Photo: Kanoe People Canoe Classic: Teslin & Yukon Rivers, Yukon Territory,
Canada Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 08022A Price: $1,875 Deposit: $200 Capacity: 8 Leader:
The Trip  Photo: Kanoe People This 11-day paddle down the wondefully remote Teslin River, past its confluence with the mighty Yukon, is a trip through time. In the 1890’s, the West’s last and biggest gold rush saw thousands of prospectors pouring over Chilcoot Pass and down the Yukon river systems to the gold fields around present day Dawson City. The upper Yukon and its lakes were choked with handmade barges, while the Teslin River to the east was used as an alternative route. Later, huge stern-wheeled steamers plied the deep and wide waters of the Yukon, providing a lifeline for the hearty people of the north until well into the 1950’s. The Teslin didn’t accommodate the huge vessels, and was prowled instead by trappers, hunters and homesteaders after the gold played out. Long before, this area had been home to the Tagish native peoples who had villages in the area. Today the Teslin River has mainly reverted back to wilderness, and the homesteads and native settlements have disappeared. We hope to find and explore some of these fading sites. On the Yukon there are several famous sunken ships that we might find, as well as numerous mining and abandoned town sites along the shores. Both rivers also support a huge variety of wildlife, including grizzlies, wolves, and moose. Canoeing is a great way to penetrate a wilderness area and to easily carry gear.
The current will move us along at quite a good clip, helping
our muscles adjust to daily use. The trip leaders are highly experienced canoeists and are both canoeing instructors. Neither leader has paddled on these particular rivers before, so the trip will have elements of adventure for us all.
Day 1: Assemble in downtown Whitehorse, where we meet our shuttle, load gear, and drive to our put-in at Johnson’s Crossing. It is good river karma to devour one of the Yukon’s most noted cinnamon buns at the bakery in town. After we eat lunch, we will load the canoes and travel downriver about 7 miles to our first campsite.  Photo: Kanoe People Days 2 - 7: Our first trip segment is on the Teslin River. Most days we will pack up after breakfast and head downstream, but we will have at least one lay-over day to rest or hike in the vicinity of our camp. We will stop for knee breaks and snacks, lunches, and to investigate any interesting looking old settlements. Days 8 -10: These days will find us on the Yukon River, again paddling most days, but with some leeway built in if we wish to lay-over. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for remains of sunken river boats, old mining sites and villages. Day 11: We will be picked up at the hamlet of Carmacks and transported back to Whitehorse. Getting There The trip begins and ends in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. Whitehorse is a wonderful small town, full of friendly people, lots of cars with canoes strapped on top, four recording studios, a museum, riverfront activities, and great coffee houses. Air service to Whitehorse is with the Yukon airline, Air North. The Airport Chalet Motel is across the street from the airport and easily walkable. There are many other accommodations in town, from hostels to upscale establishments, accessible with a short taxi ride. Several car rental companies have offices in Whitehorse.
We recommend that you arrive at least one full day before the trip starts, and that you plan your departure at least one day after our return, as weather can sometimes cause major delays. Participants in this outing will arrange their own pre- and post-trip lodging. We will arrange an early evening get-together on the evening before the trip, to check in, say hello, and answer any last-minute equipment questions. Similarly, there will be a no-host optional dinner in Whitehorse on the evening of our last day. The first meal that will be provided on this trip is lunch on day one. The final meal provided will be lunch on the last day. All meals and snacks between these times are provided. Our meals will be hearty and easy to prepare out-of-doors. Vegetarians can be accommodated, as well as folks with some dietary restrictions. If you have a highly specific or highly restrictive diet, we can collaborate with you on providing nutritious meals. Some fresh food will be used, and also some foods that are more typical of backpacking trips. We will not have ice chests. Sierra Club outings are based on shared participation. One way we share is by taking turns being the cooks for the day -- always with a trip leader helping out. Let’s see if we can create some scrumptious meals out of doors that even have a bit of a gourmet flare! All of our nights will be spent camping along the rivers, hence accommodations during the trip will be in personal tents. We will ask you to provide information on the type of tent you have in order to assist you in being sure your tent is rain- and wind-worthy enough for our outing. We will encourage tent sharing to be able to reduce our footprint on the land and our gear load in the boats. Participants will bring their own sleeping bags and pads. Tents and sleeping bags are available to rent in Whitehorse. When you receive your equipment list for this outing we will provide information on rentals.
Our trip involves paddling on rivers with fairly strong current, so our mileage will be high, 18-to-28 miles per day as planned. There will be 1-to-3 rest days, depending on our paddling progress, weather, and flow conditions. The trip is rated as moderate in difficulty. All participants on this outing must have experience with tandem canoeing on moving water (rivers). While our trip is easy moving water for the most part (class I), there are two brief spots that can be class II- in difficulty. All paddlers must be able to catch eddies, do peel outs, know how to move the boat sideways to avoid strainers or rocks, be able to paddle through small wave trains, be able to execute a ferry maneuver, and be familiar with basic reentry strategies in case of a capsize. If these terms are currently unfamiliar, you could take a beginner course in river canoeing and then be ready to join us. Your trip leaders are also canoeing instructors for the American Red Cross. If you have the time and interest, we can supply you with May and June dates in 2008 when the Sacramento-Sierra chapter of the ARC will be offering its Basic River Canoeing course on the American River in Sacramento, CA. The prerequisite for this course is a class in Fundamentals of Canoeing.
You will need to have waterproof bags for your sleeping bag and clothing. We will send you suggestions and sizes that will work, and let you know if we can provide any extra drybags. A complete equipment list will be sent to all participants far in advance of the outing.
• Karpes , Gus, The Teslin River: Johnson’s Crossing to Hootalinqua. • Karpes , Gus, The Yukon River No. 1. Next are some references related to the Klondike Gold Rush. • Morse, Kathryn Taylor, The Nature of Gold: An Environmental History of the Klondike Gold Rush. Check out the poems of Robert Service, notably The Cremation of Sam McGee and The Spell of the Yukon. Conservation One of the conservation issues we will investigate in this outing is the long-term effects of the mining practices of the 1890’s and the early part of the 20th century. Many pollutants were widely used that are now known to be highly hazardous.Another interesting area of study is the overall impact of human settlement along the river corridors, as well as the impact of thousands of miners at a time during the gold rush days. During more industrialized eras many pieces of equipment were simply abandoned along the rivers. Sunken boats were left where they went down. We will discuss the impact these might be having on river quality even today. Trapping and hunting were extensively practiced along the Teslin and Yukon.
These activities provided a decent living for many folks, yet they also depleted
numbers of some species. We’ll see if we can find information about how
trapping and hunting might have left an impact felt in modern times, but we
will also discuss the benefits of a hunting/trapping culture. Travel in Alaska and the Arctic Sierra Club outings in Alaska are special experiences in true wilderness, but they also carry an element of risk. Trip locales are often remote, away from the amenities of civilization, including sophisticated medical care and immediate evacuation possibilities. Many of our Alaska trips now carry satellite phones, but even with this technology, communication with the outside world can be difficult and emergency assistance can be days away. Weather in Alaska is unpredictable, and inclement weather can be severe. Among other hazards are cold river and stream crossings, tidal activity, calving glaciers, the psychological effects of remoteness, and the presence of large wild animals. You’re in good hands, though, so don't worry: Your trip leaders have vast experience in the Last Frontier, and they’ll provide all the guidance you need.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
Leader:
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Holly Wenger is a lifelong outdoorswoman, enjoying hiking, backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, guiding a raft and cooking in camp. Holly has a personal passion for whitewater canoeing and teaches canoeing of all levels for the American Red Cross. She has led a variety of national outings for the Sierra Club, from the Everglades to Alaska, since 2002. She also leads private trips to the High Arctic. If she is not outside somewhere, or at language or drumming classes, you can reach Holly at:
Rod Hall has been a member of the Sierra Club since 1974 and a National Outings leader for 11 years. He has led, or assisted on, eight previous Sierra Club trips to Alaska and has led many other recreational outings for volunteer organizations. He is an accomplished boater and is certified as a canoe instructor by both the American Canoe Association and the American Red Cross.