Series Notes
This is Part 2 of 2 of the series Traversing the Elusive Nahanni River. Read Part 1 here.
Day 6 – 16 Miles (26 km)
After two days of driving, two days of sitting around waiting, my spinal injuries are acting up. I made the unforgivable mistake of taking a muscle relaxant late last night, and I am paying for it this morning. I can barely keep my eyes open. I fight the fog and attempt to help pack up the tent. I feel a bit like a cute elf, desperately trying to be helpful, despite being very drunk. Not actually drunk, but the muscle relaxant is fogging up my usually sharp mind and reflexes. Coffee and breakfast start a revival, and I slowly catch up to speed.
We need the speed now. We are at least a day behind schedule, and Michael’s job is on the line.
Portage
The portage at Virginia falls is a half boardwalk, half switchback trail, which drops to the bottom of Virginia Falls 96 m (it’s taller than Niagra Falls). It’s a stretch of about 2 km down and 2 km back carrying canoeing equipment, which is not well suited to backpacking.
Part of the portage can be made by ferrying the canoe, with all of our gear, to a platform in the river and almost to the top of the falls and the point of no return. My heart is in my throat as we paddle the almost lake-like calm above the falls. A miscalculation here means almost certain death of going over Virginia Falls.
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Slowly, we start making our way down the portage route down the boardwalk, which protects the ecologically sensitive muskeg below. After less than a mile, the boardwalk ends, and we find ourselves on a steep, narrow, rough switchback which drops in less than a mile of distance.
After a few hours, we drop the last load of gear on the rocky riverbank and make dinner.
Fourth Canyon
With a regretful look back at Virginia Falls and a mighty shove off the bank, “Kermit,” the canoe is out in the middle of the Nahanni River. My whole being has ached to be on this river for weeks, and with each rapid and splash, my soul comes alive.
The rapids are small, and the river is fast here. The canyon passes quickly, the water flow after Virginia Falls is fast and waits for no one. I don’t manage to remember to pull my camera out once. With a 5 PM start, we won’t make much mileage here, and it obviously weighs heavily on Michael’s mind.
Campsite 1
There is no doubt, this is a hard day. The portage took a toll on us both, paddling afterward is a punishment. We also know one of the most challenging rapids, the “Figure 8 Rapids” are not far from here. We are too tired, and it’s getting dark fast enough. Neither of us wants to try running a big rapid fatigued and in the dark. A few short miles in and just before 8 PM, we pull off the river and make camp on the first inviting island.
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Discussion
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Emylene VanderVelden’s detailed account of an expedition down the Nahanni River by canoe:
Looks like an awesome trip! Thanks for sharing your adventures!
In the prairie creek photo what is the white material on the ground? Surely not snow? What were the dates of your trip? It looks like mostly class 1 paddling except for the figure eight and a few side currents; are there no rock gardens? Looks like a really awesome trip. The Nahanni has been on my “wish” list, not my bucket list, because it is so intimidating. But maybe it’s really not?
Thanks for your great trip report!
Those aren’t blue herons, they are Sandhill Cranes.
Enjoyed your report. Thanks for taking us along.
Great report and photos!
As a canoeist and foamier ACA Moving Water rated instructor I have a great appreciation for the Nahanni River, the canoeist’s “Ultima Thule”. Â This river figured prominently in Bill Mason’s books “Path of the Paddle” and “Song of the Paddle”.
And BTW, I think many people do not appreciate how much “intestinal fortitude”it takes to do a trip of this magnitude. I congratulate you on making this epic trip.
My own eastern Canadian wilderness trips, Ontario (French and Magnetawan Rivers) and Quebec  (Kipawa Game Preserve) have shown me what it feels like to be cut off from the possibility of immediate rescue. These trips were in the days before satellite rescue beacons like the SPOT Gen, 2 I now carry.
It’s great that BPL has published this article of true wilderness canoeing on a river where both your canoeing skills and your gear must be well sorted out.
The white material is a white clay and sand mixture. There was however snow in the upper regions of the area the first day of the trip and the Bruces, Donna, June, Ken and Chris had snow throughout their trip because they left a couple days later. The storms we missed were a blessing.
Eric, I am glad you enjoyed the read. Going out for a trip like this is a very different mindset certainly. With this river, even with a GPS locator it could be days or weeks before help arrives. Search and Rescue is run by a small troupe of Parks Canada officers most of which are at least a planes ride away and the Canadian military also a good plane ride away. Planes here can obviously be grounded for days by my experience.
A good case of hypothermia or shock could be fatal much sooner than help arrives. Unfortunately, I think the fact we can summon help has lead to some outdoor idiocy. Near my home here we have people in shirt sleeves falling into glacial lakes and almost or actually drowning because they ignorantly assume either it’s a nice calm lake and/or that someone will rescue them. Help can be hours away in remote areas. And seeing other backpackers, hikers, canoeists etc. doesn’t make you any safer it puts other, possibly inexperienced, outdoor users at risk if you make a mistake and they attempt to rescue you.
Awesome trip something you will remember for many years to come…Thanks
Looks like a fantastic adventure. Congratulations on planing and executing such a feat. Thanks for sharing adventures.
@granolagirlak It depends on the time of year you do the trip and if you do it from the Rabbit Kettles or Virginia Falls. The water was very high during our trip which makes it less challenging for sure, it was not a typical year that way. Doing the trip from the Rabbit Kettles for sure includes boulder gardens.
Amazing trip and fun to read. You brought back lots of good memories. We went in via the Little Nahanni in 2015 to climb in the Cirque, and got to end our trip with the famous canyons of the Nahanni. I doubt I’ll ever climb there again, but I’ve already been back the the Mackenzies for the whitewater: the river travel really steals the show in that area!
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