Colville Canoe

DATES

July 28, 2020 - August 05, 2020

REGION

Western Brooks Range

TRIP COST

$6,200

calendar

DATES

July 28, 2020 - August 05, 2020
region

REGION

Western Brooks Range
price

TRIP COST

$6,200

Terra incognita, remotest of the remote, the Colville is arctic Alaska’s largest river and one of its least visited. The Colville or Kuukpik in Inupiat, is an ideal river to hone your canoeing skills. The current is swift, but without obstacles, which leaves us free to scan the banks for caribou, glass the bluffs for young raptors or even recline and let the boats spin on the current as we watch the enormous sky.

 

TRIP DETAILS

The Colville River is the largest river in northern Alaska and drains most of the northwestern Brooks Range. Gathering a great many tributaries like Storm Creek, the Kiligwa, Etivluk, Killik and Anaktuvuk, the Colville takes these northern waters and carves great sweeping bluffs carrying them downriver and laying them out in mile long gravel bars. Enormous looping bends double back and then the river surges with water from a new tributary. Countless lakes near the river are full of waterfowl. The river bluffs provide nest sites for peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, rough-legged hawks and golden eagles. From bluff-tops, sweeping views of the Colville basin show the distant curve of the earth punctuated by far-off ridges and closer crags.

Down by the river, gravel bars are littered with rocks from across the Brooks Range; chert from the Nuka River, fossils from the Nigu River and even dinosaur tracks in the shingled sandstone. Willow thickets are great for birding and passerines will be starting to flock. Rarities like bluethroats and yellow wagtails won’t have departed for Asia quite yet.

 

Large mammals are about as well. Musk oxen are common in the area and August is a good time to see bands of caribou along the Colville, before they head south for the winter. Each day presents new wonders and each moment offers a quiet surprise. It is a subtle, serene, and rich landscape; a hauntingly beautiful primordial wilderness.

The upper Colville makes an ideal canoe trip. The current is swift enough so that you can cover some territory yet the river easy enough that the trip is suitable for beginners. Canoe instruction is provided for both novices and experts. Our guides have lots to share. We plan to cover around 100 miles during the 8 day trip which leaves time for day-hikes during lunch, a layover day (or maybe two) and ample time to revel in the wilderness, fish, bird, sketch, or find your muse.

Last updated: August 6, 2020

Itinerary

What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.

July 27

Meet your guide for a pre-trip meeting at 4 pm in Fairbanks at Arctic Wild headquarters.

July 28

Fly north from Fairbanks across the Yukon River over the Brooks Range past Gates of the Arctic National Park to a gravel bar on the Colville River. After unloading the airplane we will make camp and relish the feeling of solitude. An evening hike on the tundra will wet our appetites for more exploration.

July 29

Assemble the canoes, get a refresher on paddle strokes, and review river safety. Then we launch into the current under grey bluffs and blue sky.

July 30 - August 4

The weather, the river, and the wildlife inform our decisions about when to paddle, when to hike, when to rest and when to climb the bluffs for a vista. Some days we will spend most of the day on the water. Some days will be shorter and more leisurely and there will be one or two days when we elect to explore the uplands on foot and fish for Arctic Grayling in the river leaving camp set up for two nights in a single location.

August 5

A final cast of the fishing rod; a final search of the gravel bar for fossilized coral; one last look in the willows for Bluethroats and then it is time to pack our gear and listen for the distant hum of an airplane, perhaps the first we have heard in a week. Once the plane arrives it is back south. Weather permitting we arrive in Fairbanks in time for a late dinner and can begin exaggerating about the trip.

Kitchen tent and prepared meal in Arctic Alaska

Our guide was a patient and highly skilled guide who also took the time to educate us about geology, local wildlife, and the nunamiut people. Once my guilt for excessive comfort was taken care, we had a terrific experience.

- Vann, North Carolina, USA

DETAILS

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Transportation beyond Fairbanks

Food while in the wilderness

Stoves, cooking & eating utensils

Boats, paddles, life jackets, safety & repair gear

Professional guide service.

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Lodging

Non-camp meals

ersonal clothing and gear per our equipment list

Fishing gear, and fishing license

Gratuity for guide(s)

Rental equipment is available through Arctic Wild

WEATHER & BUGS

A variety of weather is likely, including rainy periods and bright sunny conditions. Temperatures can range from the 70’s down into the 30’s. Snow is possible but not likely. Truly hot weather is unlikely too. Bug season should be coming to an end but a bottle of DEET and a head-net are advised.

RECOMMENDED READING

Nunamiut by Helge Ingstadt

Land of Extremes by Alex Huryn

We Live in the Arctic by Constance Helmericks

Arctic Wild by Lois Crisler

More Alaska reading is available from our Bookstore

"The wilderness was spectacular, the leadership perfect."
"I am just finishing my tenth trip with you guys. As always, the trip was more than I expected and I had a great time. See you next year!"
"Of all outfitters with whom we have worked (and that is quite a number), you were by far the most organized and responsive."
"That feeling of wide open wonder, the possibilities for nearly limitless wandering, and the image of those proud caribou...that will stay with me a long time"
"Our guide was an encyclopedia on legs. He was always willing and ready to teach, to talk, to listen, to do another hike, or to lie low in camp if we were beat. He truly gave us the trip we wanted!"
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Eileen - Canning River