Big Salmon River > Detailed Itinerary
View a Point-form Version of this Itinerary
The Big Salmon River is a favorite experience for Yukon visitors who want a wilderness canoeing experience that won't break the bank. The put-in and take-out of the Big Salmon are both accessible by road, so the absence of a float plane ride makes it more affordable. The Big Salmon is a river of varied experiences. You get to canoe across large Yukon lakes, through sections of small intimate river in the upper reaches, through playful faster-flowing sections in the middle, with a little bit of easy whitewater thrown in for excitement. In the final days of the journey you paddle on the historical Yukon River. Add to this the opportunity to add a day-hike into the Big Salmon Range of the Pelly Mountains and you have an ideal choice for a beginner, or price-conscious traveller.
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. If you wish to fish on your trip but, have not had a chance to purchase a Yukon fishing license, you should do so this evening. Your guides will let you know where they can be purchased.
Please Note: Often our guests choose to come to the Yukon several days early, or too 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 by this time. Any final details will be dealt with and we will depart by 8:00 am. We will travel southeast along the Alaska Highway towards our put-in at Quiet Lake. At Johnson’s Crossing we will turn north off the Alaska Highway and on to the South Canol Road, arriving at Quite Lake by about 1:00 pm. Here we will enjoy our lunch, unpack our boats and gear and say goodbye to our shuttle driver. After lunch we will have some introductory canoe lessons for those of you who are beginners and a refresher for clients with previous canoeing experience. Our trip begins as we paddle north on Quiet Lake, living behind the road for the next 10 days. We will make our camp that night on the north end of Quite Lake and enjoy the mountain views.
Day 2: (B, L, D)
After breakfast we will exit Quiet Lake and enter a short section of the Sand River. Here we will continue to work on the canoeing skills we will need to paddle safely on the Big Salmon River. Next we will paddle through Sand Lake before we enter Big Salmon Lake. Here we will either camp for the night or push on to the outflow of the Big Salmon River.
Day 3: (B, L, D)
After breakfast we will commence our first full day of canoeing on the Big Salmon River.
Day 4-8: (B, L, D)
We continue canoeing on the Big Salmon River arriving to the now-abandoned Big Salmon Village at the confluence of the Big Salmon and Yukon Rivers. Depending on our speed of travel, we may take a lay-over day during these 5 days and partake in an alpine day-hike.
Day 9: (B, L, D)
We depart Big Salmon Village on the majestic and much larger Yukon River, heading northwest towards Carmacks.. The huge clay-cliffs carved into this broad valley are impressive and the river travels at a consistently brisk pace, effortlessly eating away the remaining miles.
Day 10: (B, L, )
We will paddle into Carmacks for the conclusion of our trip. Cabin Fever Adventures staff will meet us and shuttle us back to Whitehorse by approximately 6:00 pm. End of trip. Dinner and hotel not included in Whitehorse.
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:
- Delayed air charters (inclement weather, wild-fire smoke)
- Delayed transportation (mechanical breakdown, unsafe road conditions or closures)
- Delay of wilderness itinerary (inclement weather, wind-bound, injury, illness)
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:
- Add time to the trip for greater leisure, fishing opportunities, photography etc.
-
Some trips can be safely shortened in length of time, assuming clients
are willing to expend more effort paddling, hiking or cycling as
required by the itinerary.
- Some routes can be shortened in terms of distance.
- Combine this trip with other Yukon attractions and or wilderness activities. View Yukon-Wide Slideshow
- Book your hotel rooms (at a discount) for the night before and after you Cabin Fever Adventures vacation and add this to your bill.
