Trip Questions
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- What does a typical day look like?
- It depends on the trip (see detailed trip descriptions). The tyical day of our more activity-oriented
adventures tends to be somewhat destination oriented. A certain amount of flexibility is built into each itinerary to allow for rest and day hikes. With the long daylight hours,
your schedules will be dictated more by wind, weather and wildlife viewing opportunities, than the hours on the clock. In general, aa discussion, either at breakfast or during
the evening before, will outline the plan for the day. On a typical day of a more creatively/spiritually oriented sojourn there is time built in for creative expression and
group activities.. Some of these trips may be base-camp or lodge based. Others involved wilderness travel but are not as destination or adventure oriented.
- Do we need to have previous hiking or paddling and camping experience?
- Previous experience is not a requirement for the trip. However, a good general level of fitness is recommended; the trip will be much nore enjoyable if you are in good physical condition.
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- A few notes on Backpacking
- Although we have had participants with little hiking experience, it is crucial to be fit in order to
enjoy any of our hiking trips. You will be expected to carry approximately 40 pounds which includes your gear as well as a portion of the food and part of a tent. The terrain
we hike through is varied and uneven. Some days your feet will get wet as no amount of waterproofing will prevent a soaking during knee deep stream crossings.
- Having said that, the areas we hike offer some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery in the
Yukon, so the workout is definitely worth the rewards.
- We recommend regular exercise prior to the trip, such as walking, jogging swimming or participating in
a fitness program. We also recommend that you "break-in" your boots and packs before the hike, so they don’t "break" you instead. Practice hiking over
varied terrain, including uphill, with weight in your pack. You can help break in new boots by soaking them before wearing them. Blisters can be a source of great, and needless,
discomfort, and can even be a source of serious infection and can ruin your trip. If you feel a "hotspot" attend to it immediately.
- Make sure your pack is comfortable, provides good suspension, and is LARGE enough to accomodate
everything you are going to need. Everything needs to fit INSIDE your pack, including your share of food, tent and group gear. We recommend a waterproof pack cover to help keep
your pack and its contents dry.
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- A few notes on Canoeing, Kayaking and Rafting
- We use 16 to 17.5 foot canoes, made with durable Royalex and Duratuff materials, single and double fiberglass and plastic sea kayaks, and 16 and 18 foot
Achilles and Avon inflatable white water rafts. The rafts are usually rigged with an oar frame which enables the guide to steer and power the raft with oars. The raft carries
half gear and half people. Participants do not need to paddle but they are encouraged to in order to increase the raft's manoeverability and momentum. On some trips we have
a paddle boat in which all participants are required to paddle, with an oar-powered gear boat which carries supplies.
- For WATERPROOFING your gear, we will provide you with one large river dry bag for canoe and raft trips. We recommend that you bring a small dry bag for the
gear you need during the day. Alternatively, you can line your day pack with garbage bags. We recommend a pelican-type case for camera gear and binoculars. If you are kayaking
you need to pack your gear in small bags that are easily stowed in the boat. You can bring small flexible dry bags, or waterproof stuff sacs with garbage bags.
- For waterproofing yourself we recommend that you bring high quality rain paints and coat. You can get chilled easily when paddling in cool weather, especially
if you get wet. We also suggest that you bring rubber boots. We recommend boots that fit tightly around the calves, to reduce the amount (ie.weight) of water they can hold.
Boots not only help keep your feet warm and dry while you are paddling in cool or wet weather, they are also useful for loading and unloading the boats. You may also want to
bring river sandals for hot days. Keep in mind that northern waters are cold and bare feet can chill easily. A pair of neoprene socks worn in your sandals can help keep your
feet warm.
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- What are the meals like?
- We take special care to provide meals which are both nutritious and delicious. We use a combination of fresh and
dried foods; the ratio of each depends on our weight restrictions on any given trip. Snacks and treats are provided but if you have any special favorites, feel free to bring
some along. We can accommodate any special dietary requirements (such as allergies, vegetarian, wheat-intolerant etc) if given enough advance notice (this information is
requested on the medical form).
- What is involved with the lodge-based trips?
- Most of our lodge-based trips will be located out of Primrose Lodge, a half hour scenic flight south of Whitehorse.
This remote wilderness lodge, nestled on the shores of scenic Primrose Lake, provides us with an ideal base for our explorations. The main lodge consists of a well equipped
kitchen, central dining area, and a comfortable living room. Cooking is done on a propane stove or woodfire stove and when night falls (which is late in the north, even in
September) kerosene lamps light our living room for evening writing practices. Rustic outlying cabins are set up with wood stoves and bunk beds for sleeping and all
accommodations are shared. The outhouse has a spectacular view, and the sauna provides an extra bonus. We will have the lodge, and likely the whole valley to ourselves.
Primrose lodge provides you with a comfortable and safe way to enjoy the wilderness and write to your hearts content.
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