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 Updates
Updates
A more personal account of hiking the Chilkoot and paddling the Yukon
Wednesday, 21 July 2010 17:59 Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 July 2010 18:14
Dave and I just spent four days hiking the 33 mile Chilkoot Trail, following in the many footsteps of eager stampeders who followed the same route during the Klondike gold rush between 1897-98. As we hiked, we tried to imagine what the journey must have been like over 100 years ago. While the route seemed difficult at times, we were thankful that we only had to do it once with our lightweight Granite Gear backpacks, nutrition-packed Macro Bars, warm yet breathable ExOfficio clothing, and modern hiking footwear.
I emphasize that we only had to do it once, because the stampeder back in 1897 or 98 had about a ton of food and supplies to get over the pass. To see a list of what they were required to carry, check out http://www.nps.gov/klgo/historyculture/tonofgoods.htm. Some people hired packers. Some used horses. Some traveled in the summer like us. Later on several tramways were built, allowing those who could afford it to have their gear hauled to Crater Lake for about 7 and a half cents per pound. Aside from the tramway, the easiest way to haul the supplies was in the winter, because you could dogsled up the frozen river and then the Golden Stairway consisted of steps cut into the snow.
Since we were hiking in July, we didn't have a frozen river or steps in the snow up the Golden Staircase. Our first day was 12.8 miles from the trailhead to Sheep Camp. This was our farewell to the temperate rainforest. As we gained elevation, we watched the ecozone change before our eyes. The second day was 8.5 miles through the subalpine an then the alpine environment of the Chilkoot Pass itself. We spotted a few mountain goats and a pica before reaching The Scales.
The Scales is the spot where people would stop to re-weigh their loads, jettison unnecessary stuff, and packers would go on strike demanding a higher wage per pound. Just past The Scales, the trail got steep. We switched from hiking to scrambling on all fours up the steep slope of loose rock. To keep things interesting, the trail crossed several 50 meter-long stretches of snow. I was super cautious (and probably looked a little ridiculous) on these snowy sections and Dave patiently waited for me before continuing the scramble up the rocks.
On top of the pass we breathed a sigh of relief in the 38o F air and took a look around. Our view was limited to our immediate surroundings, as a thick blanket of fog prevented us from peeking down into the valley below. Oh well. We were able to see the plaque honoring those who traveled the pass during the Klondike gold rush along with debris left from that crazy time. A wheel from a tramway, some tattered canvas from a half-baked scheme to sell prefabricated wooden canvas boats, the occasional remnant of a boot. Despite the presence of these artifacts, I had a hard time imagining this desolate place bustling with people, trudging in a line like ants up and over the pass or the piles of gear cached at the summit as the owners were en route to get more. For now, the pass was a cold, damp, windy spot where 26 hikers trudged across the bare rock.
We sought shelter in the small warming hut that the park service provides near the top. Upon opening the door I was a bit surprised to hear the cheer of the 9 Boy Scouts who had been hiking/scrambling just ahead of us. As Dave and I made our lunch and warmed up, I couldn't help but chuckle as the same cheer arose every time the door opened.
The mood was lighter heading down to Happy Camp. We hiked across several larger expanses of snow, enjoying our downward trajectory. Crater Lake was amazingly blue, with one large iceberg still floating in it. This and the subalpine stretch to Lindeman the next day were incredibly scenic. As we hiked to the Bare Loon campground, our environment changed into familiar surroundings. The small lake near this campground could have been a lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. We spotted a pair of loons on the lake and as we drifted off to sleep, we heard the familiar sound of their call.
The 4 mile hike to Bennett Lake was a breeze. We scheduled day 4 to be short because we had a train to catch. Well, sort of. We weren't getting on the train, but our kayaks were arriving on the train. You see, the kayaks took the other popular route, over the White Pass. The railroad was built toward the end of the gold rush and previous to that many men, women, and horses struggled to shuttle supplies along the White Pass Trail. It was a bit longer than the Chilkoot, but not as steep.
As we unloaded the contents of our backpacks into our kayaks, I thought about the stampeders loading their 2,000 lbs onto their newly made boats. Many boats were leaky or tippy, since this was the first boat building experience for many folks. The next plan was to paddle through the series of lakes into the Yukon River. A stiff tailwind pushed us much faster than expected halfway down Bennett Lake. We decided to stop at an island that the train conductor recommended. It was a good time to stop anyway, because the tailwind had increased to a rather wild ride. This island held the graves of two people who fell through thin ice during the gold rush. We also spotted a collection of artifacts near the campsite.
Just north of Carcross we passed a surreal scene. A bit north of Windy Arm on Tagish Lake a couple of zodiacs were buzzing around. As we got closer to a point on the western shore, we spotted two funky looking rafts loaded down with supplies and topped by canvas tents. A ragtag looking group of people sat on the shore. Dave paddled past and waved and some of them responded with a hesitant wave. It turns out that this group of people is reenacting the gold rush for a French Canadian reality TV series. The people in zodiacs must have been the film crew. We had caught wind of this on the Chilkoot Trail, but didn't think we would catch up to them so soon. All I can say is: surreal.
At the south end of Marsh Lake, we camped in Tagish and ate the biggest cheese burgers either of us have ever seen. The next day was our first taste of genuine hot summer weather. The last few miles on Marsh Lake were excruciating because our nice tailwind switched to a strong headwind.
Our first campsite on the river really felt like home. Moose tracks and scat were abundant not far from the clearing where we set up our tent. In the morning we awoke to the chatter of red squirrels. And to top it off, we spotted five beavers in about ten minutes after launching.
As we approached Whitehorse, I was kind of glad that Miles Canyon was just fast flowing water and the Whitehorse Rapids no longer exist because a large hydroelectric dam has been built. It was not uncommon for boats to tip or wreck in these rapids during the Klondike gold rush. Our only challenge was to portage around the dam. While the dam eliminated the rapids, the ecosystem has been affected. The construction of the dam in the late 1950s had a detrimental effect on the migration of the Chinook Salmon. Now, the world's longest wooden fish ladder can be seen, extending 366 meters along the east side of the dam to aid in the migration of this amazing fish.
Dave and I are now in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory preparing for the next phase of the trip. The next few days will be full of preparations as we outfit our Wenonah Cascade whitewater canoe with North Water spray cover and pack food at the NOLS base. When we head out again, we will continue following the route of the Klondike gold rush, down the Yukon River to Dawson. Five new team members from the will be on the water with us from Whitehorse to Carmacks.
