DAY 1: VANCOUVER /
WHITEHORSE / PRIMROSE LAKE
Today we fly to Vancouver and then on to Whitehorse. Arriving in mid-afternoon,
we transfer to a float plane for the beautiful one-half hour flight to our first nights
camp on the southern end of Primrose Lake with magnificent views of the rugged, ice-capped coastal mountains.
DAY 2: PRIMROSE LAKE
After an introduction to sea kayak technique, including surfing and the use of
parafoil kites, we
paddle and kite sail for a few
hours (6 miles) across this beautiful remote lake while watching for Dall sheep and bears,
moose and eagles.
DAY 3: PRIMROSE LAKE /
UPPER PRIMROSE RIVER / ROSE LAKE
This morning we deflate the sea kayaks and inflate the paddle rafts. After a
river safety talk, we exit Primrose Lake and run the swift, nearly continuous, Class 3-4
rapids of the upper Primrose River. After lunch we sea Kayak down the remaining few miles
of the calm but swift river, through prime moose habitat to Rose Lake with imposing Rose Mountain towering above it's western shore. We spend the
afternoon paddling,
surfing and kite sailing to a
beautiful Peninsula
of white sand for the evening.
DAY 4: PRIMROSE RIVER /
ROSE LAKE
This morning we kayak past a string of beautiful island to a side creek where we
hike to a beautiful waterfall overlook. In the afternoon we paddle and kite sail to the end of the lake where we board the paddlerafts
and drift gently down to our camp
immediately above the imposing Primrose Canyon and the dramatic 100 foot falls that guards
it.
DAY 5: LAYOVER / HIKE
A 1 hour hike this morning takes us to a spectacular, sheer walled sister canyon of the
Primrose. Sometime in the past, the River changed course and abandoned this gorgeous,
narrow 600 foot deep chasm. At the bottom, framed within imposing granite walls lies an intimate lake
fed by a wall of melting ice. From
one of the numerous spectacular overlooks you can see a massive bald eagle nest perched precariously on a ledge. In June and early July
there are usually 2 or 3 baby eagles present. Threading our way down a natural stone
staircase in the canyon walls we follow a beautiful moss covered trail to the lake at the bottom of the gorge. We then make a wondrous hike around the lake and back up through the slot canyon's
imposing walls. Upon exiting the canyon,
we traverse across a ridge to the top of the Primrose River Canyon (the canyon the river presently flows through and the one
we will be helicoptered into the following day.) where we follow the gorge rim back to
camp. The views along the way of the dramatic chasm and it's wild rapids are breathtaking.
Just before reaching camp we are confronted by Primrose Falls. Here, with a deafening roar, the entire Primrose
plunges 100 feet into the sheer-walled abyss.
DAY 6: PRIMROSE CANYON
This morning we are met by a helicopter and make a dramatic helicopter portage around the falls and are dropped off on a tiny island
in-between the dramatic walls. We spend
the rest of the day running some of the most challenging class 4 rapids on the river. In
the afternoon we make camp on a gorgeous island on an intimate deep pool ( small lake) set
beneath massive walls deep within the canyon.
DAY 7: PRIMROSE CANYON /
KUSUWA LAKE / WHITEHORSE
This morning we exit the little lake, paddle a continuous mile long class 4 rapid
and drift into Kusuwa Lake. Kusuwa is a large lake surrounded by beautiful peaks. Boarding
the sea kayaks we paddle, kite/sail and surf for 2 or 3 hours across the lake to our take
out. Here we meet the van and drive an hour and a half back to Whitehorse where we have a
farewell dinner and spend the night in a hotel.
DAY 8: WHITEHORSE/
VANCOUVER / U.S.
This morning we fly to Vancouver and then on to our final destinations
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