COPPERMINE RIVER FOLLOWING FRANKLIN’S FOOTSTEPS TO THE ‘POLAR SEA’ National Geographic Adventure 2009 Best Adventure Travel Companies On Earth CAPTION ROBERT PURNEY PHOTO TRIP DETAILS You should plan to arrive in Big Bend to Kugluktuk: ITINERARY Yellowknife, NWT for our Approximately 215km (135 miles) pre-trip orientation meeting which with an elevation drop of 280m DAY 0 (900 feet). will be held in the Explorer Hotel at 8pm. SKILL LEVEL Your journey north from your home Raft - Beginner will be a refreshing departure. You Please note: that hotel costs and meals Canoe - Class III Whitewater will fly over the largest expanse while in Yellowknife are not included in of wilderness in the world with RENDEZVOUS POINT the trip fee. Explorer Hotel, Yellowknife, stunning views on cloudless days. Northwest Territories Passing through quieter and DURATION DAY 1 (L/D) — TUNDRA FLIGHT friendlier airports, you will meet 17 Days friendlier and welcoming service 8am: meet in the hotel lobby after TRIP TYPE personnel and generally begin to breakfast (not included). Weather Raft/Canoe immerse yourself in the wilderness permitting we will board a chartered experience that is about to unfold. *Please note that for canoeists, a aircraft for the flight north over the wetsuit or dry suit is mandatory. tundra to Great Bear Lake. Wetsuits are included. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE FAQS AT NAHANNI.COM PAGE 1 Landing on the airstrip of Plummer’s mammals. Tundra swans and many DAY 7 (B/L/D) — SEPTEMBER MOUNTAINS Great Bear Lake Lodge we will shorebirds and ducks can be seen in prepare to make our final float plane this section. As we approach “Big Back on the river, we drift down flight to the Coppermine River. Bend” the river narrows in width and past the Kendall River where the speeds up. We pass the Hook River Coppermine widens into several While awaiting the flight we will have and an old portage to Great Bear boulder flats and islands. This area the opportunity to explore the shores Lake. is locally known as “the Splits.” of this vast northern lake. We will be From here, we get our first glance hosted and accommodated at the It was here that Franklin had at the Coppermine and September lodge if we require an overnight arranged with the local First Mountains. Our destination for the before flying. Nation to be resupplied on his 1821 night is Stoney Creek where we expedition down the river. The sometimes find the remains of winter absence of these supplies created his overflow ice. DAY 2 (B/L/D) — GREAT BEAR LAKE desperate bid for survival later that fall. At the end of the day you will We will take an early morning flight cosy up in your tent in the comforts DAY 8 (B/L/D) — SEEKING COPPER into the river. After setting up camp that are the hallmark of our journeys! and lunch, there will be plenty The culinary delights for which we of time for our first hike in the are famous are, once more, whipped surrounding hills to look at the DAY 5 & 6 (B/L/D) — ROCKY DEFILE up by our talented gudies. Fresh fruit wildflowers and the wildlife of the and produce is available every day! area. We get back into the rafts to Rocky This is the day to look for copper Defile Rapids. This rapid runs in the Coppermine Mountains on a through a 500-metre (1,640 ft) long hike that will follow the footsteps of DAY 3 & 4 (B/L/D) — BIG BEND and 60-metre (197 ft) high canyon. Franklin’s party. You may decide to We stop here for the day. This is the stay closer to camp to photograph We inflate and rig the rafts and start of some of the finest Arctic char and enjoy some of the many patches canoes and start downstream. This is fishing found anywhere. of abundant wildflowers. moose country and we keep a watch on the shore for these magnificent CAPTION. PHOTOGRAPHER FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE FAQS AT NAHANNI.COM PAGE 2 DAY 9 & 10 (B/L/D) — MUSKOX RAPIDS DAY 11 & 12 (B/L/D) — BLOODY FALLS We reach the town of Kugluktuk in the late afternoon and the rest of the We start a long section that is We drift downstream to Escape day is yours to explore the town. In sandwiched between the terraced Rapids. Here the river flows through the evening we will fly back to Great hillsides of the Coppermine a high winding 50-metre (150 ft) Bear Lake. Mountains on one side and the barren gorge. The next 16 kilometres (10 sloping banks of the September miles) to Bloody Falls takes us Mountains on the other. through both marked and unmarked DAY 14 (B/L/D) — GREAT BEAR LAKE rapids on a fast river run to the At the Melville River, the Coppermine boulder fan above the falls. Bloody The comfort of Great Bear Lake Lodge makes its final turn northward. It is Falls was named for the massacre of will be a welcome chance to wind here that the river makes its greatest an Inuit camp by the First Nations down and enjoy hot showers and the drop, falling 152 metres (460 ft) in 72 that were guiding Samuel Hearne in surrounding lake environment. kilometres (50 miles) over 30 sets of 1771. rapids. This day also gives us a buffer A hiking day will be spent around the to ensure we have made the The thin cover of spruce that has falls and the portage will begin. You hop from Kugluktuk in time for been following the river finally will get a chance for close up pictures our southbound flight back to dwindles away to be replaced by of the golden eagles that nest here Yellowknife on Saturday. tundra vegetation. as well as hike to a local peak for our first look at the “Polar Sea.” Steep cliffs and rock dominate the DAY 15 & 16 (B/L/D) — HOMEWARD region making excellent breeding BOUND grounds for hawks, falcons and DAY 13 (B/L/D) — KUGLUKTUK eagles. We drift down through The charter aircraft will return us to Muskox and Sandstone Rapids. Only 16 kilometres (10 miles) of the Yellowknife by mid-afternoon. Coppermine remain until it reaches the ocean. After finishing the portage Because of the challenges of northern around the falls, we will complete bush flying, we highly recommend this remaining section of the river. you plan to overnight in Yellowknife CAPTION. MEREDITH RODGER PHOTO FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE FAQS AT NAHANNI.COM PAGE 3 and book your flights home for the SUGGESTED READING CONTACT US following morning. Your guides will carry a small reference Mailing address library that includes field reference books. Clothing Note: While following PO Box 31203 Following are some books for winter our checklist in The Details Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada reading: package, please note the specific Y1A 5P7 considerations for the tundra rivers. Narrative of a journey to the shores of the Polar Sea in the years 1819, Toll-free 1-800-297-6927 All tundra trips require good quality ‘20, ‘21 & ‘22 by Sir John Franklin, p 1-867-668-3180 foul weather gear. Rubber boots make M.G. Hurtig Email [email protected] excellent footwear. Mosquitoes are Web www.nahanni.com Narrative of a second expedition to abundant on the tundra. the shores of the Polar Sea in the Years 1825, 1826 & 1827 by Sir John We have found that a bug shirt works Franklin, M.G. Hurtig very well to manage these pests and are an absolute requirement Summer North of Sixty: by Paddle for venturing out onto the tundra. and Portage Across the Barren Lands Dressing in light colours is also by James Raffan preferable as dark clothing seems to Caribou of the Barren Lands by attract mosquitoes more readily. George Calef The Incredible Eskimo by DeCoccoa & King The Muskox of Polar Bear Pass by David R Barrenland Beauties: Showy Plants of the Arctic Coast by Page Burt A Naturalist’s Guide to the Arctic by E.C. Chris Pielou BEN PALTIEL AND MICHAEL GOURLEY TRYING TO CATCH ANOTHER BIG FISH. PHOTO: CRE ARCHIVES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE FAQS AT NAHANNI.COM PAGE 4.