One of the Arctic Refuge's premier wilderness rivers! A gin-clear jewel rising in the Philip Smith Mountains of the Brooks Range, the Wind River flows southward from the treeless Arctic Divide into the boreal forest. The Wind flows through a wide U-shaped valley flanked by dramatic, steep-sided peaks, offerig spacious, panoramic views, outstanding geology, and a truly remote setting. Here is a river that keeps us busy paddling through its many personalities, from narrow and twisting, coursing swiftly through willow thickets and over shallow braids, then through boulder gardens, to quiet flatwater, and becoming rocky rapids once more, as we pass through limestone peaks and taiga on the southern slopes of the Brooks Range.
This is a great trip for intermediate canoeists, or, if you're a beginning paddler, we team you up with a skilled paddler. We also run the river in small rafts, for those with no paddling experience. This is a moderately difficult trip on a swift river that ranges from Class II-III throughout most of its course.
Autumn is a great time for the river; the land is a palette of color, and the blueberries and cranberries are ripe for the picking. The upper river has outstanding hiking; we'll pause to explore the country, where gradual ridges lead to spectacular views in all directions. We are south of the Arctic Divide, and just entering the taiga, where groves of black and white spruce grow. The forest is magical, with its carpet of moss and lichen. The boreal forest is home to moose, wolves, grizzly and black bears, beaver, lynx and caribou. The river and surrounding lakes support healthy fish populations, and you can try your hand on the local grayling, northern pike and lake trout. Hiking is easy, or challenging (your choice) as we climb up nearby ridges for the big view.
The river is a pleasure to run, for the variety of paddling experiences it offers, The miles pass near-effortlessly; grayling and arctic char swimming below the surface seem close enough to grasp by hand!
This is rugged land, far off the beaten path, for adventurous paddlers. Our August departure offers an opportunity to gaze upon the wonders of the Aurora Borealis, experience the coming of autumn, and reap the bounty of the arctic berry crop. Come hike and paddle in a region few have experienced.
