Rae River, Exploratory Canoe Expedition

Named after the famous 19^th century arctic explorer and traveler John Rae, this river is unique and almost never paddled.  Rising in northern Nunavut at about 68 degrees north latitude the river flows swiftly east about 160km to the Coronation Gulf just west of the town of Kugluktuk (Coppermine).  100percent north of the treeline the river starts as a small stream high in the rocky ‘barren' hills of the Mellville range (elevation 270m/875ft).  This is a land of rock, water and eskers.  The river descends quickly at first through shallow rocky rapids, as it builds in volume and drops into a steep walled valley the gradient increases.  There are two stunning canyons along the way.  The first around the mid point of the trip continues on for about 10km and drops some 50m (162ft), the second near the mouth of the river is about 24km in length and drops another 50m.  This canyon contains several stunning waterfalls that are bypassed by short portage.  At the mouth it is a 24km paddle along the coast of the Coronation Gulf to the Inuit village of Kugluktuk (Coppermine) where the trip ends.

Every year owner Shawn Hodgins and another experienced ...

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Rae River, Exploratory Canoe Expedition

Named after the famous 19^th century arctic explorer and traveler John Rae, this river is unique and almost never paddled.  Rising in northern Nunavut at about 68 degrees north latitude the river flows swiftly east about 160km to the Coronation Gulf just west of the town of Kugluktuk (Coppermine).  100percent north of the treeline the river starts as a small stream high in the rocky ‘barren' hills of the Mellville range (elevation 270m/875ft).  This is a land of rock, water and eskers.  The river descends quickly at first through shallow rocky rapids, as it builds in volume and drops into a steep walled valley the gradient increases.  There are two stunning canyons along the way.  The first around the mid point of the trip continues on for about 10km and drops some 50m (162ft), the second near the mouth of the river is about 24km in length and drops another 50m.  This canyon contains several stunning waterfalls that are bypassed by short portage.  At the mouth it is a 24km paddle along the coast of the Coronation Gulf to the Inuit village of Kugluktuk (Coppermine) where the trip ends.

Every year owner Shawn Hodgins and another experienced guide explore a new canoe route (eg 2009 Quoich River).  This year we have chosen the Rae.  Participants should be experience northern river travelers and be prepared to paddle a wilderness whitewater river on which we have limited information, on the upper stretches of the river we often will not have a clear idea of what is around the corner.  In studying the maps and speaking with the very few individuals who have paddled the lower river we expect a class 2 & 3 river (we will be using splash covers) with a half dozen to a dozen portages over the course of the two weeks.  We have planned ample time to allow for the unexpected.

Suggested Itinerary:

Day 0:  Meet in Yellowknife (July 15, 2011) (we suggest you arrive earlier)

Day 1:  We'll make the 1.5 to 2hr bush plane flight into one of several small lakes at about 67.5 N near the headwaters of the south branch of the Rae.  If we reach the lake in good time (remember there is 22hr daylight) we'll embark via a 1km creek (or two 250m portages) to reach the river itself.  Here we will set up camp.  We'll enter the river at approximately the 260m elevation point.

Day 2:  River Details, it is 4km down from ck entrance to the 250m mark, over the next 9km the river has a consistent drop of about 3.3m per km.  We'll camp around the 220 elevation mark having covered about 16km. 

Day 3:  The consistent drop continues for another 6km, below 200m the gradient decreases dramatically for the next 15km.  Then as the river narrows and makes a sharp bend the gradient again increases and we expect a larger rapids.  We'll plan to camp in this vicinity having covered about 23km (it is quite possible we will also encounter a portage.)

Day 4  For 10 or 12km the river drops at a consistent rate of about 6.5ft per km and then we will enter the first of our canyons.  We may encounter some portaging and lining in this section.  We'll camp near the start of the canyon (likely into it 2 or 3km) having covered about 15-16km.

Day 5:  R&R/Hike/Explore day

Day 6:  It's 5 or so km to the end of the canyon.  We expect some possible portaging or linning.  The drop eases up near the end to 7 or 8ft/km, although rapids do continue on down to the confluence with the northern branch of the Rae.  We'll continue past the confluence, after several km the descent further decreases and we expect few obstacles.  We should make good time in this section.  We'll camp at around the 70m elevation mark having covered somewhere between 20-26km.

Day 7:  This day will likely be easier although we do expect to make good time on the river in this section, with few obstacles.  Our plan is to paddle about 36km to a larger marked rapids where we will camp and spend another layover day.

Day 8:  R&R/Hike/Explore day

Day 9:  It is about 5km to another larger marked rapid (1km long), 500m to another set, and 2.5km to yet another.  We will likely have to do some lining or portaging here.

This could take us all morning.  Then it is 6+km to the beginning of the final Rae Canyon.  We'll enter the canyon and proceed down, camping somewhere in it's midst for 2 nights.  We'll likely cover about 20km on this day.

Day 10:  R&R/Hike/Explore day

Day 11:   The canyon is 24km length in total, dropping about 30m.  There are several large rapids and waterfalls to be linned and portages.  We'll finish the second half of the canyon on this day.  From the exit it is a final 10km to the mouth.  We'll camp somewhere in this section (20km approx)

Day 12:  It is 24km to Kugluktuk, we've planned two days for this paddle, but if the weather is good we'll likely paddle it all in one day.

Day 13:  On Coronation Gulf (or in Kugluktuk)

Day 14:  Kugluktuk (trips ends)

Day 15:  Flights Home (Kugluktuk to Yellowknife & beyond)  August 1, 2011

Total:  158 km from put in location to Mouth + 24 to Kugluktuk = 182km

(you are responsible for your own scheduled flights to and from the trip meeting and trip end locaton.