During stage 1 we will kayak 1,400 miles from Seattle, Washington to Skagway, Alaska. The Pacific Northwest is home to a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial animals. We will be studying whales and other marine mammals, kelp forests, salmon, and many other species.
The Pacific Northwest is home to a variety of large land mammals including Grizzly Bears, and Black Bears. Above and below the surface we are sure to find plenty of things to learn about. Many of these large mammals need large undeveloped spaces to thrive and the roadless sections of British Columbia and Alaska provide the perfect habitat.
From Skagway, Alaska we will hike over the Chilkoot Pass in the footsteps of thousands of gold seekers who struggled across the pass to reach the Klondike. Many of artifacts remain from those early days, and we will follow their path all the way to Dawson City along the mighty Yukon River.
From Bennet Lake on the eastern side of the Chilkoot Pass we will canoe through a chain of lakes that form the headwaters of the Yukon River past White Horse and down the swift flowing Yukon River to Dawson City. 
From Dawson we will hike 100 miles through the mountains to the headwaters of the Blackstone River. The Blackstone flows into the Peel River, which flows in the McKenzie River, which will lead us to the Arctic Ocean. The rivers flowing through these rugged mountains as some of the most pristine wild rivers in North America, with hundreds of miles of flowing waterways between towns or roads.
After over 2,600 miles of paddling and hiking we hope to reach the Arctic Ocean before freeze up. We will spend the month of October,2010 training our dogs, and learning about native life in the Arctic. In November we will head south along the McKenzie River by dog team, crossing 1,800 miles of frozen wilderness. There are many remote native communities along our way and we are sure to learn a lot from the people we encounter.
When the ice melts in the Spring of 2011 we will transition from dogsled to canoe and paddle 2,300 miles along the historic travel and trade route pioneered by Alexander McKenzie, Samuel Hearne, and other Canadian Explorers in the 1700's. We will finish this stage of our journey in the fall of 2011 by completing the 8 1/2 mile Grand Portage which will lead us to the rock shore of Lake Superior.
After spending the winter giving presentations and making final preparations we will begin 4,800 mile kayak journey from Grand Portage, Minnesota to Key West, Florida. The first 2,200 miles will take us through the Great Lakes and out the Saint Lawrence Seaway. 
During the final stage of our journey we will kayak the length of the Atlantic Coast from the Saint Lawrence Seaway to Key West, Florida. We will be following the seasonal whale migration from the Bay of Fundy in Maine to the warm clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way we will visit cities large and small, and study a variety of ecosystems and environmental topics. We also plan to take side trips into the cyprus swamps and Everglades National Park looking for Alligators, birds, and other critters.
Green and Simple Energy
Energy
In our everyday lives it is easy to take energy for granted. When we want light, we just flip a switch; if it’s cold, we turn up the thermostat; and when we want to head to work most folks just hop in the car. On the trail, far from the nearest power grid or road, our muscles propel us from place to place, and power for heating, cooking, lighting, and charging our computers and other electronics is hard to come by.
We use solar panels and batteries, small camp stoves, and good old-fashioned campfires. Trail life makes you slow down and realize where your energy is coming from in addition to conserving the little power that you use, whether it is white gas for cooking or solar power for camera batteries and computers.
Wilderness preservation starts at home with energy conservation and the use of clean renewable power. We hope this section of our website will provide you with energy-saving resources and encourage you look for ways to reduce and refine your energy consumption. Small changes can have a big impact on your wallet and the environment.
Editor's picks
Database for state incentives for energy savings
Fuel effecent driving techniques
Easy home energy saving tips that save money
Energystar lighting (easy way to save money and energy)
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Obama to reverse ban on oil exploration off East Coast
Sunday, 11 April 2010 06:30
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The Cuban crocodile is among the world's most endangered species. Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher/
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