Canoeing the South Nahanni / Liard Rivers, Nahanni National Park, NT, CANADA: Rabbitkettle Lake > Nahanni Butte

If You're a Paddler, It's on YOUR List!

LOGISTICS (ON, CANADA)

Designation(s): SOUTH NAHANNI is a Canadian Heritage River, World Heritage Site
Canadian Heritage Rivers: SOUTH NAHANNI
Park: Nahanni National Park

Private Vehicle: Tim's Lake > Toronto

By Air: Toronto > Edmonton, AB > Yellowknife, NT > Ft. Simpson, NT

Air Charter: With pilot Jaques Harvey of South Nahanni Airways from Ft. Simpson > Rabbitkettle Lake, Nahanni National Park

Outfitter: Blackfeather Wilderness Adventures 

Guides: Paul Scriver, Andrew Pichora

Mandatory Portage(s): (1) Rabbitkettle Lk. > SOUTH NAHANNI R. (2) Around Virginia Falls

Tandem Canoe: SOUTH NAHANNI R. > Nahanni Butte, NT - CIII+, 13 days, 337 kms

Max. River Speed: 23 km/hr (gps)

Water Taxi: On the LIARD River from Nahanni Butte > Lindberg's Landing 

Van Shuttle: Lindberg's Landing > Ft. Simpson

By Air: Ft. Simpson > Yellowknife > Edmonton > Toronto

Private Vehicle: Toronto > Tim's Lake
DVD Available: Get copy from Store

View South Nahanni / Liard River(s), NT, CANADA in a larger map

Bill Mason called it " The greatest river trip in the World"! ... What other reason would we ever need to paddle it?

Well OK!, these too ... 

The World's First UNESCO Site, inscribed 1978

Canada's Largest Tufa Mounds

The World's Largest Tufa Mounds North of Latitude 60

Canada's Deepest Canyon - First Canyon is 1200 metres high

The South Nahanni is a Canadian Heritage River

SOUTH NAHANNI

A statement of the Canadian Heritage River Systems: 

The World’s first UNESCO site, inscribed in 1978. The South Nahanni is one of the world’s great rivers. It’s visitors are treated to a unique blend of scenic grandeur, wilderness adventure and solitude. Tumultuous rapids and meandering calm waters have cut deeply into the Dehcho (Mackenzie Mountains), creating four towering canyons (the deepest in Canada) and Virginia Falls, twice the height of Niagara Falls. Deep caves puncture the walls of Ala Tthe Zhihgoi?a (First Canyon). Gahnihthah (Rabbitkettle Hotsprings) have built the highest tufa mounds in Canada. In recognition of this unique heritage, the South Nahanni River has been proclaimed a Canadian Heritage River.

Advice given to Raymond Patterson in Fort Smith on his way to the Nahanni in 1927:

“ So you’re goin up the Big Nahanni?

Boy you’ve bitten off something this time!

They say there’s canyons in there thousands of feet deep, and water coming through faster’ n hell.”

“But people have gotten through, haven’t they?”

“Oh, I guess they have just got through ... years ago.

But canyons ... and sheer! Thousands of feet!”

“If people have got through, there must be some ledges or something where a man can tie a canoe and camp and sleep?”

“I don’t know. There ain’t that many that have come back to tell about it. 

Men vanish in that country.

There were some prospectors murdered in there not so long ago, and down the river they say it’s a damned good country to keep clear of ...”

SOUTH NAHANNI / LIARD  Photography