Join me for a journey through my traditional territory in the Peel Watershed, in Gwich’in called Chuu tł’at Gwinjik. 

By building skills, confidence and connection to the land we help build the foundation for our future as indigenous nations!

We will begin our journey together in Whitehorse, Yukon

Itinerary

Day 1 - We will meet in Whitehorse and gather, share food and learn from each other.  You will meet your guides and instructors who will help you organize your equipment. We will load into our van and move North of Whitehorse where we will camp for our first night together. Meals are hearty and delicious and we will all take our turn serving our fellow travellers.

Day 2 - We will begin our training this day. After breakfast we will begin to learn canoeing skills on the calm water of Fox Lake. Time will be spent in one on one instruction and each group member will be able to ask questions and grow their confidence. In the afternoon, We will travel from Fox Lake to the community of Mayo, where we will pay our respects to the community and spend our second night. 

Day 3 - We will begin the day with a morning canoe exercise on the gentle waters of the Stewart River. New concepts like eddy turns and back paddling will be discovered. Each paddle stroke will build our momentum as we talk about how the skills will be used on our journey into the mountains. In the afternoon we will fly into the Wind River and the territory of the Tetli’it and Vuntat Gwich’in, Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nation, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. This is the land and home of my people, ancestors, future generations and where a piece of my heart is.

Day 4-13 - Working as a team, We will work our way down the Wind’s Mountain Valley. We will celebrate the land, our growing strength and each other. We will learn from the land, waters,  the mountains and the animals that call the Peel watershed home. Each day there will be specific skills to learn, tasks to accomplish and views to take in. We will paddle and hike allowing the experience to fill us with joy.

Day 14 - We will round a corner and the end of our river journey will come into view. As we step from our canoes we will have accomplished something great but we will have also been humbled by the power of the land. We will be amongst the most fortunate people on earth to have experienced such beauty as the Wind River.