NIGU/ETIVLUK CANOEING AND HIKING
Western Arctic, NPRA
Trip Length: 10 days
Activities:  Canoeing on Class I-II water; day hikes of any length uneven terrain with no trails. Scenic and wildlife photography.
Dates: August 5-14, 2005
Price: $3650 from Fairbanks
Rating: M

This is the naturalist's quintessential arctic canoe adventure. These swift, clear rivers begin in the high country just north of the Arctic Divide, in the heart of the Western Brooks Range. The Nigu and Etivluk rivers flow across treeless tundra for their entire journey. The Nigu meanders northwesterly through a deep, narrow valley, surrounded by mountains, then opens up, joining the Etivluk, where the rivers turn north. The hills and valleys in the upper Nigu offer great hiking, as well as archeological sites from the Arctic Small Tool Tradition 1,200 years ago. We hike on dinosaur-backed ridges in the path of early indigenous hunters.

Small and intimate, the Nigu and Etivuk offer canoeing at a relaxed pace through seldom-visited valleys, where wolves, bears and caribou roam, all five species of loons have been spotted, and peregrine falcons find refuge.

Day 0: Meet for dinner to go over details and last-minute questions.

Day 1: Fly from Fairbanks to Bettles. We meet our bush pilot here, and fly over the Central Brooks Range to the Arctic Divide, landing on a small lake at the headwaters of the Nigu or Etivluk River.

Days 2-9: We spend a day hiking from a base camp, exploring the alpine country inhabited by caribou, Dall sheep and grizzly bears. Then we pack up the canoes, go over paddling technique and safety and launch our boats. Each paddling day we stop to hike and observe wildlife. The country opens up a bit more as head north. We continue down to the confluence of the Colville River, and follow the Colville down to our pick-up.

Day 10: Weather permitting, we are picked up by our bush pilot and go back to Bettles, and continue south via small commercial flight back to Fairbanks.
 

Contact us for detailed information packet on this expedition.

Equinox Wilderness Expeditions
2440 E. Tudor Road, #1102
Anchorage, AK  99507
Phone: (604) 222-1219  cell: (604) 765-3370 Fax: (604) 222-1219

info@equinoxexpeditions.com