Welcome to the wilderness city of Whitehorse, Yukon! Please arrive at your accommodation in Whitehorse. (We suggest coming a day earlier if you can!). We will be checking in with each guest to ensure the proper fitting of your provided dry suit + paddling gear and that you have the necessary personal gear for the trip. We will meet up for a group dinner in the evening. (Airport Transportation, accommodation and meals are not provided for day 0)

Our journey in the mountains begins! After breakfast (not included), you will be picked up from your accommodation. We will travel 1.5 hours to the small Village of Haines Junction. Here we will get our first views of Kluane National Park and Reserve. We will spend some time at the Da Kų Cultural Centre where you can immerse yourself in the natural/cultural history of the area. Afterwards we will travel for 45 minutes to our home for the night on the shore of Kluane Lake. We will spend the evening preparing for our journey and basking under the midnight sun.

Time to hit the water! We will start on the Jarvis River, a slow moving river tightly surrounded by the boreal forest. There is lots of potential to see moose and beavers along this section! Before setting off downstream, we will start with a river safety orientation and packrafting 101 to ensure everyones safety. This river is very beginner friendly (class II) with no major rapids. There are two sections that will require a short portage due to log jams.

Wake up to the sound of rushing water and secluded mountain views. Today is our longest paddling day and you will see the most drastic changes in the landscape, starting tight and opening up to braided rivers with sweeping valley views and glacial melt water. We will encounter exciting sections of waves but nothing too wild, perfect for applying your skills from day 1. We will camp at the confluence of the mighty Alsek River on an alluvial fan surrounded by River Dryas. Optional side hike to explore the area. As we set up camp for the night along the river bank the outside world will begin to feel like a distant dream.

We made it to the Alsek River. You will see how the river doubles in size spanning over 2 kilometres across the valley. Today will be a short paddling day so we can take it easy and enjoy the views. Our camp is called “Lava” and is characterized by its very unique geology. We will go for an optional side hike to explore the surrounding area and to a higher vantage of the river to see how far we came where we are headed next!

Today is a day like no other, today we make contact with the edge of the largest non-polar ice field in the world. As we round the final corner an overwhelming sense of accomplishment strikes deep. The view of the Lowell Glacier and its many icebergs slowly reveal themselves to us as navigate an exciting section of whitewater. The perfect entrance! We will set up camp at the edge of the glacial lake. As the midnight sun dips over the horizon we will have the opportunity to paddle amongst the icebergs.

As you sip your morning coffee with the sound and sight of rolling icebergs, we prepare for a relaxing day ahead. We have the option to hike up the appropriately named “Goatherd Mountain” to get views of the glacier and surrounding landscape. We will also have the opportunity to float amongst the icebergs once again, and if your up for it, a polar plunge in the glacial lake! We will end the day sharing stories of the trip as we watch the sunset over the Lowell Glacier for the last time.

All good things must come to an end but fortunately for you we like to make an exit! We will pack up our camp in the morning and get picked up by a float plane that lands and takes off on the lake amongst the icebergs. As we will fly over the Alsek River we will gain a new appreciation for the landscape we travelled through from an incredible vantage point. It will really emphasize just how remote and immersed in nature we were. We will land at Pine Lake near Haines Junction. Once we have all returned to civilization, we will have a well earned lunch in Haines Junction and return to the cabins at Klaune Lake for one last night in the mountains. Don’t worry, there are showers 😉

Today we will say goodbye to Kluane National Park and Reserve and return back to Whitehorse you will be dropped off at your accommodation (not included). You will get to rediscover the joys of civilization. In the evening, we will meet for a group dinner before heading out to the Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs to end our trip.