The Yukon’s
Northern Grail Wind River
by Teresa Earle F
ind a map of the Yukon and draw a circle around the wildest, most expansive mountain region you can see, and you’ll happen upon the a Holy Grail of north- ern rivers. The Wind River lies at the core of a pristine triangle of wilderness that
straddles both sides of the Yukon/NWT border—a roadless landscape in excess of 150,000 square kilometres bounded by the Dempster Highway, the Canol Road and the Mackenzie River. The river begins as a shimmering ribbon of crystalline blue-green water flowing north through the Wernecke Mountains—a spectacular range of regal, colour-stained peaks—and gains velocity and volume over 200 kilometres before it merges with the pow- erful Peel. Along the way, the Wind flows from open, treeless mountains to a densely forested plateau. Perhaps only a dozen parties paddle this river each summer. The Wind and its sister rivers—the Hart, Snake and Bonnet Plume—offer the kind of wilderness experience no longer possible elsewhere on the continent.
How to do it
From Whitehorse, drive five hours to the small central-Yukon town of Mayo and the float plane base of Black Sheep Aviation. From here, it’s a 45-minute flight to the put- in on tiny McClusky Lake. A short portage and a morning of lining canoes down a bois- terous creek puts you on the Wind. During normal water levels, the upper Wind River is essentially a Class II flow of riffles, tight turns and the odd powerful eddy. After the first day, the river is surprisingly free of obstructions or portages. Friendly and non- technical, the river meanders and periodically braids, and the lower stretches range from lazy paddling to bumpy braids to bouncy sec- tions. The return flight from the Peel River is over two hours. Drop-off and pickup for six people/three canoes costs about $6,000.
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www.canoeroots.ca Tips
Best campsite—On your last day in the mountains, camp on the east side of the river for a stunning view of Royal Mountain’s rocky crown and explore nearby canyons or climb ridges for breathtaking views up and down the river.
Headlamp reading—The Lost Patrol, by Dick North
Don’t forget—extra freeboard. The rainbow of stones at your feet will beg you to start a collection. Also bring a fishing rod and Yukon license—arctic grayling lurk in the eddies.
Info—
www.touryukon.com.
Outfitters—Six licensed Yukon outfitters offer 12- to 20-day trips,
www.yukonwild.com.
Guidebooks and maps—The Wind, the Snake and the Bonnet Plume, Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, Yukon Chapter,
www.cpawsyukon.org; Paddling in the Yukon, Ken Madsen. Order books and topos from Mac’s Fireweed Books, 800-661-0508.
Campfire story— The Lost Patrol
Wind River paddlers are in the ghostly company of Inspector Fitzgerald of the North West Mounted Police and his ill-fated Lost Patrol. Four officers left Fort
McPherson by dog team on December 21, 1910, headed for Dawson City via the Peel and Wind Rivers. Fitzgerald made the fatal mistake of not traveling with a native guide, and had ambitions on setting a speed record for the journey. The patrol went up the Wind and partway up the Little Wind River before losing their way in a severe storm. They attempted to retrace their route back to Fort McPherson but lost their way in the Richardson Mountains not far from reach- ing their goal. All died in February 1911—three of starvation and one of suicide.
photo by Fritz Mueller
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