Last updated: August 17, 2019
Itinerary
What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
August 9
Meet your guide(s) for a pre-trip meeting in Fairbanks at 4 pm at Arctic Wild headquarters.
August 10
Leaving Fairbanks we fly 250 miles, over the Yukon River, to Arctic Village. We then catch a smaller plane for a spectacular flight to the Sheenjek. We set up camp and enjoy our first night in the wilderness.
August 11 - 14
We like to spend our first full day in the wilderness hiking the tundra and climbing towards the peaks. The upper valley is stunning. Hikes can be as short or as long as you desire. With endless wilderness all around there are few limits to the adventures we can have.
When we are ready to head downriver we will assemble the boats, refresh our paddling skills, discuss river safety, and join the Sheenjek on its way south to the Yukon. An average paddling day involves 4 or 5 hours in the canoes plus a leisurely picnic and maybe a stroll to a bluff or lake near the river.
As a custom trip, we can set the pace of the trip to match your desires and schedule. We will make time for side trips to nearby lakes and can climb numerous peaks and hills near the river on layover days or in the evenings after a day on the water.
A 6 or 7 day trip is about right for the upper-most section of the river. 9 or 10 is better if we want to paddle beyond the mountains and into the sea of spruce forests beyond. If you want to paddle all the way to the Porcupine and Yukon Rivers, we’ll need at least 20 days.
August 15
Weather permitting, we will hear our plane mid-morning and then make our way back towards “civilization.” Once we get cleaned-up we can begin exaggerating about the trip!
