Horton River

Mainland Canada's most northerly river features birds of prey, musk ox and caribou.

This large but gentle river flows through the tundra as it winds northward to the Arctic coast. In addition to watching for caribou, muskox, wolves and grizzly, we will also see golden eagles, peregrine and gyrfalcons. You will hike the dramatic Smoking Hills, exploring the vents which issue billowing plums of natural sulphurous smoke, and scan the Arctic coast for seals and beluga whales amidst the ice flows.

Itinerary

The following is a tentative agenda and has been designed with much thought to capitalize on the most scenic and exciting parts of the river, while making time on other sections. Your guides will adjust the schedule to make the best use of river and weather conditions. Please come with a sense of adventure, a tolerance for hurry up and wait and, most of all, a good sense of humour.

Route Description: High Arctic Tundra River - 12 river days: 210 km (130 miles) with an elevation drop of 100 - 105 m (approx. 300 ft.)

Region: NWT Rendezvous point: Inuvik

Craft Description: Canoe - Voyageur (minimum 5 passengers) or 2-person canoe

Prerequisite: Novice paddlers in the Voyageur Canoe and Class II moving water skills for the 2-Person Canoe.

Day 1: Arrive in Inuvik and meet at the Arctic Chalet at 8 p.m. for the pre-trip meeting. Please note that hotel costs and meals while in Inuvik are not included in the trip fee. We will answer last-minute questions and prepare to depart the next day.

Day 2: We meet in the hotel lobby at 8 am. following breakfast (not covered). Via Twin Otter, we will fly east over the unique tundra ecosystem. We may see frost polygons from the air and will begin to get a feel for this diverse and solitary landscape. We will assemble the canoes and prepare our campsite. This spot offers ideal hiking opportunities and a chance to catch a glimpse of the Horton River's canyons.

Day 3: We embark on the river and the Horton's broad valley stretches before us. Trees appear only in the very bottom of the valley and along the incoming tributaries. You are now truly immersed in the barrenlands. Our Inuvialuit guide will unfold the secrets of viewing the land in traditional ways.

Days 4 and 5: Days will be spent exploring the river and the land. Icy veins in the river bank indicate the layer of permafrost that lies underneath the tundra. The treeless tundra offers ideal hiking. There have been active wolf dens here in the past; with some luck they may be occupied again. The river valley is home to many raptors such as the golden eagle and the gyrfalcon.

Days 6-9: In this section of classic rolling tundra, three of the four days will be spent paddling, while one will be a layover, giving opportunity for hiking and resting up. The Horton now flows north, parallel to Franklin Bay on the Arctic Ocean, which is about 30 km to the east. Often a cool wind blows off the ocean, which may require that you pull out that extra sweater. This section of the river provides opportunity to see grizzly bears, wolves, muskoxen and caribou. If we are lucky, migrating groups of caribou from the Bluenose Caribou herd can be seen (estimated population in 1983 was 50,000- 80,000). Their annual migratory path takes them northward in the hills between the Horton and Franklin Bay.

Day 10: The Horton River begins to slow in this section, as it nears the coast. The badlands and the geology of the Smoking Hills become evident, with a variety of colours and textures. These hills make for intriguing hikes.

Day 11: Some large meanders in the river are navigated during today's paddle, an indication that the Horton is an old river. We will likely find ourselves camped at the bottom of a large meander which puts us within a 3-km hike of the ocean.

Day 12: This day we will hike from the river overland in search of active vents in the Smoking Hills. Also, with some luck we may be able to see Beluga whales in Franklin Bay. It is possible that Franklin Bay may be covered in pack ice even in early July. As always, we won't stop looking for the caribou on their migration north: they could be anywhere!

Day 13: The aircraft will pick us up and return us to Inuvik. There may be time to explore the highlights of town after a shower. We will meet for a farewell supper (not included in the package) and reminisce of tundra memories.

Day 14: Homeward bound.