Teslin & Yukon River Cedar Canoe Voyage > Detailed Itinerary
View a Point-Form Version of this Itinerary
This
15-day wilderness voyage takes participants on a trip through time and
wilderness. The Yukon and Teslin Rivers embody the history of the
Yukon. The Yukon River served as the main transportation corridor
of the Yukon and Alaska for both First Nations and early gold
seekers. As you travel first the Teslin River and then the Yukon
River you will gain an understanding of the Yukon’s rich frontier
history from the Gold Rush of 1898 through to the sternwheeler
riverboat era. Many artifacts remain along the riverbanks for
canoeists to experience first-hand. The Yukon is a deep and broad
river steeped in history and is therefore a perfect setting to use our
hand-built cedar canoes. Our cedar canoes are propelled with
hand-carved hardwood paddles of cherry, walnut and maple.
Note: All meals included in this itinerary are listed as: ( B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner )
Day 0: WHITEHORSE, YUKON
Hopefully
you have enjoyed your travels and 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 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 meet you at your hotels starting at 7:00 am. Your will need you have finished your breakfast by this time. (not included) We will answer any final questions and depart Whitehorse by 8:00 am. We will leave Whitehorse via the Alaska Highway driving southeast for 1.5 hours to Johnson’s Crossing. Here we will launch our cedar canoes upon the mighty Teslin River, which flows north from Teslin Lake. Teslin Lake’s southern bay extends deep into British Columbia and represents the southeastern headwaters, or the east fork of the Yukon River.
Day 2-3: (B, L, D)
Over the next two days we will travel north. The Teslin River starts as a wide and slow river. It is crystal clear to start with and you can watch the river bottom as you float downriver. As it winds its way towards the confluence with the Yukon River you will have views of the Salmon Mountains. The river soon picks up sediment from the clay cliffs it cuts through and you can no longer track your progress on the river bottom. The Teslin has gentle, flat, moving water with occasional standing waves and very easy small rapids that may be not be even noticeable in higher water. When the Teslin River merges with the Yukon River you will appreciate the Yukon’s stronger current and notice the brilliant aqua blue-green colour. The abandoned village of Hootalinqua lies at the confluence. We will stop to see the relic of the Steamship Evelyn.
Day 4-8: (B, L, D)
After passing the confluence of the Yukon River’s famous section known as “The Thirty-Mile River”, we continue our historic journey on the Yukon River proper, traveling each day when the weather is best, taking advantage of the long northern summer days, and enjoying good meals and fine company while resting in camp. On the morning of the eighth day we will arrive in the town of Carmacks, ending our first leg of the journey. At this point in the trip clients will have the option of continuing on an additional 390 km (242 miles) for the second leg of the trip that will take us to Dawson City. New paddlers may be joining our canoe party as we reprovision with fresh food and enjoy a riverside barbecue lunch brought to us by Cabin Fever Adventures staff. Clients who have only booked to canoe with us as far as Carmacks will be transported back to their accommodations in Whitehorse. By late afternoon we will depart Carmacks and make camp somewhere downriver.
Day 9-15: (B, L, ) Except day 16 dinner, which is not included
Over the next eight days we will continue our journey north passing such famous locations as the Five Finger Rapids, (not as scary as it sounds) Fort Selkirk, the Yukon Field Force Site, the Steward Island Museum, and then finally Dawson itself. We will arrive in Dawson City on the morning of the sixteenth day by mid-morning. Clients will have several hours to explore Dawson City and enjoy a provided picnic lunch on the embankment of the Yukon River before departing for Whitehorse by mid-afternoon. We will stop in the village of Carmacks for dinner (not provided) and will return to Whitehorse by 10:00 pm. Clients who wish to remain in Dawson City to explore the unique and fascinating gold rush community are encouraged to do so. There is no shortage of accommodation options as well as numerous local sightseeing companies that can accommodate all your needs. We can also add airfare back to Whitehorse to your package and extra nights accommodation in Dawson City.
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.
