Firth River
14 DAY TRIP ON
THE FIRTH RIVER (Yukon)
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Ivvavik National Park to the Beaufort Sea
Issuing from the British Mountains of the Brooks Range, this wild
and remote Arctic river flows through the centre of Ivvavik National
Park to the Beaufort Sea. Wildlife which include muskox, caribou,
wolves, eagles and falcons are enhanced by the beautiful Arctic
plant life.
Route Description: High Arctic Tundra River - British Moutains on
the border of Alaska and the Yukon Territory, through Ivvavik
National Park, to Nunaluk Spit in the Beaufort Sea near Herschel
Island, 11 river days: 150 km (94 miles) with an approximate
elevation drop of 460m (approx. 1500 feet)
 ZZ-RAFTC-05
14 days/ 13 nights 6,350
- plus $145 Park Fee
... based on Can$ 6,550 / $148.60
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2008 |
from |
to |
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FHR-01 |
6/16 |
06/29/08 |
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FHR-02 |
6/27 |
07/10/08 |
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FHR-03 |
6/30 |
07/13/08 |
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FHR-04 |
7/11 |
07/24/08 |
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FHR-05 |
7/14 |
07/27/08 |
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Red dates are additional dates
that will be opened after the black dates fill |
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Firth River
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Sample Itinerary
This is an example of what may happen on the trip. The exact schedule
will depend on a number of environmental factors. Due to the
unpredictability of weather in this area and our reliance on good flying
conditions for the charter flights, we suggest you purchase an airline
ticket which allows you to change your departure date with minimal
penalty. You may want to check into trip cancellation insurance which
covers you in case you miss your scheduled flight.
The following initials indicate the meals included each day:
Breakfast = B | Lunch = L | Dinner = D
Day 0 Your journey north from your home will be a refreshing
departure. You will fly over the largest expanse of wilderness in the
world with stunning views on cloudless days, pass through quieter and
friendlier airports, meet friendlier and less harried service personnel
and generally begin to immerse yourself in the wilderness experience
that is about to unfold. Rendezvous in the lobby of the Arctic Chalet at
8:00 p.m. for the pre-trip meeting. This is a chance to meet each other
before the trip starts, discuss the itinerary of the days ahead and
review personal equipment.
Day1 (L/D) If weather permits an early departure for the river, we
will be picked up at our hotels around 9 am and driven out to the
airport to load the plane(s) and depart for the Firth River. Our flight
takes approximately one hour and is an excellent introduction to the
western Arctic. The biologically rich maze of waterways of the Mackenzie
River delta leads into a series of undulating and predominantly treeless
mountain ranges intersected by meandering river courses. Our destination
is Margaret Lake, 255 km (160 mi) from Inuvik. The gravel-bedded Firth
River, at 460 m (1,500 ft), flows through an open valley at this point,
between gently sloping velvety-green hillsides. Craggy limestone peaks
nearby rise 600 m (2,000 ft) above the river to an elevation of 1,070 m
(3,500 ft). There are pockets of small spruce trees in the valley
bottom, while the slopes are covered with dry tundra vegetation.
Well-developed shrub tundra vegetation is present in wetter areas.
Depending on our travel schedule, we will either camp in the vicinity of
Margaret Lake or a short distance downstream.
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Day 2 (B/L/D) Via our whitewater rafts, we'll travel down the river
through an open valley with occasional fast sections of water. We will
stop once or twice for some short hikes up the hillsides to view some
interesting natural and cultural features. We'll camp in the area of Joe
Creek, a major tributary of the Firth. This creek has a large number of
springs upstream in the valley bottom which serve as a hatchery for
Arctic Char fish.
Day 3 (B/L/D) From Joe Creek to our next campsite near Wolf Creek,
the Firth develops occasional rapids of Grade III, easily navigable by
the rafts. The landscape begins to change as the limestone rock type
give way to volcanics, the valley narrows, mountains steepen and a
change in vegetation is apparent. This section has some falcons and
eagles nesting close to the river and we may also see some barrenground
grizzly bears. Day 4 (B/L/D) Taking a day off from travelling down the
river, we will be able to hike over the easily gained ridges to get a
view of the surrounding country. This is the area in which Porcupine
Caribou herd are most likely to be crossing the river and we may be able
to spot them and the attendant predators - wolf, grizzly bear and golden
eagles.
Day 5 (B/L/D) Today we will raft an extremely beautiful section of
the river through open parkland and spectacular mountains. We will be on
the lookout for caribou as well as Dall sheep, which are plentiful in
the area. Caribou and sheep trails crisscross the hillsides. We will
camp just above Sheep Creek, where the river enters a canyon that
continues for approximately 40 km (28 mi).
Day 6 (B/L/D) Sheep Creek, once the site of a gold-mining operation,
is now the warden headquarters for the park. We will visit the station
as well as take a short hike up the creek and mountain to look for
sheep. From Sheep Creek, the canyon has 18 - 24 m (60 - 80 ft) high
walls on either side and rapids that reach Grade III. Manoeuvering
through the canyon, we should see gyrfalcons, golden eagles and
rough-legged hawks that nest on the cliffs.
Day 7 (B/L/D) Today, we will be able to get out of the canyon and
hike over the tundra into the surrounding mountains. From the ridgetops,
we can see the Arctic coast, Herschel Island and the pack ice offshore
to the north. We can also see how the river has incised itself into the
valley floor - a sinuous emerald green channel flowing between colorful
canyon walls.
Day 8 (B/L/D) Rafting down the last section of the canyon, we begin
to leave the mountains and finally emerge on the Arctic coastal plain.
The river begins to braid and we will camp near a very obvious hill,
called Engigstciak, that rises out of the plain to the right of the
river. Engigstciak, an archaeological site of great importance, is an
ideal lookout that has been used by hunters of successful Inuit cultures
for possibly 9,000 years. Now, it is home for nesting birds of prey.
Day 9 (B/L/D) We will spend part of the day exploring Engigstciak
before paddling a short distance downstream to the Buckland Hills. From
the hills, we will have an excellent view of the Firth River delta, the
coastal plain and the ocean. This will be our best vantage point to look
for muskoxen as well as other species of wildlife which inhabit the
coastal plain, such as wolves and grizzly bears.
Day 10 (B/L/D) As the river approaches the coast, it spreads out and
braids to an extent that when it reaches the Beaufort Sea, it forms a
delta 5 km (3 mi) wide. Manoeuvering through this braided section can be
tricky and as the river becomes shallow, we may have to pull the rafts
in short sections. The river enters a lagoon that is protected from the
open ocean and the shore ice by a shingle spit and a series of small
islands. The islands are home to many nesting birds: eider ducks,
glaucous gulls and brant geese. We will plan to camp on the spit or as
weather permits, motor to Pauline Cove, at the eastern end of Herschel
Island.
Day 11 (B/L) Weather permitting, we will fly from Nanaluk Spit
stopping for 3 hours at the historical site and Territorial Park of
Herschel island to view the artifacts of the whaling history dating back
to the 1800's. Then on to Invuik. Once there, you can explore the town
some more. Camp will be at your hotel. The group will likely want to
gather at a local eatery to celebrate the return and recount tales of
the adventure! (Note hotel and meals while in Inuvik are not included).
Click here for the colourful history of Herschel Island.
Day 12 Participants can fly out at any time on this day.
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