Last updated: June 9, 2024
Itinerary
What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible.
September 1
Meet your guide(s) for a pre-trip meeting in Fairbanks at 4 pm at Arctic Wild headquarters.
September 2
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 Wind River. We set up camp and enjoy our first night in the wilderness.
September 3
We can elect to spend our first full day in the wilderness hiking the tundra and climbing towards the peaks. 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.
September 4 - 7
After inflating our rafts and talking about river safety, we set off onto the Wind—a small, clear river. The first section of the river is sandy and the river winds back and forth from mountain to mountain, descending into the boreal forest. After the first day of paddling we enter an area with numerous kettle lakes. This area offers some good hiking and we tend to see lots of moose and waterfowl.
September 8 - 9
Once we get down to Keche Mountain with it’s long limestone ridges and good walking we hope to take another layover day, searching for sheep and signs of ancient Gwich’in life in the mountains. The last few days of paddling promise steady and fun white water as this steep little river races towards the Chandalar River. Once past the confluence with the East Fork of the Ch’idriinjik (Chandalar) River, we enjoy a day of floating this broad clear river and then pull over at the appointed gravel bar for a final night in the wilderness.
September 10
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!
