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.
Expedition Blog Exploring the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Burial Mounds
Exploring the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Burial Mounds
Friday, 30 September 2011 17:33 Last Updated on Saturday, 01 October 2011 22:28
Student Response Worksheet (Lower)
Student Response Worksheet (Upper)
In the past week, we have paddled across Lake of the Woods and entered the Rainy River. This river runs along the border between Ontario and Minnesota. It has been an important river for travel and trade routes for a very long time. Ancient people and, more recently, the Ojibway have left their mark on the area.
In last week's Cast YOUR Vote, students decided that we should visit burial mounds that are found along the Rainy River. There is a museum there too, full of valuable information about this important historic site. I will share what we learned with you.
This place is called Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung, or the Place of the Long Rapids. This site is on about two and a half miles of shoreline of the Rainy River. People have lived in this area for about 8,000 years. There were at least 30 different villages here over the years. There is evidence of at least 17 burial mounds.
One of many burial mounds on the Rainy River
In the museum, Dave and I took a walk back in time as we observed the displays about the people who lived here. I will give you a bit of a timeline. The first people to inhabit this area were the Paleo-Indians about 8,000 to 9,000 years ago. They left behind evidence like spear points, scrapers, and flakes from creating these stone tools. The Archaic culture came next, between 2,000 to 8,000 years ago. They left behind copper tools. The Laurel culture lived here 800 to 2,000 years ago. They were the first mound builders in the region. Then came the Blackduck and Selkirk people, about 300 to 800 years ago. They were similar to the Laurel people, and they also built burial mounds. The last people to inhabit the area are the Ojibway.
Dave explores the museum
The river was part of an important trade route. People also chose to live here for the resources that the land provided. Sturgeon would be caught in the rapids. Wild rice would be harvested nearby. The soil is rich. Prairie plants grow along the banks, providing unique plants for medicine and food.
We watched a fisherman catch and release this massive sturgeon
Dave and I went for a three mile hike along the shoreline in order to see the many burial mounds. It felt good to stretch our legs. The sun was low in the sky when we arrived at the last (and largest) mound. I was struck by the beauty of this place and could see why people would want to live here for so many years.
Dave and Fennel walking past the largest burial mound
We found out that the burial mounds were made by digging a shallow pit. The deceased would be placed inside and then covered with earth. Important items like medicine bags, pipes, food, and clay pots were buried with the deceased. Later, more deceased would be placed on top and covered. It took several generations to make the mounds that we see today.
Thank you for choosing for us to visit this special place. We learned so much about the history of the place. I have a deep respect for the land and the people that lived and died here over the years. If you would like to learn more, check out the museum's website: http://www.manitoumounds.com/Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung/kncwn.html
Fennel's Field Notes
Gosh. I'm hungry. When do we eat? I like to give subtle hints to Amy and Dave, to let them know when it is time to feed me. I get two meals a day. (Really, I would prefer five or six.)
The day begins when I hear Dave and Amy wake up. Once I hear them talking to each other, I position myself just outside the tent door and then I whine. I'll whine and bark until they get out of the tent and pour out some kibble for me.
In the evenings I have to be very patient. We usually land. Amy sets up the tent. Dave starts a fire and cooks dinner. Then the two of them eat dinner. Can you believe that I have to wait through all that?! It is difficult to stay calm sometimes. They feed me in the pot, so I guess that is why I eat second. When I get a bit of leftover cheese or sauce from their dinner, it is a special treat. Gosh. All this talk of food is making me hungry. When's dinner? 
Daily Data
9/24 0 miles, 4 White Tail Deer
9/25 15 miles, 1 Black Bear, 2 Loons, 5 Bald Eagles, 1 Muskie
9/26 24 miles, 4 loons, 3 Bald Eagles, 3 Turkey Vultures, 4 Common Terns, 50 Canadian Geese, 10 Ring-Billed Gulls
9/27 27 miles, 2 Otter, 6 Loons, 21 Ring Billed Gulls, 45 Canadian Geese, 12 Black Ducks, 2 Bald Eagles, 4 Pelicans
9/28 32 miles, 1 snapping Turtle, 1 Lake Sturgeon, 4 Bald Eagles, 11 Pelicans, 6 Cormorants, 20 cows, 16 Ring Billed Gulls
9/29 14 miles, 2 King Fishers, 1 Sturgeon, 2 Bald Eagles, 3 Golden Eagles, Many Ducks, 2 Cormorants
9/30 17 miles, heard a pack of coyotes, 6 Bald Eagles, 1 Turkey Vulture, 5 Musk Rats, 1 Otter, 2 Snapping Turtles, 8 Red Squirrels, 3 Pelicans, 27 cows
Fall is traditionally harvest time in many parts of the world. This week, we are wondering what you would like to learn about food gathering. The Ojibway depended on the local plants and animals. Would you like to learn more about how they harvested food? Animals in the Boreal forest are busy stocking up for winter. The second option is learning about how these animals gather food. Dave and I have to be conscious of weight and perishables when we are traveling by canoe. The final option is to learn about the food that we eat and how we package it.
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