Canoe come out and play?

Here's the thing, Dawson is far away. I know it, you know it, let's not pretend that getting here isn't a huge deal. Bearing these facts in mind, as well as the fact that some of our guests have never been to Canada's True North before, we are hatching a few plans to make the most of the time our "outside" guests have here.

First off the drawing board, a four day canoe trip down the Stewart River. My dad would like to organize a canoe trip for any interested guests, to take place either before or after the wedding. We need two types of people for this event:

1. Newbies- this is a great chance to see a beautiful section of the Yukon without having to do any organizing, planning, or spending. All of the equipment and expertise will be taken care of, you just need to get your butt into a life jacket and canoe and enjoy the ride.

2. Locals- we are going to need some people to help organize and guide this trip. Not that you need to be some river expert, we just need to ensure that each canoe has at least one person who has canoed a Yukon river before. We also might plan a trip for earlier in the season to scout out our camping spots.

We are still working out the details, and of course it depends on interest, but we are thinking maybe five canoes would be a workable number.

For anyone not aware, the Stewart River holds special significance for the Fraser family, as it was named after an ancestor of ours, James Stewart.

James Green Stewart, a classic example of the often-neglected second rank of the northern exploratory corps, made a noteworthy contribution to the opening of the far northwest. Although his part in northern exploration has been obscured by the more dynamic and public careers of his superior officers, most notably Robert Campbell, Stewart played a vital role in the Hudson’s Bay Company’s efforts to expand into the Yukon River valley.

- From Arctic Profiles by Richard Davis

We are hoping to have a few events over the time people are visiting, just to make sure that people get the most out of their Yukon experience. This might include a drive up the world famous Dempster Highway or a visit to the National Historic Site, Dredge #4, it all depends on what people want to see and do.