Sea Kayak and Backpack Glacier Tour > Detailed Itinerary

 


Atlin Lake is a freshwater kayaking jewel of Northern British Columbia accessible by a short 2-hour drive from Whitehorse.  Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and glaciers, your adventure unfolds.  First by kayak we paddle among glacial-blue waters, islands and bays, and then on foot we backpack into the mountains overlooking the immense LLewellyn Glacier.  After our mountain backpacking adventures we return to our kayaks and continue to explore this little-traveled wilderness lake.


Note: All meals included in this itinerary are listed as: ( B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner )



Day 0: WHITEHORSE, YUKON

Hopefully you enjoyed your travels and have arrived safely in Whitehorse, the Yukon’s capital city, nestled among the wilderness.


Please arrive in Whitehorse in time for an orientation meeting at 8:30 pm the night before our departure. Guests are responsible for accommodation and meals while in Whitehorse. Whitehorse is a splendid little city and we recommend booking some additional time at either the beginning or the end of your trip to see Whitehorse.

Please Note:  Often our guests choose to come to the Yukon several days early, or to depart several days after their wilderness vacation.  Therefore we don't include accommodation in Whitehorse in order to provide flexibility for our guests. If you prefer, we can easily arrange your hotel accommodations in Whitehorse and add these details to your itinerary.

Day 1: ( L, D)

Cabin Fever Adventures staff will pick you up from your hotels starting at 7:00 am. Participants need to have finished their breakfast (not included) by this time. Any final details will be dealt with and we will depart Whitehorse by 8:00 am. Our route will see us driving southeast along the Alaska Highway and then south on the Atlin Road through the Southern Lakes District of the Yukon, known for its large wilderness mountain-clad lakes and deep, clean waters. We should arrive in Atlin British Columbia by late morning. After some time to walk around and explore this highly scenic village we will continue on for a half-hour drive to our launching place at Warm Bay, passing vistas of the Llewellyn Glacier, which we will see up close later in the trip. From Warm Bay we will point our kayaks south as we glide across arguably the prettiest lake in Canada’s north. Camping that night will be in the vicinity of Pike Bay, with vistas of Teresa Island, the world's tallest fresh-water island, rising more than 1393 m (4570 ft) above the surface of Atlin Lake.  If you are interested in fishing in Atlin Lake you will need to purchase a British Columbia fishing license before leaving Atlin.  You guides will show you where they are sold.

Day 2: (B, L, D)

Today we will awake to the mountain grandeur of Atlin Lake. If the lake is calm we will continue paddling south. As we travel the colour of the water will slowly change to a dazzling teal shade that is a product of the glacial silt entering the lake from the Llewellyn Glacier. We will make camp that night in the area of Janus Point.

Day 3: (B, L, D)

As we continue south the character of Atlin Lake changes with the appearance of more exposed rock, inlets and islands. This is the terrain of dreams for kayakers, with so many options for exploration. Camp tonight will be in the vicinity of Bastion Island.

Day 4: (B, L, D)

Today we will explore the inlets and bays of the southern end of Atlin Lake and come to rest on the scenic and beautiful Sloko Island by day’s end.

Day 5-8: (B, L, D)

Llewellyn Glacier Backpacking Trip: Heading west from Sloko Island we will enter the steep-sided Llewellyn Inlet, with its numerous small waterfalls cascading in from the mountain sides. At the head on the inlet we will stash our kayaks in the forest, pack our equipment into our backpacks, and commence our hike to the Llewellyn Glacier. We will camp the first night right at the face of the glacier. The following day we will climb 760 m (2500 ft) into the alpine and camp on the edge of a beautiful melt-water alpine lake. The following day we will throw off our heavy backpacks and travel on a fast and light ridge-walk day-hike around the mountain with stunning views overlooking Llewellyn Glacier.

Day 9: (B, L, D)

After a delicious breakfast we hike down from our alpine haven and return to our kayaks by mid afternoon. Depending on our energy we will either remain for that night on the edge of Llewellyn Inlet , or say goodbye and begin our journey north towards Warm Bay, exploring the lake’s western inlets around Copper Island before making camp.

Day 10: (B, L, D)

Crossing Atlin Lake from island to island we reach again the eastern side of the lake finding camp on the islands near Moose Bay.

Day 11: (B, L, D)

Today we paddle north and select a camp just short of Warm Bay.

Day 12: (B, L )

After an early breakfast we will finish our paddle to Warm Bay and be met by Cabin Fever Adventures staff who will shuttle us back to Atlin for a picnic lunch. After lunch and a little time to look around Atlin we will drive 3 hours back to Whitehorse to arrive by 5:00 pm. Dinner and hotel not included

 

Please Note:  This trip operates in an expedition format and due to the variables of weather, and the needs and safety of the participants, Cabin Fever Adventures can not guarantee that the itinerary will proceed as listed above.  The itinerary may be modified at the discretion of the guide.


Cabin Fever Adventures expressly suggests that participants book at least one additional day in the Yukon at the end of their trip to avoid problems associated with delays such as, but not limited to:

Cabin Fever Adventures can not be held responsible for any expenses you may incur associated with delays of our wilderness trips.  Delays could be several days in length under severe circumstances.


What if this itinerary doesn’t quite fit your needs?  Cabin Fever Adventures is more than willing to modify an itinerary to fit your needs. We can:

 

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