Blackstone River Canoe Adventure

Another tributary in the magnificent Peel River watershed, the Blackstone is located to the west of its sister rivers, the Hart, Wind, Bonnet Plume and Snake. This exploratory trip will kick off with a night on the town in Dawson City and include two - three days of hiking in the Ogilvie Mountains.

The Tombstone Mountains present an incredible and important landscape whose granite pinnacles have been shaped by wind, water, and glaciers into hornes, aretes and sheer rock walls. Sub-arctic tundra, boreal forest and alpine tundra all interweave creating a remarkably diverse and productive eco-system.
The Blackstone River courses through rugged, mountainous country featuring spectacular 6,000-foot-high peaks and unusually sculpted rock formations. The Blackstone is a comfortable Class II paddle, but can include stretches of Class III and IV whitewater.

Blackstone River Canoe Tour Itinerary

Whitehorse
We'll greet you at Whitehorse airport and transfer you to the hotel in downtown location. In the afternoon you have time to explore the many sights and to do the last shopping. In the evening you will meet the group and we will discuss the tour routing. Your guide will introduce himself and gives substantial introduction to wilderness rules and canoeing techniques at the beginning and during the tour.

Whitehorse to Dawson City
Meet the group in the morning. We drive on the Klondike Highway to Dawson City. Plans are to take a short orientation tour of the town and the following day we drive to the original goldfields and the lookout. In the evening don't miss to visit the Diamond Gerties Tooth Casino and Can Can Show.

To Tombstone Mountains
After breakfast we drive on the Dempster Highway towards the Tombstone Mountains. There we will set up our camp for the next two nights and explore the area on different hiking trips. The aboriginal peoples captured the power of the legendary and spectacular Tombstone Mountains when they named it Odhah Chaa Tat, meaning "among the sharp, ragged mountains". Wind, water, and glaciers have shaped these granite pinnacles into hornes, aretes and sheer rock walls. Sub-arctic tundra, boreal forest and alpine tundra all interweave creating a remarkably diverse and productive ecosystem.

Canoeing the Blackstone & Peel River
We continue our journey and drive up the Dempster Highway to launch point at the Blackstone River. The Blackstone is one of six waterways in the infrequently traveled Peel River basin. This is unspoiled country, but several energy and mining companies are lobbying to get their hands on it, so it may not stay that way much longer. The Peel lacks the Blackstone's scenic grandeur, but lined with mile after mile of blazing golden aspens, it was a constant reminder of the changing season. The Blackstone is a comfortable Class II paddle, but on the Peel River we may be confronted with stretches of Class III and IV whitewater, some of which we can chose to portage or line. We have set aside some non-paddling days to hike some of the mountain ridges that parallel the river. This is also a prime wildlife area with sightings of caribou, sheep, bear, eagles, and a myriad of mammal and bird life very possible.

Return to Whitehorse
Our paddling adventure comes to an end as we arrive at our rendezvous point. There we set up camp on a gravel bar in preparation for our return flight to Mayo. Enjoy the scenic flight by floatplane to Mayo. There we will be met by our van and travel the Klondike Highway back to Whitehorse. Overnight in Whitehorse. In the evening we gather at a local eatery (not included) to celebrate the return and recount tales of the adventure!