Paddle To, Through, and Around Alaska Adventure

Adventure Description- Inside Passage and Chilkoot Portage

Route Description Overview: I have broken down the Adventure into eleven sections or "legs"each with distinctly different characteristics. The first and longest leg will be to paddle up the pacific coast of Washington State, British Columbia, and SE Alaska (Inside Passage); then portage up and over the coastal mountain range (Chilkoot Pass); then paddle down 900 miles of the Yukon River to the Chandalar River; then paddle/pull up the Chandalar River to it's source; then bushwack portage over some tundra to find the Koyukuk River and stop by my old cabin; then paddle down the Koyukuk to the Yukon River again; then paddle down the rest of the Yukon River to the Bering Sea; then hang a left and paddle the Bering Sea along the SW coast of Alaska to the Kvichak River; then paddle up the Kvichak River to and through Iliamna Lake; then portage through the Alaskan Pennisula mountain range to Cook Inlet; and then, lastly, paddle along the coastline of the Cook Inlet to Anchorage. Determination, persistance, wise decision making, and a little luck will be needed to do the entire route in one season before freezeup.

A more detailed description of each of the eleven legs of the Adventure follows below.

Inside Passage Paddle and Chilkoot Portage:

The Adventure will commence around March 24, 2013 near Bellingham Washington. The first leg of the trip will be paddling up the coasts of British Columbia and southeast Alaska on the route known as the "Inside Passage". The Inside Passage is a 1,300 mile long shipping route from Washington to Skagway Alaska that winds through thousands of islands and provides protection from the sometimes violent sea conditions encountered along the outside passage of the Pacific Ocean. The coastline's climate is that of a temperate rainforest with rugged slopes meeting the ocean and large tidal fluctuations. Expected challenges will be cold oceanwater temperatures, persistant rainfall, high winds, tidal currents, and limited landing sites for resting and protection from wind/storms. This segment will end near Skagway Alaska where the second leg of the Adventure will require portaging canoe and gear along the Chilkoot Trail and over the Chilkoot Pass.

The Chilkoot Trail is a 32-mile trail through the mountains that leads from Dyea, Alaska, just outside Skagway, to Lake Bennett in British Columbia. The trail, which crosses the historic Chilkoot Pass (a 3500 vertical foot climb), was the major access route to the Yukon goldfields during the Klondike Gold Rush that hit its peak in 1897-1899. It was at this time that the Chilkoot Pass earned the nickname "the meanest 32 miles in the world." Expected challenges will be physical (see previous sentence!) compounded by spring trail conditions likely to include mud in the lower elevations and deep, soft snow fields in the higher elevations. My goal is to be able to carry my gear and canoe in two trips (which will equal 96 miles of portaging) in a total of 6 days.

Adventure Description- Upper Yukon River

Upper Yukon River Paddling Route:

I will begin my paddling on the Yukon River at it's source which is in part Lake Bennett after the Chilkoot Pass. I will be timing my arrival here to coincide with when the ice clears from these upper lakes and the river itself. As I paddle downstream, the river will continue to swell in size as other rivers and streams join the Yukon. 2300 miles later (the same length as the Mississippi River), the Yukon River ends at the Bering Sea. The first 900 miles is what I refer to as the Upper Yukon River.

The Upper Yukon River is generally pretty flat, but fast flowing at 4-8 mph on average. The fast current can create dangerous eddies, boils, and whirlpools. The river also carries a tremendous amount of suspended silt which gives the water the appearance of flowing mud. Canoeing this stretch of river will be enjoyable, but avoiding capsize is a must. There are two rapids, Five Fingers and Rinks, neither of these should pose too much of a challenge if run correctly. Much of the time the river flows between fairly high banks, but camping spots are not hard to find. At the Village of Circle there is a change in terrain called the Flats. The Flats are, well, flat. The river is broad and multi-channelled. If I choose the wrong channel, I may find the water is very slow and shallow requiring pulling of the canoe.

Adventure Description- Chandalar River

Chandalar River Route and Tundra Portage:

I will leave the relative ease of paddling down the Yukon River at the confluence of the Chandalar River. This leg of the Adventure will require paddling against the strong currents of the Chandalar River to move upstream on this 150 mile stretch. An Alaskan hunting guide familiar with the Chandalar told me he didn't think it posssible to paddle against the current. Where the current is too strong to paddle, I will pull the canoe using the "lining" method. Lining a canoe is accomplished by tying a rope to the bow and another rope to the stern and pulling both ropes at the same time. The canoe can be steered out into the the river by adjusting the length of the ropes as I'm pulling/walking upstream. The Chandalar River is remote even by Alaskan standards and not much information is available. I will eventually take the West Fork branch to unnamed forks of the river until it becomes a trickle of water and portage from there.

The portage from here will be by bushwacking across the tundra and will require finding the best route through the tundra and Brooks Range foothills- there are no portage trails here. The "here" or starting point will be determined by river water levels. I'm hoping that the length of the portage will not be more than 15 miles but it could be as long as 25 miles. Walking on tundra is no fun! It is like walking on a wet sponge with a maze of raised grass hummocks and areas of almost impenetrable brush and stunted black spruce. My destination is the Koyukuk River drainage- either a navigable creek or the River itself.

Adventure Description- Koyukuk River

Koyukuk River Route:

I will be glad to be back in my canoe as I travel down the South Fork of the Koyukuk River. After a days travel, I will stop at the site of my cabin that I built and lived-in back in 1989. I am curious to see what has become of my cabin. Paddling this stretch of the Koyukuk will be hard on the canoe bottom because of the shallow, rocky riffles where the water depth is only a couple inches deep. My previous experience here resulted in severely-damaged canoe bottoms. My old fiberglass constructed canoe would only make a few river miles before wearing through. I'm counting on my Sea Wind kevlar hull to perform better on this trip.

According to an experienced Alaska river paddler, the South Fork of the Koyukuk should not be considered for paddling because of the abundance of "sweepers" downstream from the haul road (Dalton Highway). Sweepers are trees that have fallen into the river but their roots are still attached to the bank. They are very effective at catching floating debris (or canoes) from the river water and not releasing them because of the force of flowing water. The Middle and North Forks are the preferred paddling routes, but that is not where my cabin is. Another warning that I can attest to in this part of Alaska- do not have any exposed skin because the mosquitoes are thick!

After the South Fork joins the main channel of the Koyukuk, paddling will be easier for awhile until reaching the lower sections. In the lower section the river enters a vast swampy region known as the "sloughs". River current diminishes to zero through the interconnected sloughs and dead-end oxbow lakes. Locals say that only one or two people per year paddle this part of the Koyukuk. Wildlife is said to be everywhere in this secluded remote section.

Adventure Description- Bering Sea to the End

Final Routes (Kind 0f):

The last four legs of the adventure will be to paddle 1000 miles of Bering Sea coast to Kvichak River, paddle up the Kvichak River to Iliamna Lake, portage across a mountain pass to get to Cook Inlet, and finally paddle the Cook Inlet to Anchorage. The Bering Sea coastline will be a formidable challenge. I was unable to learn of anyone who has paddled this coastline in my research. Limited landing sites, vast tidal mud flats, and, of course at times, nasty sea conditions are some of the obstacles to contend with.

I will be relieved to be off the Bering Sea as I paddle against the current of the Kvichak River that flows out of Iliamna Lake. Iliamna Lake is a huge lake (8th largest in North America) even though it looks small on the Alaska maps. It always amazes how vast and enormous Alaska is.

After portaging my gear again, I will make it into the Cook Inlet that leads to Anchorage. I was hoping that this last leg of the trip would be easy, but that's not the case. More mud flats and huge tidal swings over 30 feet await me. My original goal was to reach Anchorage in mid November but have decided to paddle harder and make it there in early October. Mission accomplished, but if I still feel up to it, I may paddle back to Juneau along the Gulf of Alaska. This would add over 800 miles more to the adventure.

But......

Sunday, February 1, 2015

After the Adventure

The YouTube link below will take you to some ramblings of mine that I started writing after completing the Adventure and realizing that returning home would not be as simple as I thought. The physical and mental progression is probably not unique to my situation but was not anticipated by me. All is good.

"After the Adventure"

Still Paddling,
BeaV

Monday, September 15, 2014

I Made It- 1 Year Look Back

"Determination, persistance, wise decision making, and a little luck will be needed to do the entire route in one season before freezeup."

That was my thought before the Adventure began. Now....I wouldn't change those four things needed to succeed although I'd move "persistence" to the last. It starts with "determination" and ends with "persistence" with "wise decision making and a little luck" needed in between. Yup, that sums er up pretty good!

Sporting my new replacement hat

The Adventure ended 1 year ago today- at least that’s when I paddled into Anchorage and put the paddle down. Since then, I have relived parts of the trip over and over again as I’ve edited my videos and shared those moments with some people near to me. It has been difficult to share the details of the Adventure partially because of hesitation on my part but also because of the lack of understanding of many people around me. I suppose a written account (book) would help but I’m still not going there.
For those interested in reading more, the best written account out there is an internet discussion on an Alaskan Canoeing forum where I posted a question about availability of drinking water on the Bering Sea coastline that turned into kind of a play-by-play of the trip. If you’d like to understand some of challenges faced take a look at that discussion and then maybe you’ll think twice before asking me if “I’d do it again?” It's 32 pages of discussion starting with Post #1 dated 01-03-2013.

Bering-Sea-West-Alaska-Coastline

Being back from the Adventure hasn’t been without its challenges too. But I wouldn’t want to relive the past. Still glad it’s over…but when I see water, I haven’t lost the urge to paddle it.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Character

Hey everyone!

I feel bad that I haven’t updated my Blog since November but the trip is over and I have no interest in turning this into anything other than a Blog about the Adventure. As the one-year anniversary of completion of the trip approaches, I’ve been pondering some things and looking back at events that happened and people I met along the way. I decided I need to acknowledge the “top five” list of people I met along the way that impacted me in a special way. This list does not include friends and family. These are people that were strangers with nothing to gain in helping me but helped me regardless. Their actions speak volumes to their TRUE CHARACTER!

Leon Somme and Shawna Franklin, Orcas Island Washington

Leon and Shawna are fellow adventurer types whose faces lit up with excitement and understanding when they first heard of my plans. They graciously provided assistance by offering their place in Washington as a home base for me to start my Adventure from, instructed me on the basics of paddling in tidal conditions, and welcomed me into their family for a couple days. They helped give me confidence at this time filled with doubts and uncertainties of what lay ahead.

Amigo Will, Wrangell Southeast Alaska

Amigo Will, an internet friend whom I had never met before and hardly corresponded with, yet somehow he seemed to know me like someone only knows a person from experiencing tough times together. He was an Alaskan who believed I could. Will and his wife Barbara welcomed me to their home town with offers of assistance. Having a friendly face welcome me in a strange place gave me hope that others would be waiting to greet me along the way.

Grafton, Fort Yukon Interior Alaska

Grafton, a native resident of Fort Yukon, after a brief meeting on the riverbank, brought a hot supper to my camp, later offered fish from his net, and watched after me in a somewhat dangerous place for a lone stranger. While all in the village were telling me what I was about to attempt on the Chandalar was sure death, Grafton quietly said to me “those others only know of travel with 100 hp motors, you might be able to do it”. That was his way of saying that he believed that I could do it. Yet, at the same time, he was genuinely worried for my safety. He seen me off as I left the village, even offering to give his shotgun to me if I didn’t have one because I was going into bad bear country. The kindness shown to me for reasons unknown would not be forgotten.

John Rivers, Sr., Quinhagak Bering Sea Coast Alaska

The Village of Quinhagak lays near the end of the dreaded tidal mud flats that beat me down day after day combined with cold rains, wind-swept exposed coastline, and the treacherous crossing of the Kuskokwim River delta all left me feeling like life was me against all. That all changed when I knocked on John’s door to ask if I could leave my boat on the river bank near his house while I went into town to call home. John took charge and said it was not safe to leave my stuff there and had his son help me stash my gear in his shed. Then he saw the awful rusty condition my shotgun was in and said he would clean it and get it working again. Later that day when I returned to get my stuff and go back out into the nasty rainy weather, John invited me to stay the night in his house with his family. I almost declined the offer, but faced with the option of going back out to sea in the brutal weather, accepted. Glad I did as it was awesome to finally be warm, dry, and sheltered again. John offered much advice from religion to surviving bear attacks to getting off the Bering Sea- and I listened. For a short time, I had somebody on my side!

Stay tuned as I will have a couple more Blog entries in the near future.

BeaV

Monday, November 25, 2013

Radio Interview

Two days after my arrival in Anchorage, I did a couple of radio interviews with Alaska Public Media. If you'd like to listen to them, click on the link below and scroll down on their web page to find each interview and click on the play button.

Alaska Public Radio Interviews

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Return to Minnesota

I flew back to Anchorage a few days after my niece's wedding only to find out that my ferry was delayed 2 days due to bad winds. No complaints from me as being delayed in Alaska is a good thing. My friend Mark and I used this extra time to charter a halibut fishing trip out of Homer with good results.

The Alaska Ferry ship Kennecott was further delayed due to wind but eventually arrived and I boarded her for a ride to Juneau. Interesting to note that a 400 foot long ship can also be adversely affected by wind/waves as my 17 foot canoe often was. What a nice change of pace to just sit back and enjoy the ride through the Gulf of Alaska. I really enjoyed the ride as the winds picked up to 50 mph gusting to 65 mph for most of a day. The crew told me the captain considered going to port to avoid the wind but ultimately decided to stay out.

The storm delayed our arrival into Juneau causing us to get there around 4 am. I was pleasantly surprised to have someone call my name as I departed the ferry. Local resident, Mike F., had gotten up in the middle of the night to come pick me up at the ferry terminal. I ended up staying with Mike and his wife, Noreen, at their home for a few days while I was waiting for the next ferry to arrive. Mike and Noreen both work for the US Coast Guard and had followed my adventure. I had a great time trading stories and hanging out with them- thanks Mike and Noreen for being such great hosts!

While in Juneau, I wanted to canoe up to a glacier somewhere. The Mendenhall Glacier is close to town so that was my destination only I chose to get there the hard way. Most people drive to Mendenhall Lake and put in there, I decided to do it by paddling from Mike and Noreen's place. I put in at Fritz Cove and paddled to and up the Mendenhall River to get to the lake and then the glacier. The Mendenhall River is really cold (30 something degrees) and has some class 2 whitewater making for a challenging paddle/pull upstream. I made it to the glacier and proceeded to retrace my path back down the river. Although the Kruger Sea Wind canoe is a great expedition canoe, it is not built for whitewater paddling. Yup, I capsized on the approach to the class 2 rapids ending up bouncing my way through part of them. I managed to save the canoe and myself, once again, but did crack and deform the boat's hull.

From Juneau I boarded another ferry headed to Washington State. Much of the route taken by the ship was the same as I had paddled this last spring. Seeing some of the same areas again brought back past memories of both struggle and accomplishment. These areas now observed from the ship's deck perspective differred from before- now it wasn't personal, it was just scenery to be glanced at from far away and lacking of a sense of experience. Sadly, I had become a tourist.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Back in MN Temporarily

I was really excited to make it back to Minnesota in time for my niece Ashley's wedding this past weekend. Ashley and Jeremy were married on the shore of Lake Superior near Lutsen. It was great to see all my immediate family and some friends. The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding. Here's a photo of the newlyweds and I.

I will be back in Anchorage today to bring my canoe and gear home. I will take the Alaska Ferry from Homer to Juneau, then a week layover in Juneau, and then the ferry to Bellingham, WA.

BeaV

Monday, September 16, 2013

Safe in Anchorage

My final paddle day's plan to reach Anchorage worked out perfect. Low tide was to be at 10:30 am so I launched from my camp at the mouth of the Susitna River an hour and a half before that so I could take advantage of the river current to help push and guide me through the maze of sand tidal flats out to the deeper water of Cook Inlet (about 3 or 4 miles out!). I made it to deep water just as the tide was to go to flood and this would help push me into Anchorage. My marine radio National Weather Service forecast was great- light and variable winds less than 10 mph. You can see from my Mappage that this was the case to begin with and I was cruising straight toward Fire Island. But in the blink of an eye, a strong north wind blew up gusting to 20 or 25 mph and forced me to turn into it and head for the shallows of the tidal flats for protection. A fitting last day challenge, I suppose, since the wind was my nemesis on so many days throughout the Adventure.

After a couple hours, the north wind settled down and things were looking good until I passed Fire Island. Then a southeast wind blowing out of Turnagain Arm came at me broadside. Not bad but whenever you mix waves with strong tidal currents things become dicey. I didn't care at this point because I was in such a great mood as I neared Anchorage.

I paddled up a small creek and landed at a bike trail bridge crossing ending the Adventure. It didn't take long and I had a small group of people asking a ton of questions followed by the appearance of a newspaper reporter. I see the newspaper already did their story last night- here is a link:

http://www.adn.com/2013/09/15/3077485/canoeist-bob-beav-vollhaber.html

Here's the associated news video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb3Dk9sMi9Q

My old college friend, Mark Robokoff, arrived a couple hours later and we loaded up my canoe and gear, dropped it off at his place, and off to a restaurant for my long awaited victory hamburger meal. I will end the Adventure here and not continue to Juneau (during the planning of the trip, I thought I might add to it and paddle to Juneau).

How do I feel this morning? My last paragraph of my last journal entry sums it up well, "I feel relieved that it's over and I'm alive and well. Thank God. No more will I have to risk my life to the whim of the wind. I am safe. I feel great. I have no regrets".

Bob

Paddle To, Through, and Around Alaska Adventure

Quote:

Inside Passage

Yukon/Alaska Overview

Adventure Description- Inside Passage and Chilkoot Portage

Chilkoot Pass

Adventure Description- Upper Yukon River

Upper Yukon River

Yukon River

"The Flats"