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Getting to know Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River)

Author: Willa Mason, Boreal River

This impressive river runs through the heart of the National Capital Region. Cyclists, swimmers, walkers, and sight-seers pass by the river every day, but there’s much more cultural and natural history in these waters than meets the eye. Below, we’ve outlined some major characteristics and information to build your understanding of this dynamic waterway.

About Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River)

Names: Kichi Sibi (Anishinàbemowin) | Ottawa (English) | Outaouais (French)

A large group Kayarafting on Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River) in front of parliament buildings.

Photo: Martin Lipman

Home to Algonquin Peoples, habitat for more than 24 at-risk species, hiding the longest underwater cave system in Canada, and serving as an interprovincial border, Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River) is a truly unique waterway. Leader of the Ottawa Riverkeeper organization for 14 years, Meredith Brown is an advocate and activist for Kichi Sibi. When asked what makes Kichi Sibi so special, she emphasized its intricate impact on its surroundings: “The river shapes our land, impacts our well-being, and is the lifeblood of our communities.”

Name origin:  Kichi Sibi means “Great River.” In Anishinàbemowin, “adàwe” means “to trade.” This led to the English name, “Ottawa.”

Headwaters: Lac des Outaouais, 250km north of Ottawa, and 290km northwest of Montreal

Length: 1,271 km

Elevation: Kichi Sibi drops about 400m from an elevation of 430m above sea level at the headwaters to 20m at its mouth.

Watershed (Area of drainage basin): 146,300 km2

A whitewater instructor showing students where to paddle from the shore of Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River).

Trading and Transport: Covering a large geographic area and with direct access to Kaniatarowanenneh (St. Lawrence River), Kichi Sibi has always been an important trade route for First Nations. Later, it became a major route for the fur trade, before morphing into a central transport route for the logging industry.

Landscape: Flowing through more than 27 provincial parks and wildlife reserves, Kichi Sibi travels through boreal forest near its headwaters and then across Canadian Shield before flowing south through mixed forest and into Kaniatarowanenneh (St. Lawrence River). There are more than 50 major dams in the Kichi Sibi watershed. A map of those can be found here.

Fauna: Kichi Sibi is home to more than 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, 53 species of mammals, and 85 species of fish, as well as 300 species of birds. About half of these birds migrate through the area each year, but migration isn’t just for the birds! Some aquatic species, including American eels, migrate as well. 

Wildlife spotlight: American eels spawn in the Atlantic Ocean before migrating to freshwater for most of their adult lives, and Kichi Sibi is an important migration route and destination for them. The construction of hydro dams has interrupted their migratory route. Notably, the Carillon dam near Hawkesbury left American eels isolated from other areas of the watershed. In collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, 400 eels have been trapped near the Beauharnois Dam in the St. Lawrence and released into Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River) near Petrie Island, bypassing the Carillon Dam and helping to combat the interruption of their natural migration path.

Individual carrying their kayaraft back to the top of the rapid to go for another run down the rapid on Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River).

In addition to the American eel, Kichi Sibi is home to 23 species on the Ontario Species at Risk list, such as the Spotted turtle, Cerulean warbler, and Blanding’s turtle. 

Places to visit around Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River)

Explore Kichi Sibi on foot along its paths in urban centers, through the lens of your swim goggles, by canoe or kayak in the Nation’s Capital, in remote provincial parks, or by roadtrip. This map can help you plan your trip to historical and cultural points of interest, while this map will help you plan your water-based adventure. 

“It has been easy to fall in love with the Ottawa River and her tributaries,” says Meredith Brown. “People protect what they love, and I certainly feel a great sense of responsibility to protect and restore Kichi Sibi, the great river, the Ottawa River.”

Though we are striving to be as accurate and respectful as possible in our use of Traditional names of places and Peoples, we recognize that we are bound to make mistakes. Please reach out to us anytime – we welcome the opportunity to listen, to learn, and to connect with you. info@borealriver.com


Links

Becoming the river: a journey down the Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River)

How to get into Whitewater | Paddling Club Resources

6 Best Multi-Day Rafting Trips In Canada 2021

Becoming the river: a journey down the Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River)

A group from Bishop’s College School finds joy – and mud – at the water’s edge

Author: Jennifer Kingsley

Bishop's College School group photo. Group hiked to a peak with Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River) in the background.

Bishop’s College School group on the Muteshekau Shipu. Standing: Caleb Aubut, Evan Jones, Emma Andrews, Yan Goyette (guide), Krysten Lamb Chaimber Condo, Liam Condo Sitting: Luis Cao, Barbara Rowell, Emma Hopkins, Maeve MacLachlan, Jess Zajko (guide).

Eight students. Two teachers. Fourteen hours. One van.

It was a long trek for the paddlers from Bishop’s College School, in Sherbrooke, Québec, to reach Magpie Village on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence. They were happy to see that their guides, Yan Goyette, Maxime Girard, and Jessica Zajko, had already set up the tents.

Group hiking up to the top of a mountain along the north shore of the St. Lawrence before the trip began.

Hiking the north shore of the St. Lawrence before flying in to begin the river trip.

After a night’s sleep, the group met Lydia Mestokosho-Paradis and her aunt Rita Mestokosho, who are both Innu from the community of Ekuanitshit. They conducted a ceremony to prepare the student group for eight days on the Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River), including gifts of red bracelets and bandanas to protect them.

“The Magpie River is everything for us,” Lydia told Global News earlier this year, and the send off she prepared helped the students to understand that.

Teacher Krysten Lamb remembers how important that idea became as they paddled the river’s clear water. “One thing they mentioned,” said Krysten, “Is that every three to five days all of the water in your body is replaced. You actually become the river.”

For this group, becoming the river meant throwing themselves into everything, including the river itself. “This was the first time I had people asking if they could float down the river,” said guide Yan Goyette, who has paddled the Magpie nine times. “They loved the water.”

Kayarafts paddling back up river after running a set of rapids on the Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River). Ready for the next run down.

Kayarafts are easy to inflate en route and give people a chance to paddle on their own.

The students involved were chosen by their teachers, Barbara Rowell and Krysten Lamb, who applied for funding through the school’s Ondaatje Endeavour, which has supported annual adventures for students in several countries. This time, they stayed in Canada to visit what paddlers widely recognize as an ideal waterway for rafting.

The rapids are nearly continuous in many sections, which makes it a wonderful setting to learn new skills on the water, something that all of the students grew to love. But the learning was not limited to their paddling time.

Take Luis Cao, who is in grade 10 this year. Everything from fishing to camp cooking was new to Luis on this trip, and he wanted to learn it all. “Anything anybody was doing,” Krysten said, “He would say, ‘Can I try that?’ You didn’t have to ask him. He would ask you.”

Luis Cao learns how to fish along the Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River).

Luis Cao (centre) has asked for fishing gear for his birthday.

“He was mostly quiet and listening at the beginning,” said Yan, “and by the end he was more involved and making jokes. That’s what rivers can do.”

By the end of the week—after days of rain according to the teachers and “pretty good weather” according to their guides—the students didn’t hesitate to pull the rafts through mud that came up to their knees and even sucked their shoes right off.

“Everyone was in a positive mood,” Barbara said. “It was lots of fun in the end.”

Camp setup on a rainy day. Tarp is held by two paddles for a dry area. 3 rafts pulled on shore along Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River).

Nothing beats the weather like a solid tarp set up.

The fun that comes with ecotourism may have an important role to play in the river’s future. Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments in this region came together to make the Muteshekau Shipu (Magpie River) the first ecosystem in Canada to be granted the same legal rights as a person. Hopefully this landmark decision will let the water flow free and clear forever.

Though we are striving to be as accurate and respectful as possible in our use of Traditional names of places and Peoples, we recognize that we are bound to make mistakes. Please reach out to us anytime – we welcome the opportunity to listen, to learn, and to connect with you. info@borealriver.com


Links:

Read: 3 common myths about rafting trips

Read: What my raft guide is thinking at the top of a rapid

Read: Imagine the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River)

Read: 6 Best Multi-Day Rafting Trips in Canada

The Story of my Grandparents’ Last Trip on the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River)

Joyce Joins the Bill Mason Swim Club

Author: Willa Mason, Guide and Instructor

I’ve never met my grandfather. He passed away nine years before I was born, so it’s through the stories around me that I understand the impact he had on so many people’s lives. You may recognize his name as the author of Path of the Paddle, Song of the Paddle, and Canoescapes, or as the filmmaker behind Paddle to the Sea and many other National Film Board films. A playful and adventurous dad and friend, Bill Mason was also known for pulling his family headfirst into adventure and his paddling partners headfirst into the river. Though his work has immortalized his passion and perspectives, I wanted to learn more about Grandpa Bill’s accomplishments within the context of my family. An essential character in those stories is my Grandma Joyce.

Grandma Joyce was Bill’s wife and partner in adventure. She is soft spoken and one of the kindest people I know; she’s pragmatic, humble, and always willing to give her time to those in need. Because she never casts herself as the main character, it has taken me many afternoons curled up on her couch to begin understanding her role in the family adventures.

Mason Family canoeing on Georgian Bay
Mason family photo on Georgian Bay. Photo courtesy of the Mason family

Five years ago, Joyce moved from the family home on Meech Lake to an apartment in Ottawa. There she runs the resident library and is spearheading a project to bring all of the residents’ life stories together into one shared album. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, I haven’t been able to sit on her couch since December 2019, but when I chatted with her over the phone, I could hear her become more animated as we delved down memory lane and into her 1988 Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River) trip. It was my grandfather’s last canoe trip, and an experience I’ve always understood to be special for our family, but I had never heard Grandma’s side of the story. She mentioned two things in particular: the feeling of smallness, and the day she joined the “Bill Mason Swim Club” – a capsize that illustrates the dynamic of the trip.

A nurse by trade, Joyce married Bill in their shared hometown of Winnipeg. Together, they moved to Chelsea, Quebec, a place where Bill could better pursue film work. After choosing to share life with a canoeist, she quickly learned the ropes near their home on Meech Lake. There, she raised their two children Paul and Becky in a house full of laughter and friends. You can catch her in some of Bill’s films, but her role was much more instrumental than some might think. From editing books and sorting camping equipment to mending plaid shirts for the films, Joyce was always involved in the projects. She quickly accumulated extensive canoe tripping experience on Lake Superior, Georgian Bay, and local rivers, but it wasn’t until 1988 that she took her first trip to Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Fascinated by the geography of Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River) and its UNESCO World Heritage site designation, Bill had already travelled down the river with both of his kids. He had planned to share the river with Joyce in 1989. In June of 1988, Bill was diagnosed with cancer of the small intestine, and he didn’t pursue treatment. After years of being scattered between film shoots, art schools, and whitewater guiding work, it was time for the Mason family to be in the same place at the same time for Bill’s final river trip.

Leading up to the departure date, the whole family was fully immersed in editing Canoescapes and Song of the Paddle. While they were busy with the books, family friend and then-owner of Blackfeather, Wally Schaber, packed food, secured equipment, and gathered a team to paddle the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River) River. Bill and five others started at the Mooseponds section on July 19th, while Joyce and the rest of the crew joined at Island Lakes on July 26th.

With excitement and trepidation, she boarded the small plane from Łı́ıd́ lı̨́ı̨́Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson) headed towards Island Lakes. Joyce felt excitement to paddle the river she had heard so much about and excitement to see the sky-scraping cliffs and turbulent waters that filled her imagination. She had trepidation about paddling through the famous whitewater, and she worried that Bill might not be well enough to enjoy his last trip down this special river.

Joyce had been looking forward to hugging her husband, but after landing at Island Lakes and making the small trek to the group’s meeting point of Moore’s cabin, he was nowhere to be seen. He was up climbing a mountain, and she wouldn’t see him until nearly sunset. She was inwardly relieved to see that he still had enough energy for his usual adventurous explorations. When faced with soaring peaks promising a new perspective and streams flowing from a valley waiting to be explored, it’s hard to sit still.

Bill Mason on the Mountain River.
Bill Mason on the Mountain River. Photo Courtesy of the Mason Family

Years later, Joyce still remembers feeling very small when she heard the roar of Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls) a few days into the trip, long before the waterfall was even in sight. Thirty-three years later, I could hear the awe in her voice as she described the faint rumble, growing louder until it was impossible to ignore: “You don’t forget that. The loud noise. Being so far away from the waterfall…” Hearing the sound of far-away thundering water was her first taste of Náįlįcho’s impactful presence. The history and grandeur of spaces like Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River) made her feel small and humbled.

After a few more days of portaging and paddling, the group approached the horizon of Figure 8 Rapid. Joyce could feel the apprehension building. After scouting the rapid, she was nervous about the strong currents that threatened to push their canoe towards a looming cliff. Joyce said she wanted to portage, her son Paul said, “Stern paddlers always do this one paddling on the right,” and Bill said “Follow my lead…”

The roar of the turbulent water bouncing off the rock face was all she could focus on. The rebounding wave hit the canoe broadside, pushing the right edge upwards. As Bill was paddling on the left, he had no anchor on that side to help flatten the canoe. Joyce felt the water reach her neck as she tumbled into the turbulence, and it was impossible to tell which way was up and which was down. Before too long, she popped up and her hands clung to the first thing her fingers found: solid rock. With her yellow dish gloves carefully selected for their windbreaking properties, she hung to the cliff just above the waterline with all her might. Quickly, Bill’s head came up: “Follow me!” “Not a chance, never again!” she thought to herself. She knew that Bill was skilled at understanding currents and orienting himself underwater, but Joyce couldn’t say the same about herself. Certain she would die if she let go, she hung on tight. From across the river, Judy, Paul’s wife, saw her mother-in-law clinging on for dear life and thought, “I guess we’d better go get her.” Downstream, Becky and Reid fished Bill out of the river. In his hypothermic state, he couldn’t spot Joyce and would not calm down until the group was fully reunited.

They regrouped downstream, slightly shaken and very cold. They double checked their gear and mentally prepared themselves to get back in the canoe. Doing jumping jacks to warm up, Joyce had an overwhelming sense of apprehension, but she knew the only practical option was to push aside the fear and continue downstream. Later, at their campsite, they warmed up with a little drink, “And it wasn’t tea or coffee!” Joyce told me with a mischievous grin. My dad Paul added, “I’ve paddled this river 18 times, and the only canoe I’ve ever had flip in Figure 8 rapid…was my parents’. Welcome to the Bill Mason Swim Club, Mum!”.

Joyce and Bill Mason on the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River)
Joyce and Bill Mason on the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River). Photo courtesy of the Mason Family

Over the next few days, Joyce’s confidence slowly grew back. As the group cheered, laughed, and helped each other pick their lines down the rapids, Joyce’s trepidation about the trip began to fade. She was feeling more comfortable, and she was relieved to see that the cancer wasn’t impeding Bill’s usual joy of whitewater. She felt fortunate to share this place with him, and he never once complained about his health. Sometimes though, she noticed that he would quiet down or retreat to his tent for alone time, a reminder of the weight of his diagnosis.

In a riverside hot spring, someone unearthed an inflatable crocodile pool toy from their pack. With lighthearted laughter and joyous innocence, the paddlers let the sulfur stench strip away the river trip dirt and the luxurious natural warm water thaw out creaky muscles. It’s easy to laugh when the sun is shining and the water is warm, but I get the impression this group of friends kept spirits high for most of the trip. Laughter is truly the only productive way to respond to a humbling faceful of water.

When the weight on her shoulders required serious thinking and decision-making, the river gave my grandmother the permission to play and something to laugh at. When it comes to picking campsites, Grandma Joyce likes spots with wind to blow away the bugs, medium sized rocks to hold down the tents, a few trees for shade, and a nice view for her bathroom breaks. For the first two weeks on Nah?ą Dehé, sites like these are easy to find, but downstream of the hot springs, they are hard to come by. Even now, the mosquitoes dominate her memory of the last days on the river. She remembers them being so bad that she wouldn’t get out of the tent for dinner. Always one to look on the bright side, she enjoyed working together to break camp as quickly as possible, racing the mosquitoes to the canoes. Where the current is quick but not turbulent, the river provides a rare opportunity: floating breakfasts. Drifting gently on a magic carpet moving downstream, the canoes were a harder target for the insects to find.

Towards the end of the trip, the river began to widen, and the current slowed. The quiet waters provide infinite time for the mind to wander, and a sense of finality overcame Joyce. As Nah?ą Dehé shrank into the background, thoughts of Bill’s cancer moved back towards the foreground. To the river, a hospital bracelet means nothing. The river doesn’t care if you are grieving, celebrating, full of ego, or lacking confidence. The river pushes and pulls, challenges overconfidence, reveals one’s true grit, shifts the focus away from our problems, and builds camaraderie. The river unearths a playful spirit within the ever-serious, forces new perspectives, and gives us solitude.

Now a canoe instructor and river guide myself, it is my greatest joy to help others fall in love with the river experience. For me that has been an experience of community, challenge, humility, and empowerment. Through Joyce’s stories, I understand the common thread between her Nah?ą Dehé trip in 1988 and my own in recent years. When I visit that river in particular, I often pause at the top of a hike or near a swimming hole, and I feel connected to my family who have stood in that same place before me.

Though we are striving to be as accurate and respectful as possible in our use of Traditional names of places and Peoples, we recognize that we are bound to make mistakes. Please reach out to us anytime – we welcome the opportunity to listen, to learn, and to connect with you. info@borealriver.com


Links:

Read: Imagine the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River)

Read: River trips of the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River)

Read: 6 Best Multi-Day Rafting Trips in Canada

Trips: Nahanni Cultural Rafting Expedition

River Trips of the Nah?ą Dehé (Nahanni River) Watershed

By Willa Mason, Guide and Instructor

Flowing west to east through the Territories of the Sahtu Dene, Métis, and Dehcho Dene, the Nahʔą Dehé (South Nahanni River), is one of the most sought-after river trips in the world.

The river stems from three main tributaries and is more than 540 km long. The entire system runs through two different National Park Reserves, the term used for a nationally protected area in which Indigenous Peoples maintain the rights to hunt, travel, and work within the Reserve boundaries.

You can read more about these protected areas from the Parks Canada websites on the Nahanni and Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserves. 

There are many options for running this river that offer flexibility in trip duration, whitewater difficulty, and scenery. Below, we’ve broken down the options based on these factors, in the order that they join Nahʔą Dehé (South Nahanni River) from west to east.

If a paddler were to begin at Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds) and paddle downstream, they would see where Łáhtanįlį Deé (Little Nahanni River) joins the main river, then Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéhłéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River), before reaching Gahnîhthah Mįe (Rabbitkettle Lake), and continuing downstream towards Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls), and finally the rest of Nahʔą Dehé (South Nahanni River). We’ve included the Indigenous place names alongside the English ones, when possible.

Flowing through three Traditional Territories, we have used the corresponding Indigenous names in the Shúhtaot’ine and Dene Zhatıé languages. Some of the places have been renamed by Elders in recent years, where names have been lost or forgotten. We’ve used English only where we were unable to find the Indigenous name. You can visit the Place Name Pronunciation Guide for more information. The River of Forgiveness film project is a great watch to understand the history of Nahɂa Dehé, as well as the relationship between Sahtu Dene and Dehcho Dene.

To jump ahead—click on a river section:

1. Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds)
2. Łáhtanįlį Deé (Little Nahanni River)
3. Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River)
4. Gahnįhthah Mie to Náįlįcho (Rabbitkettle Lake to Virginia Falls)
5. Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls)
6. NahʔąDehé (South Nahanni River)

Photo credit: Blackfeather

1. Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds)

Language: Shúhtaot’ine dialect
Territory: Sahtu Dene and Métis 
Difficulty: Advanced canoe trippers or packrafters
Whitewater: Class II-III (technical and remote)
Length: 90 km to Gahnįhthah (Rabbitkettle)
Typical duration: 5 to 9 days (most groups continue on to the lower sections for a total of 18 to 24 days)
Starting point: Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds)
Access from: Tlegohli (Norman Wells)
Recommended season: Late June to Late July
Typical watercraft: Canoe, packraft

Geography

Considered to be the true headwaters of Nahʔą Dehé (South Nahanni River), this river starts out as a tiny creek, before gaining volume as more tributaries join the river and it becomes Nahʔą Dehé. It flows through Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve and then into Nahanni National Park Reserve.

Geology

Shúhta (Central Mackenzie Mountains) is the northeastern branch of the Rocky Mountains. Fish specimens have been dated to 400 million years ago, and many fossils of aquatic species indicate that parts of this area were once submerged. The first campsite of the trip has the park’s namesake towering over it: Nááts’įhch’oh (Mt. Wilson). Its presence is humbling, and it’s known as the mountain with díígóɂo (prehistoric power).

Overview

Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds) is home to tight, technical, challenging whitewater. Here, river runners have the experience of starting from the very headwaters of a creek, and travelling downstream as the channel grows beneath them. Over time, the creek turns into a river, and paddlers navigate between tightly placed boulders for five days. The river then begins to flatten out, and rocky sections give way to bigger waves and deeper water. A skill testing playground, this section is sure to satisfy the adventure cravings of the most seasoned whitewater canoeists, a fantastic prequel to the scenic grandeur (and slightly more relaxing whitewater) of the Nahʔą Dehé.

Guide’s opinion

Moose ponds is challenging whitewater, super fun for the accomplished whitewater canoe tripper. If your whitewater appetite is big enough, it is an awesome trip!

  • Rob Norton, Blackfeather guide, Boreal River guide and instructor

2. Łáhtanįlį Deé (Little Nahanni River)

Language: Shuhtaot’ine dialect
Territory: Sahtu Dene
Difficulty: Advanced canoe trippers or packrafters
Whitewater: Class II-III+ (technical and remote)
Length: 85km
Typical duration: 3 to 6 days (most groups continue on to the lower sections for a total of 12 to 17 days)
Starting point: Flat Lake 
Access point:  Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson)
Recommended season: July          
Typical watercraft: Canoe, packraft

Geology

After being submerged, Shúhta (Central Mackenzie Mountains) were formed by sedimentary rock layers pushing upwards, an uncommon phenomenon for mountain formation so far away from the nearest boundary between tectonic plates.

Overview

Known for being home to the most challenging whitewater of all the Nahʔą Dehé (South Nahanni River) tributaries, the Łáhtanįlį Deé (Little Nahanni River) is less frequently explored by paddlers. This river is accessible by road, a five hour drive from Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson). If you have lots of experience under your belt and you’re looking for the ultimate challenge, this is the one for you! After landing at Flat Lake, there is one day of tight, technical whitewater paddling, before entering the canyon section of the river. The first of three is home to a steep rapid. Most people opt to lift over or portage around this one. The two remaining canyons are friendlier than the first, but thrilling technical whitewater is sure to keep you on your toes, and a smile on your face.

Read a trip description of the Little Nahanni in Rapid Magazine here.

Guide’s opinion

“The adventure starts on the drive in. Foreshadowing for the rest of the trip, the switchbacks down to the river are sure to get your palms sweating. In my opinion the hardest and prettiest river in the area, the Little Nahanni is sure to be epic…at least a bit.”

Sunset over the mountains on the Nahanni River

3. Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River)

Language: Shúhtaot’ine dialect
Territory: Sahtu Dene and Métis 
Difficulty: Intermediate canoe trippers or packrafters
Whitewater: Class I-II+
Length: 150 km
Starting point: Ǫtaa Tu Fehto (Divide Lake)
Typical duration: 8 to 12 days—some groups continue on to run the whole NahʔąDehé (South Nahanni), which would add an additional 9 to 16 days
Access from: Tlegohli (Norman Wells)
Typical watercraft: Canoe, packraft
Recommended Season: Late June to mid-August

Geography

Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River) flows south into NahʔąDehé (South Nahanni River). The confluence is located downstream of Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds) and Łáhtanįlį Deé (Little Nahanni River), upstream of Gahnįhthah Mie (Rabbitkettle Lake). It begins in Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve, and enters Nahanni National Park Reserve just before joining NahʔąDehé. The nearby Sahtu communities of Tulita and Normal Wells are home to many Sahtu Dene and Métis Peoples, and the Shúhtaot’in dialect is used for names within Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve. 

Geology

The headwaters of Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River) are in the Selwyn mountains, then the river flows through Shúhta (Mackenzie Mountains). Being a smaller river, paddlers are never more than a few metres away from colourful, swirling peaks. Sometimes it may feel as though they stem right out of the very water you’re floating on. Downstream, paddlers get their first taste of braided gravel channels. On your final days before paddling into Gahnįhthah Mie (Rabbitkettle Lake),  you will see the spectacular spires of the Ragged Range. The highest peaks in the Northwest Territories, they were formed 110 million years ago. The skyrocketing towers of hard granite are a stark juxtaposition from the wide alpine meadows of Ǫtaa Tué Fehto (Divide Lake).

Overview

Starting at Ǫtaa Tué Fehto (Divide Lake), this river trip lets canoeists experience the growth cycle of a waterway. From the lake, a tiny trickle floats paddlers towards the Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River), where you will be treated to ever-changing scenery, technical rapids, and diverse campsites. The whitewater requires fun, technical maneuvering to avoid rocks. It’s easier with higher water, as lower water levels expose more rocks to avoid! When it has been raining, the river feels tropical, filled with bright blue water. Watch the effect of silt on a waterway firsthand, as a quick rain shower will turn the water milky. 

Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River) then joins NahʔąDehé, as you feel the volume of the river multiply beneath you and sense the valley widen around you. Most outfitters also offer the option to continue downstream for an additional two weeks all the way to Nahanni Butte. For paddlers with many canoe trips under their belt, consult the Parks Canada trip planner. Imagine yourself on this northern river by exploring more details here.  

Guide’s opinion

“The rapids are less technical than other rivers, but the continuous whitewater makes it just as fun. It feels like the mountains soar straight out of the river beside you as you’re paddling. Add in the unrivaled hiking, and paddling the Brokenskull down to Nahanni Butte is the trip I’d choose if I could only paddle one northern river with my family”

  • Caleb Roberts, wilderness guide with Blackfeather and Boreal
    River Adventures

Guide Caleb Roberts compares the Broken Skull and Moose Ponds


4. Gahnįhthah Mie to Náįlįcho (Rabbitkettle Lake to Virginia Falls)

Language: Dene Zhatıé
Territory: Dehcho Dene
Difficulty: Beginner
Whitewater: None
Length: 117 km
Duration: 2-4 days
Starting point: Gahnįhthah Mie (Rabbit Kettle)
End point: Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls)
Access from: Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson)
Recommended season: June to September
Typical watercraft: Canoe

Geography

A popular starting point, this section is nestled just beyond the Ragged Range. After admiring the granite peaks, the Sunblood Range will come into view after a day or two of paddling.

Geology

The geological highlight in this section is Gahnhthah (Rabbitkettle) tufa mounds. The water here, heated by volcanic energy 2,000 metres below the surface, is highly saturated with calcium carbonate. The temperature cools as the water approaches the surface, lowering its saturation point, and causing the minerals to be deposited in a solid form. Forming small terraces and pools, called rimstone dams and gours, the tufa has gradually grown into an impressive tower over which the spring water flows. Thirty meters high and 60 meters wide, the largest mound is thought to be 10, 000 years old.

Overview

While not completed as a standalone river trip, this is an optional section amongst river trip variations. An egress point for concluding river trips down Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull River), Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds), or a climbing trip in the Cirque of the Unclimbables, Gahnįhthah Mie (Rabbitkettle Lake) is also a special stopping point in the midst of a longer trip, or a starting point for trips down NahʔąDehé (South Nahanni River). An awe-inspiring emerald blue lake is refreshing enough to strip away all the river trip grime, and a spectacular view of the Vampire Peak will fill your sights. 

The lake is one of the few spots along the river where Parks Canada maintains a cabin for park wardens. Happy to answer questions while escorting visitors to the tufa mounds, staff help ensure the visit is done in a respectful way that minimizes visitor impact on the space. Walking barefoot and stepping in specific places, visitors may feel the sharp tufa beneath their feet. 

Afterwards, a short portage leads paddlers from the lake to NahʔąDehé. The next couple of days feature swirling currents and fast-moving water, but no notable rapids. Winding its way through a large, post glacial valley, the valley feels similar to what you might find on the prairies—its an impressive juxtaposition to the canyons that await you in only a few days. If the wind is blowing in the right direction, it won’t be long before the sound of Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls) fills your ears. 

Virginia Fall on the Nahanni River

5. Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls)

Language: Dene Zhatıé
Territory: Dehcho Dene
Access from:  Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson)

Geography

Framed by the Sunblood Range, Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls) marks the end of the calm section, located just upstream of Fourth Canyon and Tu Naka Dé  (Flat River).

Geology

Dropping 92 metres in total, Náįlįcho is an impressive sight. As erosion slowly caused the waterfall to migrate upstream, one soaring rock tower has resisted erosion and foreshadows the towering rock walls that await below. Fourth Canyon, the first of the four canyons downstream from the falls, is a result of the gradual erosion caused by the waterfall. 

Overview

Featuring outhouses and a boardwalk (a luxury in the park reserve!) Náįlįcho is one of the few places where the impacts from tourists and paddlers is noticeable. A jarring juxtaposition from the landscape upstream, it’s a valuable cause for reflection and helps us consider the impact of our travel on the environment. In this instance, the extensive boardwalk protects delicate vegetation and permafrost, helping to break the correlation between increased visitors and increased damage. We’re still able to observe the intricate ecosystem because the boardwalk protects it from our feet. I guarantee you’ll be singing the praises of the boardwalk on your third trip over it with a gear pack!

Travellers must reserve the dates of their maximum two-night stay here, so that all visitors passing through can enjoy the must-stop campsite and information sessions from the Parks Canada staff. 


6. NahʔąDehé (South Nahanni River)

Language: Dene Zhatıé
Territory: Dehcho Dene
Difficulty: Beginner-friendly for rafters in guided rafts, intermediate for canoe trippers or packrafters
Whitewater: Class I-II (high volume = big waves)
Length: 240 km
Starting point: Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls)
End point: Ttenáágó (Nahanni Butte) 
Typical duration: 7-14 days
Access from:  Łı́ı́dlı̨́ı̨́ Kų́ę́ (Fort Simpson)
Typical watercraft: Raft, canoe, packraft, paddleboard (SUP)
Recommended Season: June to September

Geography

NahʔąDehé (South Nahanni River) flows southeast through Nahanni National Park Reserve. The park boundary is just upstream of its confluence with the Liard River.

The NahʔąDehe Consensus Team was formed to help manage Nahanni National Park Reserve jointly by Parks Canada and the Dehcho First Nations. Comprised of three Parks Canada appointees and four Dehcho appointees, the team is responsible for addressing matters such the management of sites with spiritual and/or cultural significance, including historical habitations and burial sites within the park boundaries. Guidelines and applications for research permits, commercial licences or other activities are also assessed and addressed by the team.

Dehcho First Nations may use motorized vehicles to travel through Nahanni National Park Reserve to facilitate their hunting, fishing, trapping, and harvesting activities. The endpoint is Ttenáágó (Nahanni Butte), home to the  Nahɂa Dehé Dene Band.

Geology

NahʔąDehé has followed nearly the exact same path for over 200 million years. As the rocks around it began to lift up, the river eroded its path. An antecedent river, it has been flowing since before the mountains were formed.

As the powerful falling water of Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls) eroded the rock beneath it, sheer cliffs were left on either side. This is how the seemingly painted walls of Fourth Canyon were formed, whereas Third Canyon has wider slopes made of sandstone and shale. As it twists its way through the mountains of the Funeral Range, most of Third Canyon’s limestone surrounds a feature that paddlers call “The Gate,” where the river slips through a narrow gap bordered by 460 meter high limestone walls. Second Canyon slices through the Headless Range, and prefaces some of the largest alluvial fans in Canada. The best is truly saved for last, as the resistant limestone and dolomite of First Canyon rise to a height of 1000 meters. In this area, rainfall has dissolved the limestone to create karst formations, which include the caves and tunnels you will see along the way.  Travellers are not permitted to enter the caves, but the entrances themselves are impressive.

Overview

For a paddler travelling downstream, it may seem as though the canyons are named in reverse order. For prospectors travelling upstream against the current however, it would have seemed completely logical! 

Whether paddlers begin at Gahnįhthah Mie (Rabbitkettle Lake), Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls), or farther upstream on one of the tributaries, this section contains many of the landmarks this river system is known for. Infinite hiking opportunities serve as motivation to extend the trip as long as personal time restrictions permit. Featuring much friendlier whitewater than its upstream tributaries, NahʔąDehé will still get every paddler’s hands sweating, face grinning, and heart pumping. With everything from small swifts to long, challenging rapids, this section of river features big waves with minimal rocks, making it friendly for both large rafts and tandem canoes.

Guide’s opinion

Everyday there’s something completely new and spectacular to look forward to. Whether it’s the tufa mounds, the falls, the canyons, the hikes, or the hot springs, there’s always something unbelievably remarkable around the corner.”

  • Hannah Pham, Blackfeather guide and ten-time Nahanni river tripper

More options

After navigating any of the three tributaries, paddlers can continue down the Nahʔą Dehé for 14 more days, adding a visit to Náįlįcho and 4 spectacular canyons to the trip. Most outfitters offer these options. Another popular variation, for paddlers looking to make the trip a full-body workout, is the option to take a break from the canoes and spend five days hiking into the Cirque of the Unclimbables.

From the challenging waters of Nááts’įhch’oh Tué (Moose ponds), Łáhtanįlį Deé (Little Nahanni River), and Pı̨́ı̨́p’enéh łéetǫ́ǫ́ Deé (Broken Skull), to the timeless whitewater and skyscraping canyons of Nahʔą Dehé, this watershed is truly home to a river trip for everyone. 

Guiding Companies

For paddlers seeking a guided trip, there are multiple outfitters to choose from, including us at Boreal River Adventures. While each company offers highly qualified professional river guides and delicious camp food, each has its own unique flair, so it’s worth reading up on each one to see which experience best suits what you’re looking for. 

Read about our Nahanni Trips here

We are striving to be accurate and respectful in our use of Traditional names of places and Peoples, yet we are bound to make mistakes. Please reach out to us anytime if you seen an error or something that can be improved. We welcome your feedback: info@borealriver.com


Links

Read: 6 Best Multi-Day Rafting Trips In Canada

Read: Imagine The Nahanni River

Trips: Boreal River Adventures trips

What’s my raft guide thinking at the top of a rapid?

Trip leader Ty Smith explains what’s on his mind when river guiding

By Willa Mason, Guide and Instructor

For those considering a rafting adventure, whitewater may seem chaotic and unpredictable.

Though it’s normal to be nervous, professional guides are trained to analyze the situation and to make good decisions based on the safety and the goals of your group. There’s a lot to think about on a rafting trip, but your guide will take care of most of it, so you don’t have to. 

Professional guide, Ty Smith guiding a group down a set of rapids.

On a typical multi-day rafting trip, 2-3 experienced guides facilitate an overnight trip for 6-10 participants. Trips range from 2-14 days. The group begins each morning (after coffee, of course!) by packing up their campsite, loading the gear into three rafts, and then travelling downstream to reach another campsite by day’s end. Guides provide technical expertise, historical, geological and cultural tidbits, delicious camp meals, and notoriously bad jokes. The duration of the trip, difficulty of whitewater, and stunning scenery differ from river to river. 

Each guide is different, but there are some key factors that occupy your guide’s brain throughout the trip. This is how Ty thinks about it: the environment, route, and safety will dictate whether his rafting crew can run a rapid, and the skill level, health, and participant preference influence whether Ty chooses to run the rapid.

Factors Outside the Raft

Know the environment

Guides are constantly evaluating the weather, wind direction, and water temperature. Their eyes are trained to notice clouds gathering overhead, and their ears are trained to hear whitewater around the bend. They’re experts at adapting. The chosen route down a rapid is called a “line”. A warm, sunny day is great for playing in rapids and taking splashy lines, whereas a windy, chilly day may call for more conservative lines.  

Pick the route

Once the environmental conditions have been assessed, it’s time to think about what’s on the whitewater menu for the day. If a rapid is shorter and easier, the guide can spot the line from their seat in the raft. Longer rapids may require the guide to walk along shore to get a better view of the rapid. It’s the guide’s responsibility to select a route down the rapid that avoids obstacles such as rocks or big waves. 

3 raft groups heading down a set of rapids all in a line in rafts

To help keep things simple, Ty likes to break the rapid into chunks, identifying and assessing each maneuver as an individual component. He picks out a landmark in each section to identify where the raft needs to be. Then, he assesses whether each landmark can be connected to the next, creating a sequential route that will safely get the raft from top to bottom of the rapid. He wants to set the raft up for success. If one landmark can’t be smoothly connected to the next, this interrupts the sequence and means it’s time to start looking for alternate options.

Explore alternatives

Many rapids have more that one possible line. There might be a big wavy route that doesn’t require much maneuvering, as well as a calmer line that may require technical navigation between tightly placed rocks. Most rapids also provide the option for rafters to skip the rapid by walking around it. Even if Ty used a specific route down a particular rapid on his last trip, he still considers all the options, and picks the one most suitable for that day and that crew. 

How can it be safer?

Once Ty’s picked his preferred line down the rapid, he takes a moment to consider how he can make the rapid safer for all involved. 

In most scenarios, a guide who’s familiar with the rapid will go first, to be a helpful landmark for the next rafts to follow. Some trips will have a kayaker to accompany the raft down the rapid for extra back up. He also notes that it’s very important to tell paddlers what will happen if the line doesn’t go as planned. While it doesn’t happen often, falling out of the raft could mean a fun splashy float in some rapids, or it could be hazardous in others. Ty adjusts his route and safety plan based on these potential consequences.

Also read: 3 Common Myths About Rafting Trips 

Factors inside the raft 

Skill level

While there are normally four to six paddlers in a raft, each rafter plays an important part in the success of the descent. Experienced rafters understand how the raft moves through current, proactively paddling to properly position the raft. Less experienced paddlers may need more guidance and a longer reaction time.

Comfort Level

Ty also finds it very important to decipher what each individual paddler feels keen for. Some might love the idea of being ejected from the raft, hooting and hollering as they swim through the remaining waves, while others may seek a near-guarantee of dry hair. Ty tries to ensure that each paddler is comfortable with every possible outcome. He also assigns seats in the raft based on individual comfort levels. In guiding, no action is haphazard or coincidence, and Ty’s intentional rearranging of the raft is a true testament of such!

White water rafting down a big set of rapids

Health

Your river guide is also thinking about each person’s health. It’s important to adjust their decisions based on fitness levels, physical limitations, or other chronic conditions that could impact a rafting trip. While rafting can be for everyone, it’s a guide’s role to make it as doable as possible. It’s their job to realize when someone needs a break or a helping hand to hoist up a backpack.

Guest preference

Ty talks to each participant about their goals, so that he can try to meet them. This way, he can help the whole group to succeed, based on their definition of success. His baseline for decision making in guiding is this: achieving success based on what that means for each person.

Conclusion

To illustrate the essence of being an adventure tourism professional, Ty uses the example of a mountain guide. They are there to help participants accomplish their summit goal, but may need to turn the group around mere metres from the top if necessary. 

Raft guide and participants scouting a rapid

Similarly, river guides are there to help you accomplish as many of your goals as possible, while their ultimate priority is to keep the team safe. 

While your guide considers the environmental factors, as well as individual skill levels, health, and preferences, you’re free to think about the scenery, the whitewater, the wilderness, the food, the waves, the history, the geography…

Also read: 6 Best Multi-Day Rafting Trips In Canada.

More about Ty Smith 

Expert river guide, Ty Smith, aims “to run challenging rapids to gain competency, and through competency, gain confidence.” This mentality has allowed him to log hundreds of hours running rapids recreationally, as well as practice making tough decisions in dynamic outdoor environments. Translating this experience into professional work on the river was a natural progression; Ty has guided overnight raft trips on the Magpie River, and day trips in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, Costa Rica, and Chile. He’s paddled every style of river in nearly every type of watercraft.  With an extensive education background in environmental science, focused on examining contaminants in waterways, Ty’s almost always out on the river. If not, he’s definitely thinking about it. 

3 common myths about rafting trips

We love the thrills, but what’s even more incredible about rafting is how it opens some of the world’s most spectacular places to people of all experience levels.

By Danny Peled, Boreal River

Rafts pulled up on shore next to the tents at camp

In eastern North America, a lot of people think that rafting just isn’t for them.

When you hear about rafting you might think “that sounds horrible,” or “but I’m a canoeist,” or simply “yikes!” Or maybe you can’t envision how a multi-day raft trip would work.

These reactions are no surprise. In Canada, the canoe is embedded in our history and culture, and many people associate rafting with a wild ride full of sunburns and irresponsible behaviour.  

The truth is that some of the most amazing places in the world are only accessible on river trips, and rafts are the ideal vehicle for certain places (and paddlers). With good guides, rafts can be comfortable and fun. A multi-day rafting trip can be the best way to travel, relax, and truly experience the natural world.

Myth #1: Rafting trips are big and rowdy

I used to believe this myth. I grew up as a proud canoeist and had a hard time seeing any upside to a big inflatable raft. I started guiding in Canada, and I liked it so much I wanted to work year round, which meant heading south to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Chile, where I learned to love rafting and to see its potential. 

Compared to Canada, rafting is much more popular in other countries for both day trips and multi-day trips. Rafts make the river more accessible. First-timers can hop in, and with a good guide, be on the river in no time. Guides can adapt the difficulty of the descent to match the group. We can choose more aggressive ‘lines’ for those who want a challenge, or we can pick out a controlled descent when accidental swims would be dangerous (more on this below).

As I got more guiding experience, I learned how versatile a raft can be. While the one-day wild ride might be something we’ve seen from the highway, there are operators who use rafts to make rivers more accessible to more people and to access nature.

A group of paddlers having fun rafting on the Magpie River

The nights I spent at eco lodges in Costa Rica on multi-day raft trips showed me that rafting doesn’t have to be big or rowdy. Once you find the right river, like Quebec’s Magpie (one of our favourites), it can be the perfect combination of fun, challenging, accessible … and beautiful.

My perception of rafting has changed a lot since my first guide course. These days, my typical rafting trip has 3-4 guides and no more than 10 people.

And while we’re fun folks—we’re far from yahoos.

Myth #2 – Rafting is always scary

In the early 90’s, my parents went rafting on the Rouge River near Montreal with a group of friends—and they all came back horrified. They thought one of their friends had almost drowned.

Unfortunately, in the 80’s and 90’s (and still today in some places), some companies tried to make their trips seem as risky as possible. Guides would flip intentionally—tossing everybody into the water for long swims through rapids—sometimes multiple times a day.

At the time, I hadn’t yet paddled whitewater, and I took my parents at their word that the trip was wild and dangerous. As it turns out, thousands of people go down the Rouge River every summer and while there are risks—these can be well managed by professionals.

Here’s the thing: rafts are super stable. They’re self-bailing so they don’t get “swamped” (full of water), and they can be steered effectively by an experienced guide.

Group of rafts paddling past a beautiful mountain on the Magpie River.

In a raft, eager paddlers can sit up front and paddle into big waves—but those who want more stability can sit comfortably in the middle of the raft.

In rafts, we can work with all kinds of people, from those with physical challenges, to nervous or non-swimmers, to youth. Supporting people of all backgrounds to enjoy the river is one of the most rewarding aspects of guiding.

Also, many multi-day rafting trips bring along kayarafts (inflatable kayaks) and standup paddleboards (SUPs), so those who want to ramp up the challenge can paddle solo and dive into learning more whitewater techniques. Those who want to take it easier can stick to the guided rafts for the rapids and try the solo crafts on calm sections—for some peaceful ‘alone time’ with the river.

Myth #3 – Whitewater is unpredictable

This might be one of the most pervasive myths in our industry, but as water flows downhill, it follows rules and patterns. As you learn how to ‘read’ the river you discover that whitewater is, in fact, 100% predictable.

We can’t control the current: it’s powerful and demands our respect. Once we learn to read the river, a teachable skill that comes with experience, we can make great decisions. Experienced paddlers understand how waves, rocks, and currents will impact their boats.

Rafting down a set of rapids on the Magpie River

There’s also an international whitewater classification system to rate river difficulty from a scale of Class 1 (short, easy rapids with some waves) to Class 6 (Niagara Falls).

So when you’re choosing a trip, you can gauge what you’re getting into by choosing, for example, the Nahanni (class I & II), the Magpie (mostly class III and ‘III+’), or the Futaleufu in Chile (class IV & V).

When we’re running rivers that we know well, we always know what’s coming up. If we’re not sure, we can get out and ‘scout” to read the rapids from shore.

One of the fun things about a river trip is we can dial-down or ramp up the excitement once we’ve fully thought through the consequences and our goals.

It’s about so much more than just rapids.

Now that we’ve discussed the myths, you can see that a raft trip can be a small-group journey with whitewater as a fun component. I also want to emphasize that the whitewater is just that: one component.

Campers gathered around a campfire on the Magpie River

Yes, we love the thrills, but what’s really incredible about rafting is the way it opens up some of the world’s most special places—rarely-travelled and spectacular – to people of all experience levels.

Rafting is a way to access nature and share magical moments with others. That’s really what it’s all about for me.

Boreal Forest Animals of the Magpie River

5 creatures you may see between paddle strokes on your whitewater trip

Written and illustrated by BR guide Ty Smith

Despite a remoteness from human activity, you’ll never feel alone on a Magpie River Adventure. Many impressive and hardy animals call the surrounding country home. Thick boreal forests line the river creating dark protective shadows. As we float by, it’s not hard to imagine several sets of eyes watching our strange, bulbous crafts.

Spotting these well-camouflaged forest inhabitants takes keen sight and a bit of luck. Even with animals as large as black bears and caribou. That’s why it’s a special moment, anytime we catch a glimpse (and hopefully a photo).

To let you get to know the Animals of the Magpie a little better, we’ve highlighted 5 of our favourites. As key boreal forest species, they help make Magpie River ecology so fascinating.

Caribou (Rangifer tarandus)

Ink sketch: Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) of the boreal forest, Quebec

Innu: Atiku
French: Caribou

Habitat and Range: Tundra and coniferous (especially “boreal”) forest in Canada, Alaska, and pockets of northern Idaho.

Diet: Depending on the season, caribou feed on sedges and grasses, alder leaves, mushrooms, lichens (particularly in winter), willow catkins, cotton grass, horsetails, and dwarf birch.

Fun Fact: As an adaptation to the dark northern winter, caribou are able to see ultraviolet light. This allows them to visually perceive things other animals (including humans) can’t like the urine of predators. They can also see lichen, which absorbs UV radiation, as darker patches against the winter snowscape. This ability gives caribou a competitive advantage at avoiding encounters with carnivores like grey wolves and finding food when it is scarce or hidden.

Beaver (Castor canadensis)

Ink sketch: Beaver (Castor canadensis) found in the boreal forest, Quebec

Innu: Amishku
French: Castor

Habitat and Range: Marshes, ponds and streams across Canada, in Alaska and all United States except Florida and arid parts of the southwest.

Diet: A majority of the beaver’s diet is made up of tree bark and the soft tissue beneath the bark called cambium. However, they will also eat water plants, buds and roots. Given a choice of tree bark to eat, beavers are partial to birch, alder, willow, aspen, poplar, maple, beech and cottonwood.

Fun Fact: Beavers have lips that can close behind their chisel-sharp front teeth. This lets them move and chew wood underwater without getting anything (like splinters) in their mouths.

Lynx (Lynx canadensis)

Ink sketch: Lynx (Lynx canadensis) of the Boreal Forest, Quebec

Innu: Pishu
French: Loup-cervier, Lynx

Habitat and Range: Coniferous forest across Canada, Alaska, United States bordering Canada and south in the Rocky Mountains into Colorado.

Diet: The lynx is a very specialized hunter with the snowshoe hare, it’s chosen quarry, accounting for about 75% of its diet. The remainder of the lynx’s diet includes small rodents like meadow voles, birds like grouse and ptarmigan, carrion and occasionally large herbivores like caribou and deer.

Fun Fact: Different lynx populations have different physical form and appearance depending on climate conditions. More northerly lynx, which must cope with thick snow for longer periods, have lighter colouration, thicker fur, and larger and more padded paws, than their southern relatives. In some cases their paws, which help keep them on the surface of deep snow, are larger than an adult human’s feet.

Grey Wolf (Canis lupus)

Innu: Maikan
French: Loup

Habitat and Range: Coniferous and deciduous forests across Canada, in Alaska and the northern border of the United States.

Diet: Grey wolves eat meat, exclusively. By hunting as a pack, they are able to kill larger animals including moose, caribou, deer, bison, elk and musk-oxen. Smaller animals like hares, beaver, small rodents and grouse round-out their diet.

Fun Fact: Well-adapted to the periodical feast and famine of the wild, grey wolves are able to fast between meals for up to 2 weeks without damaging their health. Conversely, after a large kill, grey wolves will eat up to 30 lbs in a single sitting.

American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)

Ink sketch: American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) found in the boreal forest

Innu: Mashku
French: Ours

Habitat and Range: Forests and wooded swamps across Canada, the United States, Alaska and northern Mexico.

Diet: Black bears are omnivorous, eating fruits, nuts, berries, insects, fish, small mammals, carrion and honey. In rare instances they will prey on juvenile moose and deer. Their sensitive noses allow them to find food over large distances and in less obvious places (like ant-colonies hidden in rotten logs).

Fun Fact: In autumn, black bears may spend up to 20 hours a day foraging. During this time they will increase their body weight by 35%, building up fat-stores to survive the long winter.

Bonus Creature: Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)

Innu: Matameku
French: Truite mouchetée, Omble de fontaine

Habitat and Range: Native to eastern North America in Canada and the United States but introduced to Europe, Asia and elsewhere in North America. The Brook Trout is at home in all kinds of clear, freshwater, including rivers, streams, lakes and spring ponds. They are also, by far, the most commonly reeled-in fish on the Magpie River.

Diet: In their youth, brook trout mostly eat small insects. Once they reach maturity, their diet broadens to include minnows and other small “bait” fish, worms, snails, and a full range of aquatic insects.

Fun Facts: A brook trout is actually not a trout at all, but a type of “charr” (albeit the most trout-like charr out there). They can also live up to 9 years while growing to nearly 3 ft and 14 lbs.

What to do if you see one of these animals

Step 1: Be calm

Don’t panic. Being calm, cool and collected is the key to not startling the potential subject of your photo-shoot.

Step 2: Quietly assess the situation

If you’re in a raft, “stealthily” get your guide’s attention so they can steer the raft to the perfect distance and angle. And so they can quiet down the rest of the crew. The same goes if you’re in an armada of packrafts. Except you need to do the precision paddling.

If you’re on land, assess the situation for your own safety and everyone else’s. Then get a guide’s attention so they can double-check your assessment and gather other nature-lovers.

This is a good one to have a predetermined, but unobtrusive signal (like making the sound of a chipmunk) that lets your team know what’s up.

Step 3: Stay safe

If you’re too close to the animal, or in its path, calmly give it some space. Keeping your eye on the animal to judge its reaction.

If you’re on the water, it’s usually not difficult to get away quickly. Particularly with the help of the current.

If you’re on land, you can give space while walking calmly toward your basecamp. From there, if the animal needs even more space (e.g. is extra curious or rambunctious), you and your team can make a swift escape onto the water by raft or packraft (always kept near the water’s edge).

However, in most cases, it’s the wild animal that will be scared away by a large and boisterous group of rafters.

Step 4: Observe the wonder of nature!

Once your distance is safe, silently take out your camera and fire away. Or just enjoy watching a wild animal in its natural habitat.

For the brook trout, it’s probably best to fine-tune your fishing game, and reel one in, if you want a closer look and a photo.

If you notice a creature during your flight in, you’re probably good to skip straight to step 4… and to be as loud about it as you like.

Want to experience these boreal forest animals first-hand? Join us on this summer’s Magpie River Adventure or Magpie Packraft Expedition.

The Pacuare River and Hydroelectric Peril

The balance of wilderness conservation and industrial ambition in Costa Rica

By Boreal River Guide – Ty Smith, MSc

PRotecting the Rio Pacuare from hydroelctric dams

Pacuare: The Quintessential Jungle River

The Pacuare River is a world famous destination for whitewater paddlers and eco-tourists. The river boasts warm water, dense virgin tropical rainforest, abundant wildlife, and waterfalls-galore. It’s hard to overstate the lushness of vegetation along the Pacuare, with incredibly bio-diverse plant and tree species covering the steep surrounding hills and canyon walls.

The Pacuare River valley is home to the Cabécar Indigenous people and is part of their ancestral territory.

The river itself is beautiful, characterized by clear blue-tinted water and round boulders. These shift during floods, causing the rapids to morph and form new paddling lines.

Most importantly, the Pacuare is a free-flowing river that you can paddle year-round.

“It’s like the Disney Land of rivers with awesome rapids, waterfalls coming in from everywhere, and giant blue butterflies, toucans, and sloths.

It’s also just accessible enough that we can get there fairly easily, but remote enough that it’s stayed relatively pristine. And it’s perfect for whitewater paddling with groups, with continuous, technical, and fun rapids that are not too difficult. It’s a highly runnable river! ”
– Danny Peled, Founder of Boreal River Adventures

Paddling the Pacuare

The Pacuare flows from the Talamanca Mountains, the interior “spine” of southeastern Costa Rica, to the Caribbean coast. It ranks in the top 10 of most lists of premiere rafting destinations in the world.

Along it’s 180km (112mi) journey it drops 1,280m (4,200ft) and forms 6 distinct paddling sections:

  • Headwaters (only accessible by hiking)
  • The Top (class II-III)
  • Upper Upper (class II-III+),
  • The Upper (class IV-V)
  • The Lower (class III-IV)
  • The Coastal Lowlands (flat water)

The 37km (23mi) “Lower Pacuare” is the most popular rafting section in Costa Rica. It contains lots of continuous rapids including class IV “Dos Montañas”, “Cimarrones”, and “Upper and Lower Huacas”.

Rio Pacuare, Savegre, Reventazon - Costa Rica Rivers and dams Map

Map of Costa Rica with the Pacuare, Reventazón and Savegre Rivers indicated.

Hydroelectric Threat to the Pacuare River

Costa Rica’s national energy company has prized the vast hydroelectric potential of the Pacuare for decades. But so far, a stalwart resistance has successfully saved the river from development.

Currently, a presidential decree protects the Pacuare from larger hydroelectric projects (>500KW) until 2030. But, this fragile truce between industry and river activism could be overruled by a new government before then.

The ultimate conservation goal is to establish lasting, legal protection for the Pacuare River. Until then, the future of Costa Rica’s best and most sustainable whitewater rafting, and the home of the indigenous Pacuare Cabécar people, remains uncertain.

“… for more than 20 years they’ve planned a dam on the Pacuare. But we’ve put up a very strong fight, and we’ve stopped them a little bit. But then the government changes.”- Kerlin Salazar Pérez, Cabécar person

A Fight Worth a Dam

3 ICE headquarters in Costa Rica

The Instituto Constarricence de Electricidad (ICE) head office in San Jose, CR.

Several parties are concerned with the building of a dam on the Pacuare River:

The Cabécar Indigenous People

Damming the Pacuare River will flood the home of the Cabécar people and displace them from those areas. They stand to lose much of their traditional way of life, including access to the fish, edible and medicinal plants, animals, and adventure tourism jobs they rely on for subsistence. The dubious economic benefits and power supply of (CR currently has a power surplus) a new dam must be weighed against the environmental, social, cultural, and economic costs to the local Cabécar people.

Instituto Constarricence de Electricidad (ICE)

ICE is Costa Rica’s government-owned electrical power monopoly. Since the 1940’s they have a constitutional mandate to investigate and develop energy resources for Costa Rica. Since 1986, ICE has proposed damming the Pacuare River to generate power.

Citizens of Turrialba and surrounding communities

Turrialba is the closest city to the put-ins for the Pacuare River. It is the staging ground for most adventure tourism activities involving the river. In 2005, the citizens of Turrialba held a constitutional vote for the future of their community. 97% voted to not dam the Pacuare.

Adventure Tourism Community

The Pacuare adventure tourism community includes Costa Rican and international companies and guides. They focus on whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing, zip-lining and trekking. This industry also sustains and is supported by several eco-lodges. And the impact to the local economy extends far beyond the outdoor activities, to transportation, hospitality, and local suppliers.

Amigos del Río Pacuare

Made up of members from the above groups, except ICE, the “Friends of the Pacuare River” have been the prominent voice contesting dams on the Pacuare. They organized the plebiscite in Turrialba and advocate tirelessly with the Costa Rican government to protect the river .

The Hydroelectric Conundrum

Let’s take a moment to talk about why dams might not be a good idea. Dams mitigate floods, store drinking water, and generate power. As long as the water source doesn’t dry up (e.g. when a glacier melts away to nothing) they are a renewable resource. However, for years the term renewable, as it relates to dams, has been used interchangeably (or confused) with “green” power.

At Boreal River Adventures we rely on rivers for our livelihood. Our bias against dams goes beyond the aesthetic difference between a dry riverbed and a vibrant free-flowing river. However, let’s objectively examine both sides of the argument and then discuss some of the main points.

Rio Reventazon Hydro Dam

The Reventazon Dam (305.5MW). The largest dam in Central America

Pros of dams

  • Renewable resource
  • Large dams can generate substantial power
  • Creates many jobs during the building of the dam and power line infrastructure
  • Creates operational and maintenance jobs once built
  • Power can be produced “on demand”
  • Can prevent flooding
  • Does not involve fossil fuels or uranium during power generation
  • Can provide a source of stored drinking water
  • Can maintain a “healthy” river ecosystem via several methods (e.g. fish ladders, continuous base flow)

Cons of dams

  • Destruction and disruption of intact wilderness
  • Organic matter decay releases greenhouse gasses
  • Negative impact on adventure tourism activities
  • Fish kills impact ecosystem balance and fishery stocks
  • Change in river temperature profile forces species to adapt or die
  • Invasive species may be better adapted to post-dam conditions and move into ecosystem
  • Dam failures occur (particularly in active tectonic areas like Costa Rica)
  • Large tracts of land (read virgin rainforest of the Pacuare) are clear cut to connect power lines to the dam
  • Flooding can occur (e.g. reservoir filling, high volume releases to protect dam structural integrity)
  • Earthquakes have been linked to the incredible mass of water withheld by some large dams, which also threatens the stability of the dam
  • Sediment buildup decreases the efficiency of power generation. This negatively impacts the river when released in large flushing events (like clear water turning to de-oxygenated mud slurry).

Although dams provide important services like power generation and crop irrigation, they can also cause environmental and cultural problems. When weighed against each other it seems inappropriate to call dams “green energy”. This is especially true when you consider the growing capability and popularity of today’s renewable power options. For example, in 2012 governments and businesses installed 75 gigawatts of wind and solar power, compared to 30 gigawatts of hydropower. (Source: International Rivers)

In general, Costa Rica is a challenging country in which to build dams. The volcanic central mountain ranges are formed by the Cocos tectonic plate sinking under the Caribbean Plate. This active tectonic zone results in volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Next consider that a tropical rainforest climate is already prone to landslides and flooding. The long-term structural integrity of large dams is far from guaranteed.

Fortunately for the Pacuare River, the argument against a dam is stronger because of lessons hard-learned from other ICE projects. These lessons include people being displaced, methane gas being emitted from decaying organic matter, and fisheries have been depleted by sediment and debris flushes. The fact that Costa Rica currently has a power surplus, also makes further dam building unnecessary.

Find out more about the environmental impacts of dams from the organization International Rivers.

Timeline: Dams and Conservation

1986 – ICE submitted a proposal to build a dam on the Pacuare River near the end of the Lower Section at the rapid Dos Montañas. The site was geographically ideal as sheer rock walls formed a natural constriction.

1991 – Before the start of building, a powerful 7.5 earthquake, centered in nearby Puerto Limón, shook the area. It destabilized the dam site’s bedrock, causing fissures and forced ICE to abandon the project.

1998 and 2000 – ICE completed 2 dams on the Reventazón River, north of the Pacuare. The 177MW Angosturas dam (2000) destroyed a major section of raftable whitewater. This caused most commercial rafting companies to shift to the Pacuare River.

2001 – The Amigos del Río Pacuare river advocacy group was formed. This was in response to an increased appetite for hydroelectric development by the Costa Rican Government. They feared the Pacuare River would share the fate of the Reventazón, .

2005 – The rafting industry boomed in the Turrialba area, and public sentiment seemed strongly in favour of river conservation. To capitalize, the Amigos del Río Pacuare helped organize a plebiscite (referendum). The Turrialba citizens voted 97% to ban dams on the Pacuare River. Although this vote could not legally prevent a future dam, it was a clear and persuasive expression of the public will.

Costa Rica Hydrolectric Dam Threat TImeline 1996 to 2005

2006 – Having given up on the Dos Montañas Site, ICE proposed building a dam on the Upper Upper section of the Pacuare. The reservoir for the dam would flood a Cabécar community and displace them from ancestral lands.

2014 – The Amigos del Pacuare organized a meeting with the new CR government to negotiate protecting the Pacuare. This led to President Luis Guillermo Solís’ signing a decree to protect the Pacuare and Savegre Rivers from large dams for 25 years.

2016 – The 305.5MW Reventazón Dam was completed, becoming the largest dam in Central America.

2017 – The Costa Rican Government passed the Wetlands Protection Act in March.

2017 – In June the Savegre River became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It boasts wondrous biodiversity, with 59% of Costa Rica’s birds, 54% its mammals, and 20% of its flora.

Costa Rica Dam Threat timeline 2006 to 2017

The Reventazón Reckoning

Flooded Reventazon River

The Reventazón Dam Reservoir after being filled. The treetops protruding from the water hint at substantial decaying organic matter below the surface.

The Reventazón River, a large watershed north of the Pacuare, was once a hub for world-class whitewater paddlers. In fact, many northern hemisphere Olympic kayakers would train on the Reventazón during their winter.

In 1991, the World Championship for Whitewater Rafting was held on the Reventazón for a raucous 15 days of high-water racing.

Unfortunately, the former majesty of the Reventazón has been chipped away with 3 successively larger dams. By the second dam’s completion, much of the worthwhile rafting was dry and most companies had moved away. With the completion of the Reventazón Dam, the largest in Central America, no rafting was viable without a scheduled release. This now happens rarely and is not the main business of the companies involved. Besides the periodically-defibrillated flicker of a pulse, the Reventazón is essentially dead.

What’s more, problems of excessive sediment load and organic matter decay plague the Reventazón Dam.

Before filling the dam reservoir, ICE was required to remove all organic matter. This wasn’t done. As a result, the substantial drowned vegetation below the surface continuously releases greenhouse gasses as it decays.

High sediment loads in the river have been connected with improper agricultural practices and heavy rain events (not uncommon in a rainforest). The sediment backs-up behind the dam and can cause the power generators to work less efficiently. To clear out the sediment the Reventazón Dam Operators perform several large flushing releases per year. During these releases, a muddy slurry replaces the base flow downstream. This causes a large death toll among the fish population, as their gills clog with sediment.

The Reventazón Dam is not a picture of environmentally conscientious choices. It should serve as a stark vision of the future of the Pacuare River, if a dam is approved.

El Presidente Wades Into The Pacuare

There are few environmental advocacy stories with a better climatic moment than the battle for the Pacure. President Solís’ flare for the dramatic, no doubt played a part.

On August 29th, 2015 a festival was held on the Pacuare River celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Turrialba’s historic vote. Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís, his wife, daughter, and Environment Minister Edgar Gutiérrez, all went rafting to see the Pacuare first-hand.

Afterward, a forum was held with all vested parties including members from The Cabécar Nation, Amigos del Rio Pacuare, Citizens of Turrialba, Adventure Tourism Professionals, and members of the Costa Rican Government (ICE being an extension of the govt.).

Environment Minister Edgar Gutiérrez prepared the crowd saying, “It’s really a great day because we managed to demonstrate that people do count. The old way of doing politics, of doing government by imposition is over.”

He then highlighted that Costa Rica now provides electricity to 99.4% of the country “[without] burning one litre of fuel to generate [it].”

Gutiérrez noted that this fossil fuel-free power came at the cost of several hydroelectric projects, including the “immense environmental impact” of the Arenal dam. Built in northwestern CR, the Arenal generates 12% of the nation’s power. But, with its reservoir full, it also tripled the size of Lake Arenal.

The forum culminated in President Solís asking the audience to form a circle with their chairs around him. Accompanied by Minister Gutiérrez he then produced a decree: dams would be banned from the Pacuare and Savegre rivers for 25 years. After the two diplomats signed the document, Solís held it above his head and shouted, “For Costa Rica!”

Encouragement for Future Conservation

As you might imagine, the elated audience applauded and cheered. It was a day that some had been fighting toward for several decades, and they enjoyed the moment.

President Solís closed with some encouraging words for conservation and a call for continued action:

“I’m going to tell you this, the reality today conspires against the damming of water,” he said. “The investors who want to produce electricity in Costa Rica aren’t thinking of dams because they know that climate change doesn’t facilitate that. But even more than that, the communities aren’t going to permit it.”

“So, congratulations for what you’ve accomplished so far, but what’s left to do is much more. What we’re doing today is a testimony, nothing more, a testimonial expression of what this country can do in the future.”

A (Tentatively) Hopeful Future

In the years following the historic victory for the Pacuare, 4 events occurred that give hope for its future.

  1. The Raventazón Dam was completed and ran into problems with greenhouse gas emissions. These were due to organic matter decaying in its reservoir, and excessive sediment build-up and release in large flushing events. This environmental and economic (adventure tourism, fishing) damage has not gone unnoticed. Those who may have supported a Pacuare Dam now have a glaring example of what could happen to their river. And those who oppose it have further justification for their cause.
  2. Costa Rica passed the National Wetlands Protection Act on March 6, 2017. This aims to preserve and revitalize the nation’s rivers, lakes, mangroves, other wetlands, and their biodiversity. The Act combines efforts from the Ministry of the Environment, the National System of Conservation Areas, and the United Nations Development Program. It’s part of a national strategy to conserve and sustainably manage Costa Rica’s wetlands. Although no permanent legal protection has been established, this policy paves the way for that to happen.
  3. The Savegre River became a UNESCO World Heritage Site on June 15, 2017. This was a near-immediate example of policy leading to action. The government must now ensure that the Biosphere Reserve maintains all the characteristics that made the UNESCO designation possible. However, it does not represent any substantial changes for the communities involved. A similar status might be a good fit for the Pacuare River Valley. There are several active communities interested in environmental protection, while keeping access to the “sustainable” use of their land and natural resources.
  4. Lastly, on April 1, 2018 Carlos Alvarado Quesada was elected President of Costa Rica. He is a member of the same party as Solís (center-left Citizens’ Action Party); it is hoped he will be just as supportive of the Pacuare. With a government favourable toward conservation until at least 2022, the Pacuare (and Savegre) Decree should go unaltered.

Friends of the Pacuare

After years of effort, the public and governmental will are finally aligned, and legal policies are in place to safeguard the Pacuare for generations to come.

It’s a very exciting time to be a “Friend of the Pacuare”; the future of paddling and experiencing this beautiful river has never been more hopeful.

 

What You Can Do

If you want to help protect the Pacuare, there are a few things you can do.

Stay informed. Check back here for updates on the fight for the Pacuare.

Take a stand. Even if you’re not from the area, sign a petition or send a letter to a government official. It can make a difference, especially if you represent someone bringing tourism to the area.

Support adventure tourism. Take part in, and tell others about, sustainable adventure activities. Help the companies that want to keep the area natural. Plus, it’s a healthy and bold way to experience the world!

Experience the Pacuare

Here are 2 great options for you to visit the Pacuare River (with us ☺ ) this winter:

Costa Rica Packrafting

Join a jungle expedition and explore the Pacuare on the 9-day Costa Rica Packrafting trip. You’ll paddle your own packraft, camp on the riverside, hike in the rainforest, and gain skills—far from the crowds.

Costa Rica Wilderness First Responder Course

Earn international certification as a Wilderness First Responder at an eco camp on the banks of the Pacuare. For backcountry leaders, rescue teams, and anybody who travels remotely, you’ll gain the confidence and abilities to manage medical problems in the backcountry.

Boreal River founder, Danny Peled, will guide and instruct the Costa Rica trips. He spent 5 seasons river guiding in Costa Rica through his twenties and fell in love with the Pacuare. Boreal River has been running training and adventure trips on the Pacuare since 2013, with our local partners and guides.

 

 

What’s the deal with packrafting?

Everything you ever wanted to know about packrafting—but were afraid to ask

By Boreal River Guide – Ty Smith

Going to the frontier is always worth the effort. It’s where the unique places and experiences are found.

In the case of packrafting, we’re at the junction of 2 frontiers of wilderness travel: backpacking and paddling. Technology has finally caught up with the ambition to hike to remote locations, and get to a lake or river. Instead of turning around and going home, roll-out a boat and keep on cruising (The reverse operation is also true when you get back to land).

Packrafting is the minimalist counter to a busy lifestyle. It’s the ability to thrive in the backcountry while embracing the ultra-light ethos and the freedom therein that has lead to packrafting’s popularity. There’s room for everything you need, except your worries – which you don’t need anyway.

Packraft – the boat that fits in your bag

In essence, a packraft is a small inflatable kayak. It is lightweight (6-11lbs), packs down tiny, is stable enough to run whitewater, and is large enough to accommodate you and your water-proofed gear.

Because your boat fits in your bag, along with all your other stuff, it’s an ideal way to explore previously inaccessible terrain. And since modern packraft designs are relatively stable, even a novice paddler, with great instruction can be paddling Class 3 whitewater in a short period of time – often on their first day!

However, if a rapid looks a little too big for comfort, or if we need to walk around an impassable section, portaging a packraft is a cinch.

Origins of Packrafting Myth

It’s said that after Leonardo DaVinci sketched the flying machine and the aerial-screw – precursors to modern airplanes and helicopters, respectively, he then moseyed down to his favourite lazy river. He spent two days constructing a bulky wooden raft, then lay back to casually float downstream sipping sangrias. Just as he was dozing off, his raft bumped into the bloated body of a dead cow that was trapped, floating and swirling in an eddy.

With his incredible powers of deduction, Leonardo realized how he could have had that victory sangria much earlier. Thus, he abruptly poled back upstream…. strode to his work desk… and added one more design to his sketchpad. Although gruesome by modern standards, his new boat, was a revelation. It consisted of several inflated and watertight animal organs sewn together. This boat was portable, easily deployable, and initially edible.

The packraft, as it would eventually be called, was conceived! … (see corroborating evidence below).

Unfortunately, like many of Leonardo’s ideas, the packraft was ahead of its time and so wooden boats had their day. Eventually, the rubber inner tube was invented leading to smoother riding vehicles. When turned horizontal, they were a great way to float downstream with your friends and a couple of brewskies.

The age of inflatables had begun!

Watercraft Origins Closer to Fact

Just like the tree of life, designs of inflatable watercraft began to branch out — behemoth rafts were tried on the largest rivers in the world. Smaller rafts, inflatable kayaks and catarafts were the stuff of narrow creeks and rivers.

Floor designs went from non-bailing “bucket boats” to self-bailing, and propulsion involved 1 and 2-bladed paddles, oars, and even motors. In time, the right inflatable boat combinations were found for the right rivers… to maximize fun and safety.

However, in almost every scenario, the boats needed a mode of transport, beyond just human, to get to the action.

The First True Packraft

There was a single exception. On one of the smallest twigs of the tree, somewhere between inflatable kayaks and those pool-toy dolphins from Marineland, emerged the packraft.

history of packrafting

Peter Halkett (1820-1885) – National Maritime Museum, London

The first recognizable packraft was built by Lt. Peter Halkett in the 1840’s. It was made of cotton impregnated with Indian rubber. His boat was created in London, England but designed for carrying across the rugged terrain between rivers in the Canadian Arctic, where his father worked for The Hudson’s Bay Company.

The “Halkett boat” was later deemed invaluable to several early European Arctic Explorers. It had the added benefits of transforming into a raincoat or groundsheet, depending on the design. Accessories also included a walking stick, which became a breakdown paddle, and an umbrella, which remained an umbrella while in the boat, but could be used for downwind sailing.

Whitewater Packrafting

The first whitewater-capable packraft is traced to 1952 where it was paddled on the Urique River in Chihuahua, Mexico by Dick Griffith. He later brought the packraft to Alaska where its portability over the difficult terrain between watersheds was extremely practical, much like Halkett’s boat in the Canadian Arctic over a century earlier.

The packraft was introduced 3 decades later to the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic adventure race and has been a mainstay in the competition ever since.

Alaska, is generally regarded as the incubator of contemporary packrafting and the source of its current spread to some of the far reaches of the world including: Western US, Mexico, Central America, Patagonia, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia and other pockets of Europe.

Materials have also improved over time, from impractical cheap vinyl boats (floats?) originally designed for placid pools (look at them the wrong way and they’d pop), to much more robust designs using polyurethane-coated ballistic vinyl.

This generation of boats could finally bump a rock and not immediately sink; they were portable, robust, and river- and sea-worthy. At Boreal River Adventures, we use self-bailing rafts with a Dyneema® outer shell and a urethane internal air-bladder. With thigh straps and a comfy inflatable seat, you’re secure in the boat, which leads to greater control and maneuverability.

How It All Works

  • Take the tightly rolled packraft out of your backpack
  • Unfurl it on a flat and soft surface
  • Pump it up
  • Place in shallow water, step in and go paddling!

Once you’re back to shore:· Step out while in shallow water

  • Place your packraft on a flat and soft surface
  • Deflate and roll tightly
  • Secure (with a cam-strap or rope) and store in your pack
  • Hike off like it was “no big deal”

How To Deploy

Packrafting 411

How practical are packrafts, really?

Really practical! As mentioned, the new generation of packraft is more durable than their predecessors. They pack up small, weigh 6-10 lbs and are stable enough to run the bigger stuff – even on your first day.

Are they cool or will I play the fool?

Packrafting is niche, and granted, not all niches are cool (e.g. dancing the polka outside of October). This niche allows the amphibious merger of backcountry hiking and whitewater paddling – both “cool” in their own right – so you tell me.

If you have any further misgivings, all of our guides like to “nerd-out” about something (fishin’, paddling gear, permaculture, The Habs, etc.). We’ll happily stand or paddle beside you in every photograph and you’ll look super-cool by comparison.

What if I’m no good at Tetris?

Not a strong backpack-space economizer? Our guides have developed finely-tuned packrafting systems for travelling in remote backcountry. Everything from bringing the right (light) gear, to packing your bag, to making sure everything fits in your deployed raft (including yourself). We’ll show you what works for us and you’ll be a nimble packraft-loading-ninja in no time.

So, I can bring everything I need on my back (boat, food, sleeping bag, Teddy)?

Yup!

We help you pack light… so your balance is “just right”.

Well that was probably more info than you could fit in a packraft. Hopefully we covered what you wanted to know, but if not, give us a call. Clearly we’re excited about the possibilities these boats allow and we’d love to chat about them or even take you paddling.

Closing statement (feel free to use it on your future packrafter friends):

So go ahead, cut your adult-sized toothbrush in half (keep the bristly end), buy a spork and find a helium-infused trip shirt (that last one is fictional) – because “packrafting” is a your direct ticket to adventure!

Now that we have packrafts in our adventuring quiver, we’ve come up with 3 great destinations ideal for the intrepid (or prospective) outdoor traveler. Whether you seek:

Boreal River can help you explore each frontier in style.

Quebec’s Côte Nord (North Shore) Region

The Magpie River flows through the heart of Quebec’s Côte-Nord region. This is the area north of the St-Lawrence Gulf from the Saguenay Fjord to Labrador. Along the rugged coastline, river after river spills into the St-Lawrence, bringing freshwater to sea. These rich estuaries are all wild Atlantic Salmon runs. As well they’re feeding grounds for whales, seals, dolphins, and colonies of puffins.

Inland, on the glaciated rock shield, vast stretches of Boreal Forest extend into Quebec’s central mountains and to the tundra. This is one of the largest areas of intact forest in the world. It is home to common Canadian animals – black bear, moose, beaver, loons – and rare, endangered ones: lynx and woodland caribou.

The people

The earliest human inhabitants of this area arrived 8,000 years ago. For the last 2,000 years the Innu people (sometimes called Montagnais) have called it home.

The Innu in the region used to live as semi-nomadic hunters. They spent  summers on the coast and then travelled up the rivers in the fall. Through the winter, they hunted caribou and other animals in the north. The Innu then paddled and portaged down the rivers each spring.

The first Europeans appeared on Viking and Basque fishing fleets. Then, the French settled in fishing villages along the coast.

Today, coastal highway 138 connects the villages and there are few roads that extend inland. Though the road ends at Kegasksa (276 km/171 miles east of the Magpie), a small population inhabits the area further east. Known as the ‘Basse Côte Nord’ (Lower North Shore), these tiny villages, some French, some Innu, some English, are currently only accessible by a weekly supply boat or snowmobile in the winter.

Town of Sept-Îles (Seven Islands), Quebec

The French established a settlement at Sept-Îles in 1651. Soon after that a trading and fishing post was built, which eventually was ceded to the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Despite the safe harbour and excellent fishing, Sept-Îles remained a small community. At the start of the 20th century it was inhabited by about 200 Acadians and 600 Innu on the adjacent reserve.

The town ballooned when industry arrived, first pulp and paper, then mining and massive hydroelectric projects. Since the 1950s, Sept-Îles has been an important economic hub.

Côte Nord region today

The region’s industries include fishing for crab, lobster, scallops, bourgot (whelks), and halibut, and mining in the interior.

The biggest towns of Sept-Îles and Baie Comeau have mineral processing plants and shipping ports. Construction of the Romaine River hydroelectric dams began in the summer of 2009. The over $8 billion development is currently one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Canada. Other projects in the future include extending Highway 138 eastward and new hydroelectric dams.

In recent years tourism has grown. This is thanks to its beautiful landscape, rich history, and Highway 138 that follows the coast from Quebec City to Kegaska (418 kilometres east of Sept Iles). In Mingan Archipelago National Park visitors travel to the islands by motor boat and sea kayak. They are drawn by the marine wildlife, beautiful rock monoliths, and unique coastal ecology.

To take advantage of your time in this beautiful region, read what to do on the Côte Nord.

Magpie and the area’s rivers

Since the 1950’s, Hydro-Quebec has dammed many of the rivers of the region. The Magpie River is one of the few mighty rivers in the world to be virtually untouched. Read our Boreal Forest expert’s impressions of the Magpie.

The Magpie is a world-class destination river. It is considered one of the best stretches on the planet for multi-day whitewater trips for kayakers, canoeists, and rafters. The river is relatively easy to access by float plane or helicopter. At the same time, it is untouched nature; the immediate sense of remoteness and mountainous landscape make for a humbling and spectacular wilderness experience.

However, the Magpie remains unprotected and hydroelectric development threatens its future. This would transform the free flowing river into a network of artificial reservoirs.

Read about the movement to protect the Magpie and what you can do to help.