Ogilvie Pack Trip

Introduction
Yukon Canada
This is a raw wilderness adventure, back in time… a trip you will never forget, and will live in your memory forever.

Experience the last Frontier, land unspoiled, untouched, with fresh running streams and rivers, mountains of every shape and character, and wildlife including sheep, caribou, moose, grizzly bears, wolverine, wolf and fox.

Camping will be in tents and under tarps, and cooking over campfires. A stove will be available if needed.

You must be physically fit and have some horse experience so that you can ride your horse up to 5 hours in one day. We will stop for lunch within that 5 hours, so there’s time to rejuvenate and stretch. You are welcome to walk your horse when you need to stretch your legs while we are riding.

This trip, however, is not for everyone. You must enjoy and yearn for the true Yukon wilderness and have experience in riding, walking, camping, and enduring all kinds of weather in mountain terrain. We will break camp several times and travel on horseback with all of our gear and food. There will be camp days to rejuvenate in beautiful places where you can sleep in, read, drink tea/coffee, and hike up a nearby mountain.
Our meals will be healthy and hearty. Our horses are experienced, calm, and well versed to the terrain.
Our equipment is up to date and professional. Our guides are experienced and love what they do!

Accomodation

Accommodation
This is a progressive pack trip so nights will be spent in several camps in the mountains. 

Description
We will spend our nights camping in tents and under tarps, cooking over campfires.
As we are sleeping in the wilderness, there are no toilets or showers available during the ride. We usually wash ourselves with a sponge to freshen up. There are lakes and streams along the way if you want to freshen up.

Single travelers will have their own tent.


Meals
All your meals are included.
 
We usually carry along a box of wine with us for the duration of the trip.

Dietary Restrictions
Dietary concerns or differences will be acknowledged and accommodated if notified in advance.

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

Our pack trips are not like travelling on a clean park trail with wood chips. There are wild trails which involve; steep inclines, rocky terrain, hummocky terrain, river crossings, willow patches and rain, even snow. A person must be physically fit and want to have and enjoy a wilderness experience, and be comfortable around horses. Sponge bathing and helping with chores are also part of the experience!

You must be able to walk up steep grades at times, endure wind, rain, and even snow. You must be physically fit and have some horse experience so that you can ride your horse up to 5 hours in one day. We will stop for lunch within that 5 hours, so there’s time to rejuvenate and stretch. You are welcome to walk your horse when you need to stretch your legs while we are riding.

Itinerary

You will be experiencing the last Frontier, land unspoiled, untouched, with fresh running streams and rivers, mountains of every shape and full of wildlife. This trip, however, is not for everyone, you must enjoy and yearn for the true Yukon wilderness and have experience in riding, walking, camping, and enduring all kinds of weather in mountain terrain.

Each day, you will ride for about 5 hours (including lunch break), going from camp to camp. There will also be camp days to rejuvenate in beautiful places where you can sleep in, read, drink tea/coffee, and hike up a nearby mountain.

We will travel on horseback with all of our gear and food to last us for the entire trip.


Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

Day 1:
Day one is a driving day up to the Ogilvie Mountains passing Carmacks, Pelly Crossing, Stewart crossing and driving along the Yukon River. Then we will take the famous Dempster Highway which goes all the way up to the Arctic Circle and Tuktoyaktuk North West Territories. Once on the Dempster Highway it will be a 1.5 hour drive through the Tombstone Mountains/Tombstone National Park finally arriving at the trail head, where we will set up camp for the night.
Meals included: Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping off Dempster Highway

Day 2: Ride to Blackstone River
The second day of the tour will begin with breakfast, coffee and packing up all the gear to go on the horses. Once the horses are packed we will begin our trip into the Ogilvie Mountains. Day two takes us over Austen pass a beautiful plateau pass that occasionally holds grizzly bear, dall sheep, wolves and Caribou then finally down into the Blackstone River; a well known river in the Yukon. After roughly 5 hours of riding we will make camp on the gravel bar of the Blackstone River, dinner over the fire, tents set up and off to bed.
~5 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Blackstone River

Day 3: Ride to Seela Creek
This day is a beautiful day that takes us up over another pass out of the Blackstone River valley and into Seela creek valley. This pass is unique for its tight but gradual pass and often only used by wild game. We will stop for lunch in a nice grassy meadow overlooking Seela creek then make our way into another valley to set up camp that overlooks where we have traveled that day. Approximately 5 hours of riding this day. Everyone sets up their tent, dinner over the fire and time for bed.
~5 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Seela Creek

Day 4: Ride to Kit Lake
Day four is a beautiful day with a good majority of the day high up in plateau, above the tree line. This wide valley of plateau is a common migration route for the Porcupine Caribou herd which is the herd that migrates all the way to and from Alaska every year. Making our way over the plateau and stopping for lunch in a desired location you will finally arrive at Kit Lake which is a lake just big enough to land a float plane on. Approximately 4-5 hours of riding this day. Everyone sets up their tent, perhaps some may want to bath or swim in the lake, dinner over the fire and time for bed.
~4-5 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Kit Lake

Day 5: Rest day at Kit Lake
Day off at Kit Lake with your choice of hiking, riding or taking it easy by the fire. Enjoy a day of swimming. Tell stories by the fire, drink coffee/tea and look out for animals passing through.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Kit Lake

Day 6 Ride to Olsen Flats
On this day you finally drop down in elevation enough to see some spruce trees and ride pass them as you make your way to Olsen Flats, a shallow yet spread wide creek with many small channels. This day is a shorter day with approximately 4 hours of riding and camping near Olsen creek, where there has been moose and seen before. Clients are welcome to bath in the creek, have dinner over a fire and enjoy a soothing sound of water flowing as they fall asleep.
~4 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Olsen Flats

Day 7: Ogilvie Mountains
This day consists of another gradual pass that takes you in to a now a days untouched valley, our very favorite valley of the whole trip. This riding day is approximately 5 hours long with some amazing view of the Ogilvie Mountains and as far North as your eye can see. Once dropping down off the pass you will follow a creek that takes you to our camp in the middle of the valley where there tends to be many caribou, sheep and occasionally a grizzly bear. The caribou in this valley are Woodland Caribou, which tend to be darker in color and a bulkier/bigger build to them, with magnificent antlers. Once in camp, clients are welcome to hike up the small peak in the middle of the valley or help with chores. Dinner over the fire, tents and bed.
~5 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Ogilvie Mountains

Day 8: Rest day, or ride.
Day eight will be a day off with a extra long coffee in the morning, breakfast and the possibility of a hike or a ride if the group desires it. Stories and tea by the fire, then to bed.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Ogilvie Mountains

Day 9: Ride to Olsen Creek
This day will involve a bit of back tracking to get back over to the Olsen Flats valley. Once arriving at Olsen creek we will start heading up it and find a nice camp by the creek where everyone is welcome to bath, wash laundry and laugh by the fire. Tents set up and bed time. Time riding for this day approximately 5 hours.
~5 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near Seeley Valley

Day 10: More wildlife
This is a slightly shorter day however the views are quite different but raw at the same time, the mountains on this day have a different look and atmosphere to them, with a green tinge of the Caribou moss it makes you feel like your in medieval times. This day you have a decent chance of seeing moose, sheep, caribou, wolf and especially grizzly bear. Where the camp is located is up on a bench which is the beginning to a high basin filled with lots of caribou trails and moss, with a oasis like creek you camp beside. Keep a look out for animals this night because you are able to see the main stream of wildlife right from your door step. Approximately 3-4 hours of riding this day with lunch. Tents set up and bed.
~3-4 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping near a creek

Day 11: Loop back to Seela Creek
On this day you will notice you have made a big loop and will start to remember your surroundings and footsteps when you hit them that evening. A majority of the day is over grassy plateau and common sightings of the Porcupine Caribou herd and hopefully a moose or two in one of the many willow draws/dried creek beds you ride through. Camp at Seela Creek or up in the hidden pass.
~5 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Camping at Seela Creek or up in the hidden pass

Day 12: Final ride
The last day of the tour, with a slightly longer day riding for Approximately 6-7 hours, along the Blackstone River and up over Austen pass, finally arriving back at the truck. Dinner over a fire for the last time, tents set up, reminisce about the amazing adventure you just had and finally spend your last night in a tent in the Yukon.
~6-7 hours riding
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch (Dinner also included if you wish to stay at the cabin)

Day 13: Back to base camp
Get a decent start in the morning so you can enjoy the evening back at base camp. Load the horses in the horse trailer after breakfast and coffee and make your way down the Dempster Highway to the North Klondike highway where you’ll turn towards Whitehorse. Once at back base camp you’ll have a nice dinner either in town or at the house, chat about the trip, take everything in and finally pack your stuff for the following morning when it is time to depart.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at base camp in Whitehorse

Day 14 Departure
Drop off to the airport or your hotel in Whitehorse after breakfast.
Meals included: Breakfast

Rates and Dates for Ogilvie Pack Trip

Dates Note: * other dates possible -- please inquire

Other Info
Meeting: Whitehorse
Airport: Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport (YXY)
Transfer: Whitehorse

Climate:
                                            Whitehorse area

• 1 or 2 pairs of good quick dry pants (jeans not allowed)
• 2 quick dry shirts; 1 long, 1 short, 1 cotton shirt is allowed if necessary
• 4 pairs of merino wool or pure wool socks (8 pairs maximum)
• 1 pair of water proof hiking boots, (shoes not permitted) 
• 1 pair of camp shoes
• Rain jacket and rain pants, must be waterproof if it were submerged in water for 1 hour (thicker the better but still lightweight)
• 1-2 down coats, lighter and heavier
• Water resistant or fleece sweater/hoodie (no cotton)
• 2-4 pairs of underwear
• 1 pair of long johns/long underwear
• 1 pair of gloves (wool, leather or fully water proof)
• 1 buff/neck warmer
• 1 cap; ball cap or toque
• Half chaps or gaiters; leather does not keep you dry so we recommend fully waterproof polyester or neoprene gaiters
• Dry bags for clothes: waterproof or water resistant (all clothes and sleeping gear will be placed into water proof duffle bag during travel days on the trip)