Sea to Sky Expeditions is proud of our commitment to sustainability, professionalism, learning, and cooperation with local communities. Our commitment to these principles has won us recognition as one of the top adventure companies in the world by National Geographic. Sea To Sky Expeditions has been providing quality wilderness experiences for our customers since 1988. Join us for 10 days of canoeing the world famous Bowron chain of lakes. The Bowron is considered the quintessential lake canoeing experience in Canada. All of our canoe expeditions feature certified guides, excellent meals, and top of the line equipment. We look forward to providing you with the adventure of a lifetime.

Sea To Sky BC Canoeing Expeditions:

• Canoeing The Bowron Lakes Circuit – Photo Essay

Overview

The Bowron Lake Provincial Park in the Cariboo region of British Columbia is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. The park started as a game reserve under the protection of the British Columbia provincial government, was re-categorized as a provincial park in 1961 and has grown over this time to encompass over 300,000 acres of land. The park is named after a local gold rush explorer and gold commissioner, John Bowron. Participants of the canoe circuit are required to register. Only 25 canoes are allowed on the circuit each day.

The Circuit

Travel the 72 mile circuit in a clockwise direction so you are traveling with the flow of the water. The first Lake is Kibbee Lake than you will go on to Indianpoint Lake and Isaac Lake. Take a hike on either side of Issac River to view a 36 foot waterfall. At Issac River there is an opportunity to experience some white water. It is a stretch of less than half a mile but if you prefer you can portage past this area. Continue through Lanezi, Sandy, and Spectacle Lakes to the home stretch on Bowron Lake. There are several smaller lakes and rivers that you will experience. One of these lakes is Rum Lake and its warm water great for swimming.

Photo courtesy of BC Government

Skill Testing

The Bowron Lake is a great place to test you endurance, stamina and will power. Everyone has to be self sufficient and pack in all the gear they will need for the duration of their trip. Although the circuit is suitable for all experience levels it would be wise to practice building a fire, know basic water safety, and be moderately physically fit. The Caribou region is known for its variable weather and its quick changes. Be prepared to wait out a storm in your campsite for a couple hours or a couple days. During rainfall many of the portages can become slick and challenge your endurance and your patience.

Wildlife

Bears and moose are plentiful in this region. It is imperative to be respectful of these animals and realize that, although they are accustomed to people in their territories, they can still be very protective of their young and their territories. Black bears are more predominate in the area but there are regular grizzly sightings too. You will see and hear many of the birds in the area including the haunting sound of the loons. Occasionally, you may even hear wolves. Keep a lookout for deer, mountain goats and caribou. Fishing is permitted throughout the circuit for trout, whitefish and salmon as long as you have the proper permits.

RV Camping

There are beautiful sites along the shore on the Bowron Lake to park your motor home, set up your tent or rent a cabin. You can rent a canoe or even a small motorized boat to sight see in the immediate area. Although dogs are permitted in the campsite on the Bowron Lake they are prohibited from the canoeing circuit. Dogs and bears are not a good mix.

Short Circuit

From the Bowron Lake to Una Lake is a short circuit called the West Side Trip. It is a less strenuous and a shorter trip than the entire Bowron Lake Circuit. However, it provides many of the same opportunities and pitfalls that the longer journey does. Registration is still required.

Overview

Jasper National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Rocky Mountain Range of Alberta and is spread out over 10, 000 square kilometers (4,200 square miles). Set against the Rocky Mountain Range is the Athabasca Glacier, Miette Hot springs, gorgeous waterfalls, pristine forests and sparkling lakes. Visit the wonders of the park by road or be whisked away on the Jasper Tramway to enjoy any of the wonderful sites and activities this incredible park have to offer.

Water Trips

White water rafting is possibly the most popular summer sport in the park. Many companies offer you a chance to plunge through the foamy water in exhilarating day trips or longer overnight trips. There are trips available for all experience levels and on site lessons for beginners. Swim in a secluded lake after a day of trekking around the foothills or just bask on one of the beaches for nap before dinner.

Whitewater Rafting in Jasper Park - Photo courtesy of Jasper Raft Tours

Motorized Tours

Van and van-assisted or motorcycle tours are available for sightseeing in the park. They offer you a chance to get out and closely explore areas you may not have seen otherwise. A helicopter can be hired for incredible sight seeing above the park or to deposit you in a private spot for a heart pounding heli-hiking experience. Choose a local company to take you on a guided tour of the Athabasca Glacier in one of their Ice Explorers.

Muscle Power

Guides can be hired for many of the activities you want to experience however, self guided tours are also popular. Spend some time walking, hiking or backpacking over some of the 1,200 kilometers of trails available. Many of these routes were used by Indigenous people and later by explorers as they traveled through these areas. There are climbing and mountaineering options, cycling and mountain biking expeditions and horse back riding tours available everywhere. Be sure to register or get any of the permits required for your chosen activity.

Mount Edith Cavell, Jasper National Park - Photo courtesy of Jasper Adventure Centre

Spend The Night

Whether you prefer the comfort of a lodge or hut, a tent amongst the trees or a primitive site off the beaten track, there is something for everyone. Spend a couple nights in one of over 1000 sites campsites to choose from. If you wish to have a fire to brighten up your campsite be aware that they are not allowed at all sites and pay attention to any fire bans that may be in place in your area.

Historical Sites

When it became clear, in 1907, that two railroads would be built through the Athabasca Valley the Canadian Parliament declared valley as a forest reserve. In time the reserve became known as the Jasper National Park and besides the scenery and wildlife the park also holds four National Historic Sites. The Jasper Information Centre was built in 1914 and showcases the value of building with local resources. This was the first substantial building built in Jasper and is the first to greet visitors arriving by train. The Athabasca Pass, Yellowhead Pass and Jasper House are also National Historic Sites within the park.

Canoeing in Canada

The Nahanni, the Tatshenshini, the Bowron Lake Circuit, and the Mackenzie River that connects Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake offer the best northern wilderness canoeing in the world whether your love is seeing  see a grizzly roaming freely, thousands of caribou on the move, or watching a bald eagle or Peregrine Falcon soaring high in the sky. Each of them offers unique opportunities to fall in love with the wilderness and some of the most experienced outfitters and guides in the world! These devoted wilderness enthusiasts have well learned canoeing, kayaking and rafting skills, emergency first aid training and  wilderness survival knowledge They know the folklore and history of the area. They can tell you where to catch a fish at every cast while watching a moose go by, or drift by a fishing hole frequented by grizzlies They can show you which fishing fly will work best in a given location or give you the adrenalin rush of facing down a giant brown bear with only a camera in your hands and a stun gun on your belt in case something goes wrong. Whether you want to kayak among the glaciers, photograph Dall sheep or white water raft down heart pounding rapids as they swirl through painted canyons you can find the perfect trip on the great rivers and lakes of Canada.

Saint Elias Lake, Kluane National Park - Photo courtesy of Adventure Tours Yukon Wild Ltd.

The Nahanni and Tatshenshini are two of the most breathlessly beautiful wilderness paddling and kayaking rivers in all of Canada. Whether you are inspired by the spectacular and ever changing northern lights, giant glaciers wrapped around alpine peaks or you want to stand on top of a mountain at the great divide and not see another soul for hundreds of miles, you can find the perfect trip for you.

The Nahanni was one of the world’s first four natural UNESCO World Heritage sites named in 1979 for the spectacular glacier and icefield landscapes as well as for the importance of grizzly bears, caribou and Dall Sheep habitat. It is also a Canadian Heritage river and was also a favourite of Pierre Elliot Trudeau, an accomplished wilderness paddler, an early environmentalist, and one of Canada’s most loved prime ministers.

Tatshenshini River, Alsek/Tatshenshini Provincial Park - Photo courtesy of Canadian River Expeditions

The Tatshenshini is rated as one of the top ten paddling and rafting rivers in the world and is  located in the largest contiguous preserve in the world (and we thought they were all in Africa)  which consists of Glacier Bay National Park,  Tatshenshini Provincial Park, Kluane National Park and the Yukon Game Preserve. It is also part of the largest non- polar ice field in the world and runs through an iceberg filled lake with spectacular calving glacier photo opportunities Alsek Lake. As recently as 1852, Alsek lake was 100 kilometres long and about 100 metres deep as a result of a giant glacier blocking it runoff, making it larger than Kluane Lake. When the ice dam finally broke, it sent a gigantic wall of water down the Alsek River drowning the communities along its shore. The glaciers last major surge was in 1997 and 1998

The Great Mackenzie River is Canada’s longest river from the headwaters of the Peace and Athabasca, through Great Slave lake and north to Great Bear lake at the edge of the arctic circle then on to the Arctic Ocean which flows into the Beaufort Sea. Along the way, it scrapes the rocks and then deposits its heavy load of sand and silt into the channels further north. Millions of migrating birds swoop down its valleys where it starts in the south and many follow its comparatively warm waters to the north where seals, otters and porpoises abound and it feeds its nutrients into the ocean to support the flora and fauna that supports the arctic char, salmon and krill eaten by the Orcas, grey whales and humpback whales.  Its watershed is1.8 million square kilometres in size and drains one-fifth of Canada’s land mass yet few Canadians have ever seen the Mackenzie. Even today, as its inhabitants, the Dene, Métis, Inuvialuit (Inuit) and non-aboriginal inhabitants contemplate their river’s future, the Mackenzie remains one of the most undeveloped, sparsely populated, and intriguing rivers.

In contrast the Bowron river circuit in northern BC is famous for its challenging canoe circuit, which encompasses a 116-km chain of lakes, waterways and connecting portages where you can test your white water skills and endurance. from mid-May to early October, depending on ice and snow conditions.

Wilderness and fishing lodges can be found throughout British Columbia, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories and offer great canoeing, kayaking and white water rafting excursions with plenty of salmon, arctic char and wildlife everywhere. It is hard to communicate the thrill of paddling pods of Grey whales, Orcas, porpoises, seals and countless sea birds and viewing some of the most spectacular glaciers in the world. There is something for every level of expertise with the relatively easy paddling of the Mackenzie where the water is wide, flat and protected, to the class five white water channels where there is also no shortage of adrenalin rushes for even the  most experienced paddler to experience a once in a lifetime memory.

Generally, lakes in the region are ice-free from May through November. From May through June, the water is high, fast and travel is easy. Mountains are usually still snow capped, making for beautiful photo opportunities. Daylight hours are long. July can be the wettest month of the paddling season and is usually the buggiest. In August, the bugs are usually gone and the water is low, revealing lakeside beaches and good swimming opportunities. Daytime temperatures remain warm, but evenings are cooler.

By September, most canoe routes are quiet. There is less traffic, no bugs, and the fall colours are a spectacular sight. The Northern lights are best at the spring and fall equinox.

Resources

Complete listings of canoeing and kayaking  outfitters across Canada:

Canoeing in Northern Canada, Canoeing in Western Canada, Canoeing in Central Canada, Canoeing in Eastern Canada, Kayaking in Northern Canada, Kayaking in Western Canada, Kayaking in Central Canada, Kayaking in Eastern Canada, Canoeing & Kayaking in Canada

Offering high quality guided canoe trips throughout Northern Canada. Canoe trips for a variety of skill levels in Northern Ontario & Quebec, Nunavut, NWT and the Yukon. Paddle stunning mountain rivers in the Yukon & western NWT. Canoe the remote wilderness of Nunavut & Baffin Island’s vast tundra barren lands. Travel along historic James and Hudson Bay rivers or paddle the classic Canadian Shield trips country of Ontario and Quebec’s near north. Scheduled and private trips available! For more information, check out our website.

Celebration of the Canoe: Come celebrate our heritage with us, join in the adventure from west to east and learn from the Aboriginal peoples of the West Coast how they built, used and still use the cedar canoe and paddle from island to island. Travel with us traditional routes of the explorers in the interior of British Columbia on the Columbia River in the Canadian Rockies – another of “The Seven Wonders of Canada”. Continue the journey and join us on the French River, part of the route the father of New France used to reach the Great Lakes; or go on the search of the narwhal by kayak in Pond Inlet on the August trip.

The best river expeditions from Alaska to Nunavut. Knowledgable, qualified and friendly guides, superior guide/participant ratio & itineraries, excellent food and attention to detail. Nahanni, Tatshenshini, Alsek, Stikine, Firth, Wind, Snake, Mountain, Coppermine, Burnside, Soper, Babine, Chilko, Chicotin, Fraser and more. Canoe and raft options allow us to accommodate all skill levels on all rivers. We have helped thousands of northern dreams come true over the decades. Most of our guests return over the years to travel several rivers with us. Begin your plans now before our trips are completely full.