Last updated: May 4, 2026
Itinerary
What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
August 9
Meet your guide for a pre-trip meeting at 4 pm in Fairbanks at Arctic Wild headquarters.
August 10
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.
August 11
Inflate the rafts, carry them to the river, get a refresher on paddle strokes, and review river safety. Then we launch into the current under grey bluffs and (hopefully) blue sky.
August 12 - 17
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 18
The airstrip at Umiat is a little ways from the river We spend the morning carrying gear and boats, and thinking about the history of exploration and development in this part of the Arctic. Weather permitting the plane lands in the early afternoon and flies us south towards civilization. Weather permitting we arrive in Fairbanks in time for a late dinner and can begin exaggerating about the trip.
