Canoe North paddles with many different levels of paddlers. Some paddlers are highly experienced in the wilderness and very comfortable with embarking on a trip. Some paddlers are just so confident of a shift into the wild spaces that they just can't wait to be there. These people have few general questions and are most interested in the logistics, equipment and plans. This list is not for those people. But for those of you are holding back on a dream of a possible northern trip, feel confident that others have had these same questions.

1. What level of paddling skills will I require?

Many of our paddlers have a similar background in their paddling experiences. Many have paddled either at a camp, the cottage or at Algonquin Park, Killarney or Temagami. Some haven't paddled for quite a few years! We select our rivers based on the skill level of the group. Most important is that we take novice, intermediate and advanced trips but we don't take beginners. If you are a beginner, call us and we can direct you to a place where you can get training.

We train all our paddlers before we go to the far north on the Grand River outside of Orangeville. We need some time in late April and May to teach the basic strokes we will require and to practice those skills. We would require a day of your time and perhaps more if schedules allow.

2. Am I a good enough paddler to go? Am I too young? Too old?

Many people dream of paddling a pristine northern river but never believe that they can handle it. If you are a paddler, you can paddle in the far north. There is a river suitable to your skill level. Our primary age group for paddling is 35 to 65 but we do offer kids trips and "seniors" trips. (Those who are 70 something don't like to be called seniors!)

We have a favourite story about a woman who paddled the Snake River with us in the northern Yukon. Ann was not an experienced paddler but she loved the outdoors. She continued to wonder whether she was a good enough paddler even once we got on the river. She paddled with Al so she would be very safe on the river. To access the Snake, we drive five hours north of Whitehorse and then take an air shuttle in for another hour and a half. Ann shared a tent with Lin that first night on Duo Lakes and Lin said, "You know we are a hundred miles from nowhere." Lin was met with silence and then heard a plaintiff voice say, "I don't think I want to hear that right now." The trip progressed and Ann did famously. She was such a joy to have on the trip! On the final night, now a couple of hundred miles further north, in the same tent, Lin said, "Well, now we are two hundred miles from a hundred miles from nowhere." Lin was met with silence and then heard a strong voice say, "I like the sound of that."

3. What about bugs?

We cannot believe how many people think that they will not travel north because of the bugs. The Yukon is the option for them! If you paddle in northern Ontario and the barrenlands of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, yes, you will be mobbed by mosquitoes and black flies. But paddle the Yukon and you will find bliss! This mountainous region allows us to camp on gravel bars and paddle rivers with few bug encounters. Sure, if you are in the deep woods, you will find some brutal bugs and if you are up after dusk at 1pm, you will be attacked. We avoid these situations. Some portages can have bugs but not many.

Linda travelled with us in the Yukon and her biggest fears were around the bugs and the latrine. At the end of the trip she commented, "I came thinking I would be happy on the river and miserable in camp. I thought I would be eaten alive and never want to go to the latrine. These issues faded into the background as I found the camp easy and the biggest challenge was executing an awesome eddy turn or a secure front ferry."

4. What about bears?

On the first night of the river, we review the things that are important to us regarding river safety, camp routine and helpful approaches. One of questions is always, "Who thinks they will be eaten by a bear?" Everyone puts up their hand! We are always more worried that they will have a fall and hit their head.

Yukoners say that you are honoured if you see a bear. The bears on the rivers in the Yukon are not habituated bears but are wild and want to run for their life if they see a human. In the ten years that we have paddled in the north, we have seen about 50 bears and true to form, they all moved off as soon as they could.

We do spend time teaching bear "etiquette" and ensuring that our paddlers take the right precautions. We also carry bear spray and bear bangers. Bear bangers are designed to scare a bear away with the loud crack of a twenty-two cartridge shell.

5. How do the group dynamics work?

The group dynamics are the most important part of a trip for us. We know that we have been successful when we arrive at the end of the trip and no one wants to get out of the boat. Our paddlers go home and at first feel at loose ends because they miss their new found friends.

We think that we have been so successful at finding compatible groups because much of our business comes through word-of-mouth or through people who drop into our pottery studio in the Hockley Valley. We do little advertising. This seems to filter out a portion of the population.

6. Who will I be paddling with?

Each trip is different. We try to set the paddling up with the best choice for the group in mind. We put people together whose skills will complement one another. Al and Lin always paddle with other people. Some trips seem to have people that prefer to switch around and others like to stay with their paddling partner. If couples or friends prefer to paddle together, they are welcome to stay together.

7. What about the latrine?

In regards to low impact camping, we dig a common latrine well back from the river and burn all paper products. In 1999, John paddled with us and arrived on the trip with a "strange" package wrapped in blue tarp material. At our first camp, we discovered what it was. Perched proudly on a small hillside with an incredible view was a toilet seat! A toilet seat with 3 legs! Our first response was, "But this is the wilderness"! It did not take us long to understand that this was a luxury that was a must! We carry this "strange package" with us now where ever we go. Thank you, John!

8. What kind of tents will we use? How many people to a tent?

We use four season, ripstop polyester tents from Eureka. The tent we prefer is the K2 XT which is a three-person tent that two people use. This tent is extremely durable in both heavy rain and strong winds.

9. Will I be doing camp chores?

We believe that doing camp chores is part of a wilderness canoe trip. The group can decide how they want to schedule things. Most groups choose teams! Lin had a women's group a couple of years ago that didn't want to have teams. Can you imagine surviving ten women in the kitchen!!! Lin and Al had one trip a few years back where the group made two teams and left these two leaders off the list. They complained and were told that they were resources. That was some trip!

10. What do I need to take with me?

Canoe North has developed a comprehensive list of paddling gear that you can use. Canoe North supplies everything except your personal gear, sleeping bag and sleeping mats. We supply packs, dry bags, and all camp gear.

11. What have other people said about your trips?

If you look under the "Memory for Life" button on the Main Menu, we have listed some testimonials. Canoe North Adventures was rated with 350 other companies as one of the best guiding companies in North America. This rating was based on in depth interviews with our clientele.

12. Will I like the food?

We have spent a great deal of time perfecting our menu so that it is easy to cook and yet gourmet. We are particularly proud of the food that we serve. Over the years, we have reduced the amount of dried food that we take and substituted fresh food meals. It gives us a little more weight and a whole lot more satisfaction. We dry our own food except for those things that we buy from a freeze-dried food company. They can do a better job at fruit, onions and beef steak for beef stir-fry than we can. We make an awesome beef jerky that keeps us energized for miles.

Each paddler is asked to bring a surprise dessert and surprise appetizer. This was a very successful tradition left over from earlier canoe trips before we formed Canoe North. You can find information on how to create such a thins under "travel info". Our paddlers have loved this tradition! Canoe North supplies a "happy hour" every night to go with the surprise appetizers.

13. How long are the trips? How long will I be away?

Our trips run between 10 and 14 days. We are very aware that many people have job schedules that require a two week window so we design our trips around this including the two travel days.

14. Do you take single people and couples?

We take both singles and couples. Many trips are a mixture of both. We also have many men and women who choose to come without their spouse! Some couples both enjoy paddling but that is not always the case.

15. What if I get sick or injured?

Canoe North carries a complete medical kit on the trip. Lin and Al have their Red Cross Certification and CPR training. We carry a satellite phone for emergencies.
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