Duration: 7 days
Equipment:
Meals:
Skill Level:
Dates:
Fishing on the McNeil RiverThe McNeil starts at McNeil Lake in the St Cyr Range, which is located about 30 miles north east of Quiet Lake. The trip begins in moose pond country, an area with plenty of wildlife, great fishing, a panoramic view of the mountains and ideal hiking. We will encounter many moose, depending on how quietly we travel, it could be five or twenty-five.
At the end of the Moss Lake the river enters a busy 5 kms long grade II canyon, with sharp corners and beautiful walls. Below the canyon the McNeil flows into the Nisutlin River, it doubles in size and slows down to a gentle pace until you enter the Nisutlin Canyon. There, you are in for 10 kms of continuous grade III+ whitewater. This section is great fun; clear water, well defined chutes and wave trains and big eddies where you can pull over to stop and enjoy the scenery.
Below the Nisutlin Canyon the river is fast moving but without the busy action of the upper section. The valley widens and you float through one of the highest moose populations in the Yukon.
The McNeil is a fly-in trip. We drive to Quiet Lake located on the South Canol Road and then use a float plane to get to the put-in. The take-out is located at the Nisutlin River Campground on the South Canol.
| River Name | River Class | Distance (Km) | River Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackstone River | II (class III-IV sections) | 568 km or shorter | 14 – 21 days (shorter length requires float plane exit) |
| Bonnet Plume | class III-IV (+ portages around class V rapids) | 570 km or shorter | 14 – 21 days (longer version only requires one flight) |
| Hart River | class III (plus long portage around class VI canyon) | 628 km | 16 – 24 days (shorter version requires 2 flights) |
| Bell & Porcupine River | class I-II | 333 km | 12 – 16 days (To Old Crow) |
| Snake River | class III+ | 305 – 552 km | 12 – 18 days (shorter version requires 2 flights) |
| Wind River | class II | 295 – 519 km | 14 – 20 days (shorter version requires 2 flights) |
| River Name | River Class | Distance (Km) | River Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross River | class III | 159 – 219 km | 6 – 9 days |
| Hess River | class III-IV | 495 km | 15 – 20 days |
| South Macmillan River | class III ( in the upper potions) | 503 km | 12 – 16 days |
| Upper Stewart (Beaver River) | class II | 350 km | 12 – 14 days |
| Pelly River | class II (large sections of class I) | 290 – 355 km | 8 – 12 days |
| McQuesten River | class I | 123 km | 3 – 5 days |
| Big Salmon River | class I-II (sweepers) | 355 km | 8 – 10 days |
| River Name | River Class | Distance (Km) | River Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton River | class II-III (log jams, sweepers, braided) | 41 km | 3 days (can get wind-bound on Bennett Lake) |
| Watson River | II-III (mostly class I with one rapid) | 18 km | 1 day |
| Nisutlin River | class I | 192 km | 5 – 7 days |
| McNeil River | class III-IV | 161 km | 5-7 days |
| Yukon River | class I | 320 – 740 km | 8 – 20 days (2 sections) |
| Teslin River | class I | 370 – 786 km | 8 – 20 days (2 sections) |
| River Name | River Class | Distance (Km) | River Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dezadeash River | class I (sweepers) | 152 km | 4 – 7 days |
| Kathleen River | II (+class five canyon-sweepers) | 43 km | 1 – 2 days |
| White River | class II (sweepers) | 323 km | 7 – 9 days |
| Donjek River | class II (sweepers) | 448 km | 9 – 12 days |
| Kluane River | II-III (at the beginning, the class II and then ending class I | 498 km | 9 – 12 days |
| River Name | River Class | Distance (Km) | River Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frances River | class III (mostly class I) | 230 km | 6 – 9 days |
| Wolf River | class II-III (portages around class IV) | 142 km | 5 – 7 days |
| Hyland River | class III sections (with lots of class I) | 224 km | 6 – 9 days |
| Beaver River | class II (with portages of class IV) | 350 km | 10 – 14 days |
| Upper Liard River | class I-II | 255 km | 8 – 12 days |
| Coal River | class III-IV | 121 km | 4 – 6 days |
| Jennings River | class II-III | 112 – 155 km | 3 – 8 days (if hiking added) |
| River Name | River Class | Distance (Km) | River Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Lakes District | class I (but big waves are common) | 0 – 300 km | 1 – 20 days |
| River Name | River Class | Distance (Km) | River Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonnet Plume | class III-IV (+ portages around class V rapids) | 570 km or shorter | 14 – 21 days (longer version only requires one flight) |
| Hart River | class III (plus long portage around class VI canyon) | 628 km | 16 – 24 days (shorter version requires 2 flights) |
| Bell & Porcupine River | class I-II | 333 km | 12 – 16 days (To Old Crow) |
| Snake River | class III+ | 305 – 552 km | 12 – 18 days (shorter version requires 2 flights) |
| Wind River | class II | 295 – 519 km | 14 – 20 days (shorter version requires 2 flights) |
| Hess River | class III-IV | 495 km | 15 – 20 days |
| Wolf River | class II-III (portages around class IV) | 142 km | 5 – 7 days |
| Beaver River | class II (with portages of class IV ) | 350 km | 10 – 14 days |
| Upper Liard River | class I-II | 255 km | 8 – 12 days |
| Coal River | class III-IV | 121 km | 4 – 6 days |
| Jennings River | class II-III | 112-155 km | 3 – 8 days (if hiking added) |
| Upper Stewart (Beaver River) | class II | 350 km | 12 – 14 days |
| McNeil River | class III-IV | 161 km | 5 – 7 days |
Please Note: Information provided in this chart is for comparative purposes only for potential clients of Tatshenshini Expediting Ltd. considering paying for the services of a professionally guided trip and is not intended to provide definitive information to third-parties regarding the challenges or risks associated with travelling on any of the listed rivers. Please do no paddle any of these rivers based on the river classification system indicated here without doing your own exhaustive information gathering, studying of maps, detailed route research and careful evaluation as to whether you group has the skills to paddle this river. Tatshenshini Expediting will not be held liable for any events which may occur to third parties using this information to plan their own canoe trips. All recommendations for appropriate skill level below assume that paddlers are being guided by a professional river guide and are not applicable to groups travelling without guidance of an expert.
The table above is courtesy of Dustin Davis / The Bistro on Bennett.
