Creek enroute to our final destination of McClusky Lake. The weather was hot and sunny, with some haze. Total flying time was 45mins. Unloading the plane at the dock, we dumped our gear on shore and immediately noticed a hunting outfitter cabin. Everyone except me portaged our gear 300m to the McClusky Creek, while I re-assembled our 17ft canoe that had been nested with a 16ft canoe for the plane ride in. 

We loaded the canoes and at McClusky Creek and noticed that the water levels were low. This section of river is narrow, twisty and has many sweepers (downed trees).  We scouted and lined much of it. We ducked under leaning trees and slid our boats around numerous obstacles. Do not rush this section of river-you can get into trouble quickly. Luckily we made it out unscathed. Joining with the Wind River proper, we found a campsite on river left (GPS Latitude:64.58762 Longitude:-134.48970) and set up camp for the first night. The first thing you notice about the Wind is the crystal clear turquoise water, gravel bars, and beautiful mountain scenery.

Our first night went well: breaking in backcountry routines, jobs and figuring out how to use new gear! Unfortunately our sunny weather disappeared and a thunderstorm moved in. A sign of a change of weather for sure...

Day 2 (July 17): McClusky Creek Junction to Elf Cap Mountain
We left camp 1 at a leisurely time of 11AM. The river here is still fairly narrow, and is braided and twisty with many sweepers. After about an hour of travel the river relaxes and widens (picture below left). Enjoy the mountains in this section! Taking time to fish at our lunch break, the clouds rolled in and were ominous. We were on the lookout for 'Elf Cap' mountain (photo bottom right) and we camped on river left on a grassy bank below. GPS Latitude: 64.78242 Longitude:-134.64484. 

What time is it? A question that was always in play as daylight in this part of the world is almost 24 hours in length. I never once used my headlamp on this trip and it never got dark. There was never any pressure to get something done before dark. I never knew if it was 7PM or 10PM. Bring a watch so you know!

Day 3 (July 18): Elf Cap Mountain to Alluvial Plain
​On the water around 10:45AM, we paddled a winding section of river for 45 mins before running into our first sign of humans. A group of 6 (plus a dog) greeted us at their campsite on river right (photo below left). The group was on a 24 day trip that included many days of hiking. We left them and immediately parked our canoes on river left and hiked up to a small waterfall that can be seen from the river. A short 15 minute hike up and we were there. This was a nice warm-up as the weather today was cold and windy. After a quick snack, we paddled for another half hour or so before finding a sheltered area for a lunch break. We continued on, passing a solo rafter out on a 2.5 month trip. He was no where to be seen, probably opting to not get out of his tent on such a miserable day.

We arrived at the alluvial plain site, and found another large group camped at the first obvious campspot on river left. We continued on around the corner another 500m or so and pulled out at a second spot. The valley really opens up here and there are loads of camping spots in this area. We set up our tarp in a ravine, out of the wind. Our plan was to stay here two nights as hiking in this area is prime. GPS Latitude:64.88135 Longitude:-134.66612.   

Joel treated us to a special dessert this evening-apple pie in the dutch oven. Yum! Our group used a firebox to cook on during this trip. Fireboxes reduce impact from campfires and leave fewer fire scars. We also had a curious caribou visitor on the plain this night, who wasn't sure if we were friend or foe. Rain came down hard this evening and overnight.

Day 4 (July 19): Hike day up Portal Creek
The creek and valley behind our campsite is unnamed on our map, but we called it Portal Creek. The hike starts on the grassy plain into an obvious valley. Once in the valley, there are options to climb ridges or to continue contouring around at lower elevations. Low lying cloud obscured mountain tops so we decided to walk on game trails lower in the valley. We saw wildlife sign of bear, sheep, and ground squirrel but didn't see much actual wildlife probably due to the weather. A hard rainshower came down on us at lunch so we huddled under a small tarp for shelter. A 10km hike in total, we returned to camp with firewood to burn in blue sky and sunny conditions. Just after dinner and drying out our gear, the rain started again and we were all in our tents at 9PM. 

Day 5 (July 20): Alluvial Plain to Terrace Bay
​Woke up to cold, rain and wind. Temperature was 5 degrees celcius not including a considerable windchill. Rain was falling as snow on the mountaintops (middle photo below). We donned our drytops, drypants, and neoprene gloves and headed out in a gusty 40km/hr headwind down the river. We called this day 'Mordor Day' as it was like we were entering in a dark storm, like something out of a movie set.

We had to get out of the boat and jump around to regain lost circulation in the extremities. After playing "Hello, my name is Joe" and dancing around for 20 minutes we were ready to head back into the boats. The only thing that kept us going was a sliver of blue sky in the distance, exactly where we were going! We passed by a group camping on river right, and found a rocky ravine we dubbed the 'Solar Collector' to have lunch out of the wind. The sun came out briefly and we were able to feel the warm rays thaw our fingers and toes. As we hopped back into the boats, the wind came on full blast again and the sun hid behind the clouds. We paddled for 10 more minutes until we found a suitable campsite we called Terrace Bay on river right (the campsite had 3 distinct terrace levels). It was protected from the wind and rain and we set up camp quickly and got warm and dry. Sun came out later in the day and we hiked up the bluff to check out some hiking options for the next day. We spotted some Dall sheep on the hill, and we devoured the blueberries growing all around us. A short day on the river, only 25km. GPS Latitude:65.02667 Longitude:-134.86052. 

Day 6 (July 21): Hike day to Terrace Peak
A cold night overnight with temperatures below freezing. A full moon and frost greeted us in the morning. Leaving camp at 11AM, we hiked the bluff behind the tents through a bog to a alluvial gravel fan at the base of the mountains. Our body temperatures rose in the first hour of hiking and we all had to peel off multiple layers of clothing. Passing a large (bear?) den, we gained elevation on the ridge through grassy terrain. The grass and trees thinned and we found ourselves hiking on steep, loose scree. We heard some squeaking around us, and found a small pika alarmed at our presence. We headed up to the summit and drank in the gorgeous views of the river in both directions. Even though we had seen sheep nearby the evening before, there were no sign of them today. We carefully made our way down the loose scree from the summit to a grassy knoll for lunch. The scree rock is very abrasive and wouldn't have been ideal for sitting on. We continued our descent picking up some firewood. Hike gained 1720ft of elevation from camp and summitted just over 4000ft. It took us a comfortable 5 hours. Note: Terrace Peak is not an official name, but our name for the peak behind our campsite.

Day 7 (July 22): Terrace Bay to Mountain's End
​Woke up to raindrops on the tent fly once again and cold temps. As we packed up, I noticed a grizzly bear crossing the river about a kilometer upstream from our site. Joel had brought a spotting scope, so we monitored it's behaviour as it grazed on the far banks of the river as we packed up. Temps warmed up as the sun came out. We got on the water and immediately noticed that the river characteristics changed. Whitewater involved class 2 paddling and became more exciting. We stopped to check out another cute waterfall on river right, and then continued on a bit further to stop for lunch on a gravel bar. Paddled less than an hour further and gathered many photos and videos in the sunshine and turquoise water. Great scenery! Mount Royal is stunning. We arrived at the Mountain's End campsite on river right and caught up with another group also camped there. A glorious day enjoyed by all and a reprive from the cold and rain we have had so far. Another campsite resident also greeted us. A lone 'wild' Dall sheep we called Roger roamed around the campsites at will. Obviously not bothered by humans, he carefully but boldly wandered through our camp area grazing on the vegetation, allowing us to get great photos!
After dinner, 40+km/hr plus winds starting howling and our tarp looked more like a sail. We storm lashed our tent as the wind pushed the fabric and poles with purpose. A cold night ensued and I was glad I brought my down pants to wear as temperatures plummeted once again. GPS Latitude:65.11391 Longitude:-135.10718. 

Day 8 (July 23): Hike Day at Mountain's End
Today we woke up to a very cold and bitter day. The thermometer read +2 degrees celcius with a wind chill of -10C. We left for our hike at 11AM, and decided to gain the ridge behind camp despite the low lying cloud cover. Float planes flew low under the clouds all day and visibility was poor. We wanted to get to the spot that accomplished Yukon photographer Peter Mather took a famous photo of the the Wind River with the confluence of the Royal Creek with Royal Mountain in the background. Unfortunately, we knew there was no way we could re-create the photo, as Royal Mountain could not even be seen!

We climbed up 1500ft and watched a group of 5 canoes move down the river (photo bottom right). It was great to feel warm climbing the mountain and I dropped from 6 layers down to 3!  At 3700ft, our group split: 3 returned down to camp to fish and do laundry, while the other three (including me) continued on hiking a cirque ridge. We climbed another 600ft and found ourselves in the clouds with only sheep paths to see where we were going. Descended 600ft back under the clouds where we could once again see the river from the back of the valley. At a distinct green notch (@4:30pm), Mia and I decided to descend and hike the 1hr back to camp to start dinner. Joel, continued on the ridge for another couple of hours, and coincidentally showed up at camp just as dinner was being served. The wind continued
​to howl all day long we were all in our tents early at 8:15PM to warm up. Another night spent sleeping in in my down pants inside my sleeping bag and I was happy I brought them. It started to rain again when we got inside our tents and made us want to hibernate for the near future. Glad we brought some books to read! Temperature at bedtime was 4 degrees minus windchill.

Day 9 (July 24): Mountain's End to Little Wind
​Reluctant to get out of our warm cocoons, no one emerged from their tents until 9AM. Temperature was 4C minus windchill and the group conferenced to decide whether we should paddle on or stay put. We decided to paddle, and left at 12:30PM. Raining all morning, packing up was a chore. I wore a drytop with 4 layers underneath and toque along with my neoprene mitts with plastic bags overtop. The river changes at this point. Mountains end and the banks of the boreal forest take over. The current picks up and moves quickly (10km/hr). We covered 42 km to the confluence to the Little Wind River in about 5 hours which included 2 breaks and 1 lunch break. We saw a black bear on the banks today. It scurried out of sight soon after.

We set up camp  on a gravel bar on river right, just past the confluence with the Little Wind. We called this site Aven Haven (photo bottom left) and set up just before it started to rain again. If I were a weather forecaster, the forecast would read: "Cold and windy today with the threat of rain". That would sum up the past week of this trip. GPS Latitude:65.39588 
 Longitude:-135.42140 ​

iDay 10 (July 25): Little Wind to Mount Deception
Woke up once again to a cold 5 degrees celcius and rain. To lift our spirits, we had a pancake breakfast and noticed the other group we had been leap frogging coming down the river at us. They had taken a rest day yesterday and had miles to make up today. This group, called Youth of the Peel, had a interesting purpose to their trip which you can read more about here. It was already 10AM and they were on the water. Great to see a group of mainly native youth out enjoying this amazing area.

On the water around noon, I wore my raincoat and toque today with my drypants so I could keep on my 7 layers! We covered the 27km paddle with only one break. Saw a bald eagle on the river today. Low lying cloud, rain, no rain and wind hit us as we paddled. Luckily we made it to our next home at Mount Deception by lunchtime as the current remained to flow quickly. Crossed paths with the large group one last time as they left the site for lunch. We had our lunch soon after, and then set up camp. We noticed a few pieces of art left behind for us (photo below centre), using actual river rocks. High above Mount Deception, there were peregrine falcons calling, and also some mud swallow nests attached to the rock. Tomorrow, this mountain would be our hiking objective. GPS Latitude:65.59989 Longitude:-135.44432. 

Day 11(July 26): Hike Day Mount Deception
​SUN!! We woke up feeling the warmth and heat of the sun's rays for the first time ever on this trip. The sky had pockets of blue which eventually opened up to majority blue! The weather changed and so did the feel of this trip. Able to shift from 'endure' mode to 'enjoy' mode made everyone happy. 

We hiked up 1300ft right from camp to the top of Mount Deception. Ascending a series of ascending false summit bumps, the views are spectucular. We took a long leisurely bug-free lunch, and absorbed every bit of the sun's rays we could. We chose to come down the second and third ridges and had to bushwhack a bit back to camp. Returning the same way you came would avoid this. We returned to camp by 3PM, took time for a bath and dried out wet clothes and gear. After dinner, we ate shortbread out of the dutch oven, and played a competitive game of spoons. Group morale was on a major upswing!

Day 12 (July 27th): Mount Deception to Wind-Peel Confluence
After leaving Mount Deception, the river changes from clear and turquoise to brown and silty. The sound of the silty hitting your canoe sounds like you've dived into a bowl of Rice Krispies. Loud 'snap, crackle, and pop' sounds along with grains hitting the bottom of the canoe make no secret that the composition of the river is different. The river widens, is full of downed trees, and deposits of coal can be found along the shores. There are sandy berms along the river banks and the boreal forest continues to cover most of the landscape. We covered the 43.3km in record time with an average travelling speed of 13.4km/hr and a record high maximum speed of 18km/hr. I think all the rain we have had brought the river levels up. Before the confluence with the Peel River, some striking red-orange cliffs appear and then you enter into a canyon. We decided to camp in the canyon, about 200m before the confluence. GPS Latitude:65.83620 Longitude:-135.29584. 

Today the weather was about 25 degrees and sunny. It was so hot in the canyon, it felt like we were in an oven. We felt compelled to swim, and dipped our bodies into the river in a deep eddy. It felt great to immerse ourselves in water. Not too long after our dinner that included a chocolate fondu dessert, some clouds appeared and some spotty showers sprung. In the distance a rainbow emerged (photo bottom right).

Day 13 (July 28): Wind-Peel to Peel Canyon
Leaving the Wind, the river descends rapidly in a canyon and looks intimidating as it joins the Peel River. Luckily, when the Wind meets the Peel, the confluence is very gentle and it's an easy merge to paddle. The Peel starts off in a canyon that is wide and slow moving, and then the valley widens and the river flows around a series of islands. Along the way, we saw a smoking bluff made up of burning coal (photo bottom left). Smelling like magic marker, we vacated the area quickly and moved on to where the river narrows again in the Peel Canyon. There are 2 rapids, one at the beginning (a class 2+ that is easily missed on the right side) and in the middle (a class 2 with cross current left to right). The water level was low so these rapids weren't as challenging as they could be at high water. We decided to camp between these two rapids on a gravel bar on river right in the canyon. The sun baked us in the canyon and we hid from the shade under tents, tarps, and canoes.

The lower part of the Wind and Peel are really good for rock hounding. We spent hours looking for cool, unique rocks in which there are plenty. In grey, purple, green, ivory, maroon, and combinations, there are always cool rocks to find. I finally had to cull my collection because I had too many! By 8PM, we were back in our tents because a rainstorm had found us. It continued all night. GPS  Latitude:65.94937 Longitude:-134.8500. 

Day 14 (July 29): Peel Canyon to Aspen Grove
Woke up to pouring rain in the canyon. From 7AM-10:30AM we ate and packed up in the rain. Left the canyon site and front ferried across the second rapid in the canyon without issue. Enjoyed the rest of the canyon and the remainder of the day paddling around big river bends and large eroding cliffs. At several points, rockfall fell into the water from the cliffs so don't get too close!

On one of our breaks, we saw a black bear on the opposite side of the river than us. We noticed a bald eagle on shore, and its eaglet in a nest in a tree nearby. We also saw 'eyes' on the river banks staring at us (photo bottom right). We found a camp after 45.5km of paddling, 5hrs. The campsite was about 10km before Taco Bar, and we called it Aspen Grove. GPS ​Latitude:65.94665 Longitude:-134.34203.

Day 15 (July 30): Aspen Grove to Taco Bar
Once again, it was windy and rainy overnight. We woke up to find a moose cow and calf in trouble. They were on a gravel bar in the middle of the river trying to swim to the far side. They had spotted us, and had probably been pushed there by the wolves in the area (we saw tracks through our campsite). The pair tried to crossed the deep current, swimming with only their heads showing without luck. After 7 attempts and knowing the her calf was tiring, they returned to our side of the river upriver from us, thinking we were a threat. In between each attempt, the cow would look over at us, seeing if we had disappeared in the last 5 minutes (photos below). 

We floated the last 13.8km to Taco bar, our float plane pick-up spot. This spot (GPS Latitude:66.00300 Longitude:-134.21974), marked by a new big sign, is the pick-up spot for many of the Peel Region rivers just south of the Arctic Circle. We met a couple there with a pack canoe waiting for their pick up the next day. We ate lunch here, disassembled the 17ft canoe and got ourselves ready for pick-up. And guess what? It rained on us while we waited for pick-up! The flight back to Mayo was 2 hours in length.

I've learned not to underestimate the Wind River-constant current, many hazards, converging currents demand that you pay attention to it at all times. Whitewater experience is required. Being my first northern river trip, I am grateful to have had new experiences, new friends and new adventures. Even though we had challenging weather for almost the entire 15 days, the beauty of this place is absolutely stunning. I hope to return to this region again in the future and do more northern Canadian rivers. The Peel Watershed region's future is at risk at the moment. After visiting this stunning place I fully support the Protect the Peel conservation efforts. For more information check out their site and sign the pledge here.

What did I eat? Read about my menu planning here.
What gear did I bring? See my gear list here.
​Did I make a video? Yes- check out my basic GoPro edit video below. 

It's no secret that winter took a long time to arrive in the east in December 2015. When my husband and I booked accommodations in Keene, New York with friends for around New Year's, we expected to be spending most of our time ice climbing and skiing. When we arrived, there was very little snow, so we decided to do what we always do in the Adirondacks: Hike!

After our New Year's Eve festivities, we selected Hurricane Mountain as our New Year's Day 2016 objective. With a late start at 11AM after sleeping in and chowing down on a greasy breakfast, we decided to do the hike as a traverse instead of an out and back.

We set up a shuttle with two cars, leaving a car on route 9N at the Hurrican Mountain trailhead, near the Baxter Mountain trailhead. We drove to our starting point on the Hurricane Road, and turned right onto O'Toole Road that took us to a trailhead that also provides access to the Nun-da-ga-o Ridge and Big Crow Mountain. The actual road to the trailhead itself was not fully plowed, which added an extra 5min walk on a snow covered road to the actual trailhead. We decided to forego signing in at the register, as we knew doing a traverse we would not be returning to sign out. 

The route started with a flat mile or so warm up on a broken trail. Once turning right at the junction and rock hopping over a brook, the trail gradually ascended the 2000ft over 2 miles or so. Temperatures were around -8C/17F. The trail was snow covered, so I wore my microspikes the entire way for extra traction. The ascent travelled through beautiful birch forests, and we all remarked how enjoyable the trail was. Nearing the 3600ft height, the winds picked up and the temperatures plummeted. We stopped at the junction about 100ft below the summit, donned our down and windshells and ascended to the open rocky summit just to be blown off by 50mph/80kph winds. 

Bennies Brook slide on Lower Wolfjaw Mountain near Keene Valley, New York was created by Hurricane Irene back in late August 2011. This moderate grade 'slide', as they are called in the Adirondacks, is essentially a wide path created or enlarged by a intense weather event and the steep topography (avalanche, mudslide etc). For adventurers, it's another way to summit the 4173ft/1272m peak of Lower Wolfjaw. The slide path climbs 2000ft/609m and finishes close to the summit.

With the late arrival of winter in 2015, we chose this moderate objective because the snow and thin ice cover left steeper slide objectives out of the question. Our group members were all well equipped with the proper equipment for the winter conditions we were facing (crampons, ice axes, etc), and we all had previous training and experience with mountaineering.

The most popular way to approach the slide is to park at the Garden parking lot outside Keene Valley and use an abandoned trail to get to John's Brook. After reaching the brook, you simply cross it by rock hopping, then walk along the Southside river trail and reach the base of the slide an hour or so later. Unfortunately today John's Brook's river flow was too high to cross with the recent snowfall and rain, so we had to return to the main trail to the John's Brook Lodge area and cross the bridge and then having to backtrack about 1km. In total, this probably added about 1km/0.6miles to our day. Temperatures were slightly above freezing at the base and slightly below freezing at the summit.

Ampersand Mountain sits on the western side of the High Peaks Wilderness near Saranac Lake. A lesser peak of 3352 ft in elevation, Ampersand is one of the Saranac 6ers. On an early Sunday December 6th 2015, we started our hike on Ampersand with temperatures below freezing. My first impression of this hike is that it must be a popular one, due to the width and well trod trail. We concentrated hard on a few wet slippery boardwalks, and crunched over frozen leaves and stiff mud. Overnight lows dipped to -5 celsius, which had made the ground hard and covered with frost. After crossing one wide stream, the terrain began to rise gradually and began a steady ascent. Snow and ice began to creep into our steps and the gradient of the the climb increased. We put on the microspikes and I was glad we did, as many icy spots would have been impossible to ascend without them. A good short steep section to get the heart rate up followed.

One of the many reasons I love Adirondack hiking are the steep ascents. It seems that all mountain trails seemed to have been created with the most direct route possible to the summit. When routefinding on unmarked trails, if there is any doubt as to which direction to go, one may almost always count on the path going straight up the steepest terrain. The challenge of these steep gradients can and will tests one's fitness and perseverance on any day. The heat produced by your body in colder weather is a feeling I embrace and is I reason I keep returning to the Adirondacks time and time again.

The Donjek Glacier backpacking route is rated as Kluane National Park's most difficult hike. It is listed as a 8-10 day backpacking route, ranging between 100-120km in distance. There are no trails and no designated camping sites, just a general route description and recommended areas to camp. Expert navigational skills are mandatory, and all food must be carried in approved bear proof barrels. The idea of doing this trip was generated by my friend Deb (in green above) who organized the trip from start to finish. The six of us: Deb, Glenn, Mike, Ivan, Marc and myself participated, and have all had years of backcountry experience and skills and were a competent group for this trip. We are all members of the Alpine Club of Canada's Ottawa section. This is our tale from August 2-10th, 2015:

Day 1-Trailhead to Burwash Uplands Campspot (11km): Starting in Whitehorse at the highly recommended Red Door B and B, we were picked up by a local shuttle service provided by Up North Adventures who we hired to take our group of 6 to the trailhead and back 9 days later. Leaving Whitehorse, Yukon at 9:30 AM, we headed to Haines Junction where upon entering Kluane National Park, we had to register, obtain bear barrels, and permits. We paid a fee of $68.70 CDN each to enter the park. After a quick stop at the Haines Junction bakery (yum!), we set off to the trailhead. A couple hundred meters past the Duke River bridge outside of the small native hamlet of Burwash, we turned left down an old mining road. Rumour has it that you can drive 5.1km down this road but this road was in rough shape and so our driver seized an opportunity to turn around at 2.7km in. Here we started our journey. We hiked in on the road which turned into a ATV path over forested and mainly flat terrain for a total of 11km the first day. We noticed quickly the impacts mining has had on the area. There were marked stakes everywhere. I guess that's where the phrase 'Stake your claim' comes from! A perfect day for hauling heavy packs and a beautiful rainbow from the first recommended and well-used campspot at the foot of the Burwash Uplands.

Day 2-Burwash Uplands to Burwash Creek near Park Boundary (17km): Up at 6 AM temperatures were around the freezing mark. I had had a cold night pre-dawn in my sleeping bag rated for 0 degrees celcuis/32F (in hindsight I should have brought my -7C bag). Luckily the sun was shining and it was only a matter of time before we were back on the trail. We started again on the ATV path across boggy hummock land for about 4km before making a big decision: continue on easy terrain but add 6km to the day OR bushwhack across the bog up and over a hill and end up in the same spot. The group opted for the easier terrain. A toss up of pros and cons whether or not we made the best decision as our packs were still quite heavy. We chose our course and off we went. Descending down to the Burwash Creek, we ate lunch and crossed the freezing cold creek to the mining road on the other side passing by an old cabin and trailer. We followed the mining road over a chasm then down to the river again. We followed the riverbed for many kilometers viewing many signs of bear activity, encouraging us more and more to keep hollering out our bear calls at regular intervals. My call was "Heeeeey Bear!", while other group members called: "Yo Bear!", "Oi Bear!", "Day-O", "Hey Hey" and "Fuzzy Bear!". Heading past a recommended campspot on the creek, we tried to continue on to the park boundary and Warden's cabin. We stopped a few km short and set up camp in a flat grassy spot on the creek's bank. Our kitchen was down on the river bank and and proved luxurious with couch-like backrests and easy access to water. At 7:45 PM, our group had eaten dinner and finished cleaning up including moving our bear barrels another 100m upstream. We were relaxing by the riverside conversing when, only 10m away around a corner, I saw a hump and a silver-brown furry bum headed in our direction. I recognized the creature and jumped up and quickly shouted "Bear-bear-bear!" and within second there were 6 of us erect with bear spray in hand shouting. The lone immature male bear, approached us from upwind and downstream, was as scared to see us and we were of it. It bolted downstream 100m and turned back to look at us. Ivan set off a bear banger and when it went off, the bear bolted onto the bank onto a ridge. It saw us again looking at us and took off. We measured a paw print and noted the print was about 6 inches wide. Shocked and stunned we got so close to a bear without warning, we decided to set-up nighttime watches to look out for its return and allow others to sleep with both eyes shut.  Glenn and I took the 11PM-1AM shift which I labelled the "Land of the Midnight Sun Watch" as sunset and twilight lasted well after midnight. Just around 1 AM, we did see the eyes of a fox nearby but other than that, there was no sign of the bear ever again. That night was the coldest night of the trip with frost on the ground in the morning.

Day 3-Burwash Creek to Hoge Creek (12km): Waking up again after another cold night and 2 hours less sleep could have been a drag but at 6AM we were awokened by Deb to get up quickly and check out the caribou in our camp. Yes, two caribou had crossed the river and walked through our camp to graze on higher ground in the sun. We watched them roam for 10 mins and were undisturbed by our presence. A fantastic way to wake up!  We packed up and headed out at 8:10 AM after enjoying a morning campfire to warm up after a cold night. Almost immediately we say a family of Ptarmigan on the creekbed. Another 3km further, we arrived at the Kluane National Park boundary and 1km further, we arrived at the warden's cabin.

The remainder of this day was challenging. Ahead was a huge ascent up Hoge Pass, the highest point on the route at 7100feet elevation, followed by a steep rock descent down to Hoge Creek. The first leg of our ascent we saw a beautiful golden eagle flying over our heads. Into the alpine zone, we saw our first flock of Dall Sheep. Glenn was elated as it's always been a dream of his to see this species in the wild. Just as we were snapping photos of them, we saw another 2 flocks in the distance. What a day for wildlife viewing! The ascent up Hoge Pass was very gradual and not intimidating in the least. At the apex of the pass, we trended left onto the shoulder of a nearby peak and ate lunch, looking at the stunning views of snow capped peaks ahead. After lunch, we ascended and descended over a few ridges before finally descending down a green drainage to the Hoge valley. The views here are among the most stunning of the entire trip. Get your camera out! Getting down the first part of the descent was tricky over loose rocky boulder and steep angles. Losing your balance here would have been consequential for sure. It wasn't long before we found the valley bottom and started down Hoge Creek itself. The afternoon sun rays made the day even more difficult: UV rays began to beat down on our skin and river levels began to swell and crossings became more difficult. Deb and I had a difficult time with Hoge Creek as our shorter strides couldn't span the banks like the 4 guys. This slowed our group's progress down immensely as we estimated that we had to take our packs and boots off, don our water shoes, and reverse the process over a dozen times for crossing this creek again and again. Exhausted and sunburnt, we finished off the day just as we were about to exit the canyon but not yet near the Donjek River. We found a great plateau that we used to set up our tents, and made sure we had long sight lines to spot bear activity early and prevent a repeat of the night before. Did I mention we saw a pine marten? An excellent day for wildlife viewing: Caribou, Ptarmigan, Golden Eagle, Dall Sheep, Ground Squirrels, and Pine Marten all in one day! At 8PM we retreated to our tents, hoping to catch up on some sleep. The inside of our tents were a balmy 33 degrees celcius and took about 2 hours to finally cool down once the sun lowered behind the hills. 

Day 4-Hoge Creek to Donjek Glacier (12km):  Rising again at 6 AM, the dawn's temperature was warm and comfortable.  At 8 AM, we left the campsite and hiked the remaining 3km down Hoge Creek towards the Donjek River. We crossed Hoge Creek 2 more times in that distance, this time much more easily due to the lower morning water levels. Turning left and heading upstream on the river bank of the Donjek River, we marched 5km on river stones towards the glacier itself. Finding wolf prints and moose sign along the river bank, it was easy to notice that the riverbed must swell to 4 times its size in the spring runoff. Spirits were high the closer and closer to the glacier we got. We stopped at lunch near a gorge but continued on the riverbed another 500m to see that we could not follow the riverbank any further because of a cliff. Forced to backtrack to the gorge, we ascended up a rocky creek to a mossy forest and bushwhacked for about 20mins until reaching an old horse trail as recommended by the route description. I say 'old' because although it was well defined,  the horse trail was very overgrown, especially in the meadow areas and looked like it hadn't been used in years. We followed this horsetrail for the rest of the day making our way through the thick brush and sneaking peaks of the Donjek icefield on our right. We took advantage of viewpoints and attempted to snap shots of this massive glacier field although it was impossible to fit the entire size in one photo. At one break stop, I noticed that my GPS was missing from my hip pocket. Knowing that I had looked at it 20 mins earlier, I thought we should give it a shot and backtrack to see if we could find it. Within 10 mins of walking back, Glenn, Marc and I with bearspray in hand, found my GPS dangling from a bush branch at waist height having been snagged out of my pocket by the wrist strap. Lucky me! I made sure from this point on that the wrist strap was zipped up inside my pocket. Moving on, we crossed a number of dry creekbeds which made us worry a bit about where we were going to camp and replenish our water supply. The sun's rays were the most intense of the trip. We literally baked in the sun and couldn't put on enough sunscreen or find enough shade. We found a river bed to call home for the night and set up our tents above the horse trail on sloping ground. The views from this campsite riverbed were outstanding. We finally noticed at this point in the trip that our bear barrels were getting more easy to pack and had some extra room in them.  All 4 guys had 2 barrels on the trip, one large and one solo size. Suddenly we heard sounds that were alike thunder at this site. We soon figured out that this sound was not thunder at all, but the sound of the calving glacier below us which would continue on and on. Cirrus clouds overhead at our 8PM bedtime, we were predicting a change in weather and it came overnight in the form of rain. 

Day 5-Donjek Glacier to Big Horn Creek (15km): Our 6AM wake up was noisier than normal this morning as rain spat down on our tent. We set up a siltarp in the trees and ate breakfast under it instead of on the river bed as we had eaten dinner the night before. We left camp at 8:10AM and continued on the descending horsetrail. We lost the trail a few times crossing creeks and had to spend a few minutes looking for where the trail continued on the other side. Light rain drizzled down on us and everyone wore rainsuits and packcovers. The trail trended downward towards a meadow where we could see great viewpoints on the glacier. We left the horsetrail and went up to a hilltop and took some photos and timer shots. We continued to follow the bumps along the shoreline, and missed an easy entrance down to the shore from the cliffs. Instead we climbed to an even higher cliffpoint and Mike found a descent route down the wet rocky faces down to the shore along the glacier. Finally we arrived at the foot of the glacier! This glacier is one of the largest non-polar glaciers left in the world and is 56km long! Standing at it's toe, it must have been 80-100ft tall. We took loads of photos and ate lunch, enjoying the view. Sitting beside the glacier was like being in a refridgerator-cool and damp. Every 20 minutes or so, we heard calving and Deb was able to photograph a ripple from one of the ice chunks that fell off. We walked along the rocky shore and beach following the glacier's toe, examining the ice chunks and observing birds feeding in the waters at its base. This, to me, was the highlight of the trip. How often do you get to see something that incredible? The next 9km we walked away from the glacier in easy grassy meadows in the sub-alpine. Arriving at Big Horn Creek, we saw many signs of hares and managed to see a few darting around. We set up camp on a floodplain and ate under the siltarp once again. The water from the Big Horn was very silty, and our water filters were in need of cleaning every few litres of pumping. Even though the weather wasn't the best today, the night was still warm.

Day 6-Bighorn Creek to Atlas Creek (17km): Knowing that this day was going to be the hardest day physically of the trip, we all took advantage of any extra rations we thought we had and ate them either at last night's dinner or at this morning's breakfast. The overnight rain had made the air damp, and the warmth of food and hot drinks were welcome. We had donned our boots and rain gear right from the tent this morning. We packed up and headed up Expectation Pass, a 2000ft climb up through a creek and canyon finishing on a grassy boggy saddle. The climb took us 3 hours and once at the top of the pass, the final views of the Donjek glacier were seen before moving into the next valley. At 6000ft elevation, we contoured around the valley towards Atlas Pass. The valley displayed magnificent views of the alpine wilderness and hosted flocks of Dall sheep and a Golden Eagle. The eagle even performed an acrobatic display for us diving and gliding like it was on a rollercoaster. On the lighter side, Ivan's poor eyesight lead him to think that every white rock in this valley was a sheep and every brown rock was a bear. We didn't get to pull any tricks on him but it was entertaining to say the least to hear him confirm whether or not the boulders in the distance were animals or not.  We managed to stay at the 6000ft contour thanks to Ivan's lead, and only had the final 900ft to climb to the top of Atlas Pass.The views from Atlas Pass were outstanding. The descent route actually started with a short ascent up and then down a soft muddy scree slope down to a saddle and a green patch of grass similar to a putting green. The soft soil underfoot made the descent fast and easy. One last steep scree slope and you are down on the valley floor once again on the shores of Atlas Creek. This creek was much different than the Hoge Creek with wide banks and easy narrow crossings allowing us to make time on the descent. We hiked all the way down to the Duke River finding a campspot described on the route on the right side and dived into our dinners on the banks of the Atlas. 

Day 8-Atlas Creek to Cache Lake (13km): On the trail again at 8 AM, we followed a game trail past our tentsite along the Duke River shore and then had to bushwhack up and around a large beaver dam system and finally down to the river shore after 2km.  We followed the rocky Duke shore for another kilometer or so before finding a suitable crossing area. The Duke River crossing was to be our biggest crossing of the trip and the earlier we could get it done the better as rivers start to swell as the temperatures rise due to glacial runoff. We all donned our water shoes and rolled up our pants. Mike even removed his pants completely. Glenn and I went first, me holding on to the back of his pack. Up to the top of our thighs deep, freezing cold and tough current, we ferried over the deepest braid of the river. One step before hitting the shallow ground, we turned sideways and the current took my Croc water shoe and down the raging river. I accepted my loss, and hobbled onto the shore with only one shoe remaining. Glenn spotted the shoe downstream and decided to dump his pack and sprint 300m downstream and managed to retrieve it by jumping in the river once again (we were wet already). Yes! Ivan, Deb, Marc and Mike decided to hold a large 5 ft long piece of wood and ford the river as a group, crossing swiftly with minimal stumbles and falls. It took a few minutes after exiting to get the feeling back in our feet, dry off and let the sun help warm our bodies. It took me another hour or so before my pants felt dry again. Not following the instructions of the route and crossing about 4km away from the campsite proved to be challenging as we found ourselves doing multiple bushwhacks along the Duke river's left shore ascending countless feet and then returning to the river's shore. At the 8km mark from the campsite, we were to turn left on a difficult to find riverbed that led to a old road up to our campsite for the night at Cache lake. We missed the turnoff (our only navigational error of the trip), and noted that we were almost at the Grizzly Paw River confluence with the Duke before abruptly changing course. This 1km or so mistake was costly as we had to bushwhack, ascending 500+feet on a course backwards to where we were from. The only bonus of the bushwhack was that the hill was full of ripe blueberries-yum! After a slog of a bushwhack we found the road that led to the lake which was sunny and breezy. We set up camp on the shores of the lake overlooking snow capped peaks and dried out our wet tent and gear. Most of us went for a swim or bath in the lake. Glenn found 2 pairs of old shed moose antlers on the shores of the lake and there was ample moose habitat sign. Tonight's sleep was cold again as we were sleeping at an altitude of 5000 feet. This site, for me, was the most picturesque of the trip. The only thing that could have made it even better would have been to seen the Aurora Borealis but unfortunately that wasn't in the stars. I kept thinking how this route was the most stunning and scenic backpacking trip I have ever completed. The days did not disappoint. Ever.

Day 8-Cache Lake to Copper Joe Creek (13km): Another 6 AM wake up but the sky was blue and the reflection in the lake outstanding. Knowing that our route today was all downhill and the end in near, extra rations were consumed and our packs were the lightest they've ever been. Mine was probably 10lbs lighter than when we started. Setting off from the lake, we followed the old road and saw many signs of moose activity. Shed antlers, moose scat, and a moose carcass were all witnessed. We finalled reached Copper Joe Creek, and began descending its rocky shores down our final valley. At lunchtime, we were still in a canyon along the riverbed. Mike spoke up suddenly say "There's an animal down there". Sure enough, we stood up to see the back of another larger male grizzly bear about 75m away. It approached our quiet group from downstream and upwind. Once we stood up it stood on its hind legs to check us out and then decided to bee line for the steep forested riverbank. It stopped about 100m away from us when Ivan fired off a bear banger and it took off into the forest, never to be seen again. I am glad we were travelling in a group of 6, all with a bearspray within hand's reach. I was surely skeptical of the bear bangers before the trip, but am a convert of them now seeing how effective they can be in two incidences. We quickly packed up and headed through a narrow section of the river and then finally exited the canyon. We found an old gravel road that we could walk out the final 5km. It was 2pm, so we had time to complete the route but our shuttle wasn't coming until the next day. We set up a camp at the junction between the creekbed and gravel road and spend our last night eating any extra food an singing around a campfire. A great way to end a fantastic trip.

Day 9-Copper Joe Creek to Alaska Highway (5km): We tried to sleep in but breaking a habit is difficult. We spent our final morning leisurely eating breakfast and packing up. Oatmeal is a fast breakfast so before we knew it we were packed up and walking the final easy 5km out to the highway to wait for our shuttle. We did it! Yahoo! An amazing trip! The route turned out to be my longest backpacking trip to date. Trip totals: 118km, 11000ft of ascent! 

Thanks to Ivan and Mike for doing the navigational and routefinding work, to Deb for the logistics and coming up with the idea in the first place, and to Marc who let us stay in his house the night before the flight. Our group worked very well together and became closer through this journey. :)  A few adjectives come to mind when looking back on this route: rugged, diverse, scenic, and truly wild. The wildest place I've ever been. We didn't see another human being for 9 days! The Yukon definitely did not disappoint, and I'm sure I'll be back one day. 

What did I bring on this trip? Check out my packing list here.