Snake River Canoe Adventure

South of the Peel, west of the Arctic Red, next door to the Wind and the Bonnet Plume – the Snake River of the northeastern Yukon falls 2500 metres from the Werneke Mountains to join a vast wilderness watershed, flowing north to the Mackenzie River and the Beaufort Sea. Splashing, jutting and turning sharply through alpine canyons and narrow valleys, the Snake makes its way 300 kilometres to the relative calm of its Peel River junction.

Descending from arctic tundra to boreal forest, awestruck adventure canoeists train their binoculars on glacier-capped mountain peaks, alpine wildflower meadows, and snow-white, cliff-hugging sheep. Stop to hike on ancient overland trails, through bone-coloured lichens sought by grazing caribou and berry patches frequented by mighty grizzlies.

Watch as the slate-grey peaks and orange and ochre slopes of mountain scree turn to banks of spruce and willow, and the teal green water of the upper Snake grows thick and brown with the silt of the Peel Plateau. Remote and rugged, traditional land of the Tetlit Gwich’in and the Na-cho Ny’a’k Dun, the Snake is a wild river in a majestic, magnificent land.

Snake River Canoe - Itinerary

Whitehorse
Individual arrival in Whitehorse. In the evening you will meet the group members and the guide will talk about details of the tour and answers any remaining questions.

Whitehorse to Duo Lakes
In the morning we start our journey with a scenic 5-hour drive to the "end of the road" at Mayo. Accessible only by float plane, this stunning trip begins aboard a float plane that takes you into a lush alpine valley, moves through the awe-inspiring Mackenzie Mountain range and drops you off in the tranquil Duo Lakes, ringed by awesome mountain peaks soaring to heights of over 2,700 metres. Have your cameras and plenty of film handy for the flight. Due to the small volume of the river near the lake, we require a second shuttle to deliver us down river. From there begins a 500 kilometre, three week long epic journey down the Snake River.

Flowing through the spectacular Bonnet Plume Range of the northern Yukon, the Snake has become renowned for remote beauty, hiking and whitewater canoeing. Dall Sheep, caribou, grizzly, wolf and moose are all possibilities with panoramic vistas guaranteed.

We will spend some time enjoying the spectacular scenery around the Duo Lakes. There will be many opportunities to hike and explore up into the stunning Mountains that surround these lakes. We will make the portage from the lake into the river and begin our descent of the Snake. There is an option of a short (500m) but bad portage route, or a longer but better trail (1800m). In this region the Snake is a broad braided fan and we may have to do some lining and dragging over gravel and rocks. Neoprene booties with tough soles or sneakers will pay off here.

To Reptile Creek
The current is swift. As we pass through the upper canyons we will encounter sharp bends and small rapids. Camp will be in the vicinity of Reptile Creek. From our base camp at the beautiful creek confluence we will hike up the local ridges for spectacular views of the surrounding ranges and four drainage basins. Here the red ridges and peaks offer unusual and enticing opportunities for exploration.

To Mount MacDonald
Back on the river we will be treated to expanses of fireweed and mini canyons. The Bonnet Plume Range dominates the horizon with a good possibility of spotting Dall sheep, caribou and grizzly. After an exhilarating day of continuous Class II water, we will camp in view of the limestone peaks of Mount MacDonald. Glaciers dominate these peaks, and impressive panoramas are easily obtained from short hikes in the area.

Soon the Snake cuts through the mountain range in a fast, fun slalom ride. The Middle Canyon of the Snake: here the river cuts through a short narrow canyon. At most water levels this is a Class II run. A short portage is an option. Conditions permitting we will plan another hike in the dramatic range overlooking the valley.

The Splits
We bid adieu to the mountains and enter an extended braided region of 'Splits' as well as the lower canyons of the Snake. Moose, bear, wolves and peregrine falcon are possible here. The current remains fast and picking our channel in the 'Snake Maze' is our main challenge. The Splits finally come together and the Snake starts to meander a bit. Higher cliffs cut by numerous small creeks provide numerous wildlife corridors.

We will leave the Snake and the final big bends from which it earns its name. Here we enter the larger and faster Peel with high clay cliffs and aspen islands. Camp will be on the Peel River. We continue our adventure to Fort Mc Pherson. The river calmed down and we have the time to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. Our canoe tour ends at Fort McPherson.

Early in the morning we drive on the Dempster Highway to Dawson City, where we will camp for the night. We have time to visit the sights and attractions of the goldrush town. In the evening we are not to miss the visit to Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino and Can Can Show.

Return to Whitehorse
In the morning we travel on the Klondike Highway back to Whitehorse. On our way we stop at the Five Finger Rapids or the Braeburn Lodge. Overnight in Whitehorse. In the evening we likely want to gather at a local eatery to celebrate the return and recount tales of the adventure!