Norman Wells is a canoeists’ bonanza. Sixteen river systems can be accessed by air from this fly out outfitting centre. Eight of these rivers have earned world-class reputations in the paddling market: the Mackenzie, Mountain, Keele, Wind, Bonnet Plume, Snake, Anderson, and Horton Rivers.
Blackfeather, Canoe North, Nahanni River Adventures and Nahanni Wilderness Adventures offer fully outfitted adventures on two rivers that join the Mackenzie River close to Norman Wells – the Mountain and the Keele. These are magnificent rivers with some of the wildest whitewater canoeing on the continent. This is a true wilderness area, with no roads, no towns, marked only by the trails of wildlife and the Dene, the people of this area.
The Mountain River flows 370 km (230 miles) and drops 1200 metres (3900 feet) with large volume rapids, fast current and five beautiful canyons. It’s a classic mountain river, alternating gorgeous panoramas and steepwalled canyons. There’s abundant wildlife, alpine hiking opportunities and hot spring tufa rock formations.
The Keele, at 375 km (233 miles) is somewhat kinder, suitable for novices who can hone their skills on miles of swifts, rapids with standing waves, canyons and gravel bars. Natural salt licks along the shoreline attract animals – caribou, Dall’s sheep, wolves, moose, bears, and wolverine. This is a river steeped in history, a travel route for the mountain Dene to winter hunting grounds high in these mountains. Each spring, using hides gathered through the winter, families once fashioned huge moosehide boats to take advantage of the spring flood to return to summer fishing grounds on the Mackenzie.
For more information on canoeing the Mountain and the Keele:
www.blackfeather.com
www.canoenorthadventures.com
www.nahanni.com
www.nahanniwild.com
Mountain River Outfitters provides support to the wilderness canoe operators, as well as to independent parties planning canoe trips in the Norman Wells area, for more information – www.mountainriver.nt.ca
Canoeists are shuttled into the mountains to river starting points by North-Wright Airways find more at – www.north-wrightairways.com