Canoeist's Guide to the Liard and Mackenzie Rivers

By Harlow and Ariane Pinson
hpinson@indepthl.com
apinson@thuntek.net

Liard and Mackenzie River travelers have an exciting adventure ahead of them. We have traveled the Sahtu (Mackenzie) a few times now, and have provided these notes to help you plan your trip. Overall this is a safe trip suitable for intermediate canoeists or kayakers with experience in class I-II water. The trip took us about 6 weeks, traveling from Fort Nelson, British Columbia to Inuvik, Northwest Territories. You could take more time for your trip; there is a lot to see and do. The Liard River route is much more interesting than starting the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence or Hay River. Wildlife abounds, and you will see very few people along the river, except in the towns.

The Northwest Territories are in the middle of political subdivision in 1998 and many town names are changing as well. We refer to towns by their English rather than native names because that is what you will find on most maps produced before the year 2000. Local residents refer to the native town names with pride, and you should too.

Our canoe was a Old Town Discovery 16.9, a good but heavy boat, rented from Peter Clarkson of Western Arctic Adventures (WAA) in Inuvik, NWT. WAA was very reliable and did a great job outfitting us. WAA shipped our rental canoe from Inuvik by truck to Matco Transportation in Edmonton at a very reasonable cost, and we picked it up there for the Summer. WAA supplied rental paddles, a spray deck, and life jackets, which we always wore. We used Matco for expediting food supply packages to Fort Simpson (K+K Expediting) and Norman Wells (Matco). This worked out very well, and we would recommend using Matco. Buying food and supplies in the little towns along the river is prohibitively expensive and selection is poor. The best points for buying supplies along the river are in Fort Nelson, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, and Inuvik.

We used the Canadian Government nautical charts which were expensive but handy. We would have hung up on many more sandbars without them. The 100,000 scale topographic maps are adequate for navigation, and more affordable. We bought all our maps over the web from World of Maps in Ottawa, which has a complete online listing of the Nautical charts for the Mackenzie River / Fleuve Mackenzie that you may want. This worked our quite well. Maps NWT (MSS) is another source of maps, and these folks, along with Canoe North, can provide experienced advice on the maps you will need. We know of no good guide books to this river route, though one reportedly exists that is out of print. There are several chatty but useless narratives of recent river travel including Down the Wild River North and Kayaks to the Arctic. Ultimate North by Robert Mead has good history of the area and appendix resources. Sir Alexander Mackenzie's Journal is still very relevant. Dick Turner's books give a good feel for area history too.

Registering your trip with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police may or may not be a good idea: we registered and were careful about checking in at each town along the river as is recommended, but there was still confusion; none of the police stations in the towns appeared to communicate our progress with each other. Although we checked in on schedule at Inuvik, the Mounties still called our relatives and told them we were overdue. Since we had checked in as directed, the paperwork did not make it between floors at Inuvik we guess. Instead of becoming involved with this mess, tell your outfitter when and where you are due.

The weather in the Liard and Mackenzie Valleys was much warmer than we expected throughout the trip; we swam almost every day and barely used our down sleeping bags. Temperatures rose as high as the low 90's F.

We started our trip at Fort Nelson on June 18, which was after ice and high water, and after most of the big and dangerous floating logs are gone. The logs and debris appear during floods on the Liard, and you want to canoe cautiously after a big rain because of them. Tie your canoe up at night, because the river can rise and fall many feet rapidly.

Do not consider putting in at the Liard River crossing at the hot springs on the Alaska Highway. The Liard Canyon cannot be canoed. Put in instead at Fort Nelson. The Sikanni Chief would be another possibility for entry, but has rapids so inquire locally.

At Fort Nelson, leave you vehicle at the one storage yard at the Northwest corner of town (48th Ave and 55th Street) and get a ride or taxi down to the Muskwa River Bridge, two miles south of town. Put your boat in under the bridge on the muddy South shore.

The fast current will quickly bring you to the Fort Nelson River entering on your right. Your route from Fort Simpson is flat-water almost to Fort Liard. Be sure to watch for the numerous Wood Buffalo. There are small rapids at certain river stages on the right side of the river 2 miles upstream of Fort Liard that would make for rough canoeing. If you choose the left side of the river here at the bend, you should encounter no difficulty. Cross to the right side of the river, and to Fort Liard, just below the small rapids and narrows.

Fort Liard is a small town undergoing a local boom because of gas finds to the West. There is a Northern store with a public phone.

North of Fort Liard, Flett Rapids should pose no problem at all. At the famous Nahanni River, take a side trip and climb Nahanni Butte if you can. You may meet other river travelers here; the Nahanni sees heavy use during the summer months.

One day North of the Nahanni River you will encounter 16 miles of the Poplar Rapids, which should be navigated with extreme caution. Stay to the right throughout these rapids. Use the right channel around Poplar Island at the head of the rapids, and watch out for fairly large waves at the tail-end of the island. You will encounter fast choppy water and numerous ledges over the next 16 miles, all of which are hard to see and should be scouted but can be canoed in an open boat. Stay right throughout.

The most dangerous ledge is last; the Beaver Dam; a 4 foot limestone ledge, which can be deadly depending on river stage. Approach with extreme caution and scout. The Beaver Dam is about ½ mile past the 90 degree river bend, in a wide limestone canyon. The only canoeable route is to the right; very, very close to shore, and you may want to track your canoe. Don’t be at mid-river under any circumstances. Past the Beaver Dam is flat water to Fort Simpson where you meet the Mackenzie.

Resupply at Fort Simpson where prices are lower and selection is better. Fort Simpson has stores, motels, and phones, and Matco has a distributor here which is K & K Expediting who will accept your supply package and transport it to you in town.

Once on the Mackenzie you are primarily concerned with wind, which can rise faster than you can paddle across the river, and which causes big waves, hence our recommendation that you be comfortable canoeing class II white water. Expect up to ten wind-bound days for your trip. We had about six, with the wind increasing as we moved towards the delta. Watch out for fast-moving thunder storms too.

Barges, though not as numerous as in the past, kick up huge wakes, which can flip your canoe or kayak. Stay away from them. You call always hear them approaching from a long way away, so they do not pose much of a problem. A low thump, thump, thump, is your signal that a barge is approaching.

Bugs are moderate, and decrease as the Summer progresses. Wind keeps them down too. Bring bug dope and maybe head-nets. Make sure your tent is screened. We had the most bugs after rain in June.

Bears are present throughout the trip. We had no problems with them at all in 1998, but have had in the past. We carried a 12 gauge shotgun expressly to discourage bears, but did not use it, and we are not sure it was really necessary. With experience you can usually spot where the bears are, usually near old fish camps, river mouths, and berry patches. Several times in the 1980’s on Great Bear Lake we did use a gun to scare bears away. An air-horn probably would have worked as well, and guns get stolen and rust. If you must take a gun into Canada, be sure that you know what is and is not legal. There are some restrictions on barrel length, and type of gun. Pistols are illegal in Canada.

The river is flat-water from Fort Simpson to the San Sault Rapids below Norman Wells. Be sure to investigate the side rivers along this section. The little towns of Wrigley and Fort Norman (Tulit'a) are both worth exploring. The ruins of Old Wrigley are across from the Rock with its Feet in the Water, and downstream a few miles from the new town, and are worth a few hours exploring. You may see the smoking coal seams mentioned by Mackenzie in his journals. Fire devastation along this section is amazing.

Fishing along the river is good for Grayling and Pike. Use spoons and Dare Devil lures for Pike and small Mepps lures for Grayling in the clear side streams. Inconnu, a large whitefish, are numerous on the lower Mackenzie near Arctic Red River. Later in the Summer there are native fish camps along the river where you might find some good company and tea. Ask to purchase dried whitefish or moose steaks.

Take a side trip to Great Bear Lake from Fort Norman (Tulit'a) if you can. You can probably charter a power boat from Fort Norman up the 90 miles of clear, cold, and rapid Great Bear River (Sahtu De). To Great Bear Lake, the eighth largest freshwater lake on earth, provides fine fishing for huge Lake Trout. Radium was shipped through here until recently when the mines on the Eastern shores closed. Great Bear Lake is not recommended for canoeing; the waves are just too big. Sea Kayaks are suitable for traveling on this immense wilderness body of water. Abandoned Port Radium on the Eastern lake shore in the Precambrian Shield make for fascinating destinations. Great Bear Lake is much colder in the Summer than is the Mackenzie Valley, so dress accordingly.

Back on the Mackenzie, drinking water can be found in the clear side streams. We boiled our water for 15 minutes each night in a big pot over a wood fire. We had no Giardia or other water sickness at all, but as usual be cautious and selective about your drinking water source; Giardia is no fun. Firewood is everywhere, but a stove is still useful. Be somewhat cautious of fast moving forest fires, though you should be OK along the river shore.

Norman Wells, an oil town dating back to World War II, and can be your next resupply point. We sent our supplies to Matco Transportation that is located near the upper "Government" dock. There are several fairly well stocked stores in town, a bed and breakfast, hotels, phones, and bars. A highlight is the local Museum, a must see for river travelers interested in the rich history and geology of the area. The museum has the best selection of regional interest books in the area as well. The Canol Heritage Trail leaves Norman Wells (across the river) for the Yukon. This is not an easy trip we hear.

The first of two rapids on the Mackenzie River is the San Sault. These may be approached from upstream using the left-center marked shipping route. Scout from the RAM upstream of the incoming Mountain River on the left shore. Climbing the RAM will give you a good view. The rapids are just around a sharp bend in the river, with East Mountain on the right shore. Do not approach from the right shore (East Mountain) or you will be drawn into dangerous rapids and ledges. Cross left well before you approach the small boat warning sign on the right shore. Proceed through the rapids by either following the center-left buoyed channel closely, or by tracking closely to the ledgy left shore past the Mountain River. The current is swift at the buoys so shoot farther left than you think you should, so as not to hit a buoy. We had no problems, but approach these rapids with due respect. Camping above the rapids is a majestic experience with an expansive view, your last, of the Rocky Mountains.

There is a metal teepee monument on the left shore above the RAM, with a log of river travelers in it since the late 1950’s. The log was in very bad shape in 1998, and should probably be rescued and sent back to the museum at Norman Wells and treated as a historical document. It may not have survived the winter. We would encourage someone to rescue it, as it will not survive much longer outside. We placed it in a plastic bag inside the monument. We found it outside in the rain with the ink running badly.

You will encounter the next rapids one and a half days travel below the Sans Sault just above the Ramparts narrows. Following the marked shipping channel near the right shore is safest. We chose the left shore instead, which is much more interesting, but is punctuated by a 4-8 foot fall (more or less according to river stage) that must be portaged. The falls are not very visible from above so scout carefully. A good place to scout is just below the entrance of the Ramparts River on the left shore. The falls and ledges extend here across almost the whole river, except for the marked channel. The scenery is spectacular on this left side of the river, so it is probably worth the short portage. Do not travel down the center of the river here. There are falls depending on stage. Below is a nice campsite, with bears, right at the entrance to the narrow but flat-water Ramparts Canyon, on the left bank. Hike to the top of the canyon for great views. Look for fossils throughout the Ramparts.

Be sure to stop at Fort Good Hope (Radlei Ko), an interesting little town, and the winter link to Colville Lake. The gorgeous church has recently been restored here, and the local church staff can get you a key if it is locked.

Flat-water and wind are your companions on to Inuvik. River sand storms are amazing to see.

Drunks are in all the towns, with Inuvik having the most. Watch your gear as theft is a problem, especially by the children who hang out on the shores near the towns. WAA provided a canoe spray cover that proved very useful for preventing theft; we were careful to stow the gun and maps underneath our food and gear where they would be both hard to see and difficult to get at. We had no theft at all last summer, but I have had things stolen in the past in both Wrigley and Fort Franklin. Ron Haines had his maps and guns stolen at the campground at Fort Simpson in 1979.

Other than that, the town people are very friendly, and each town has special things to see and do. Each town has festivals at different days during the summer.

Arctic Red River (Tsiigehtchic) is a quiet community at the Dempster Highway ferry crossing. The view of the river from town, the church, and the dogs were highlights for us.

If your destination is Inuvik, you must take the East Channel in the Delta, which is a bit tricky to find. Stay to the right shore for 12 miles past Point Separation and look for a marked channel going right. Missing this channel will result in a trip to the Arctic Ocean, though you probably could paddle back up the East Channel from the North. Aklavik is another possible destination. Watch for nesting Bald Eagles and Wolves - they are everywhere in the delta.

Flying out of Inuvik is expensive depending on the gear you take. You might plan on dumping or selling a good portion of your gear in Inuvik. We paid about $300 Canadian each for the ticket out to Whitehorse, but another couple-hundred for the gear. Hotels are about $120 Canadian a night in Inuvik. Go to Tuktoyaktuk if you can, but be cautious as the wind is very bad near and along the coast. You could also rent a power boat at Inuvik which might be a safer way to approach the ocean. Sea kayaks would work well here.

Fly out from Inuvik to Whitehorse, Yukon Territories. Once in Whitehorse, take the Greyhound bus to Fort Nelson and your car. The bus runs daily and costs about $100 Canadian per person. It will drop you in Fort Nelson at 3 AM. There is no bus service out of Inuvik as far as we know, but if you can find a ride to Dawson, take advantage of it; the Dempster Highway is worth seeing. The Dempster provides access to the wild Peel and Yukon River drainage's as well.

We do not want to tell you everything; that would spoil your adventure, but if there any details you would like to discuss, feel free to e-mail us.

Have a great trip! •

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