Cliff Jacobson - Canoeing Wild Rivers: The 30th Anniversary Guide to Expedition Canoeing in North America

Cliff Jacobson is one of North Americas most respected outdoors writers and wilderness canoe guides. He is an outdoors skills instructor and a professional outfitter and guide, a canoeing and camping consultant, and the author of more than a dozen top-selling books on canoeing and camping. His video, The Forgotten Skills details the most important campcraft procedures. His flagship book, Canoeing Wild Rivers (formerly titled Expedition Canoeing), is considered to be the most authoritative source for paddling remote rivers. In 2003 the American Canoe Association presented Cliff with the Legends of Paddling Award and inducted him into the ACA Hall of Fame. Jacobson is a Distinguished Eagle Scout and an active member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America.

Canoeing Wild Rivers reflects the views of the international wilderness canoeing community. It is not a work of just one writer-paddler. The following people, publications, and organizations contributed ideas and advice and should receive heartfelt thanks:

Alv Elvestad, Annie Aggens, Andy Biggert, Reb Bowman, Sharon Chatterton, Bob Dannert, George Drought and Barbara Burton, Dave Bober, Jill Bubier, Kevin Callan, Kristen French, Kent Ford, Dr. Bill Forgey, Bill Friedlander, Fred Gaskin, Brian and Gary Gnauck, Douglas Green, Laurie Gullion, Gordon Haggert, Alex Hall, Toni Harting, Sue Harings, Marc Hebert, Bob Henderson, Kay Henry, Matt Herren, Bev and Joel Hollis, Brian Johnston, Mike Jones, Alan Kesselheim, Rob Kesselring, Doug and Robyn Keyport, Jim Mandle, Peter Marshall, Bear Paulson, Sue Plankis, Renee Kuester-Sebranek and Ken Sebranek, Bill Simpson, Biff Kummer, Verlen Kruger, Bob OHara, Gary and Joanie McGuffin, Dick Person, Mike Rapatz, Larry Rice, Fran Rulon-Miller, Wes Rusk, Inga Schafer, Carl and Margie Shepardson, Michael Peake, Sara Seager and Mike Wevrick, Bill Hosford, Bill Simpson, Paul Swanstrom, Buck Tilton, Tony Way, Hap Wilson, and Brian and Sonja Wieber.

Audubon magazine, for allowing me to reprint a paragraph from Eric Sevareids September 1982 article, Return to Gods Country.

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., for its permission to use the quote from Sigurd Olsons book The Lonely Land, which appears in chapter 14.

Canada Map Office

615 Booth St.

Ottawa, ON K1A 0E9

(800) 465-6277 or (613) 952-7000

nrcan.gc.ca

Order indexes to topographic maps (but not maps) from here. The office will provide a list of US and Canadian dealers that sell topographic maps.

Note: The Canada Map Office is constantly updating its website. Easiest way to access topographic maps is to type Canada Map Office into your search engine. Then, follow the prompts to topographic maps.

Canada GeoGratis website

geogratis.gc.ca

Topographic maps can be downloaded for free from this website.

Canada Declination Calculator

geomag.nrcan.gc.ca/calc/mdcal-eng.php

Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Hydrographic Chart Distribution Office

1675 Russell Rd.

PO Box 8080

Ottawa, ON K1G 3H6

(613) 998-4931 or (613) 998-1217

charts.gc.ca

Free catalog of Canadian marine charts and tide tables. Orders must be placed through a Canadian map dealer.

National Air Photo Library

Canada Map Office

615 Booth St.

Ottawa, ON K1A 0E9

(613) 995-4560

maps.nrcan.gc.ca

Heres where to get Canadian aerial photos. NAPL prefers that you e-mail your request (specify location coordinates). Registered users can order directly online.

World of Maps

1235 Wellington St.

Ottawa, ON K1Y 3A3

(613) 724-6776; fax: (613) 724-2776

WorldofMaps.com Mail-order source of all Canadian topo maps, charts, and travel books. Fast, personal servicethey go the extra mile.

Contact these offices if your canoe trip takes you through Inuit-owned land. A web search by region will reveal weather, community information, and local news.

Baffin Region

(867) 979-5391; fax: (867) 979-3238

qia.ca

Kitikmeot (Arctic Coast/Cambridge Bay) Region

(867) 982-3310; fax: (867) 982-3311

polarnet.ca

Kivalliq Region

(867) 645-2810; fax: (867) 645-3855

Labrador Inuit Association

12 Sandbanks Rd.

Nain, NL A0P 1L0

(709) 922-2941; fax: (709) 922-2931

nunatsiavut.com

Northwest Territories

Land Administration Office

Box 1500

Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R3

(867) 669-2671; fax: (867) 669-2713

aadnc-aandc.gc.ca

Nunavut Land Administration (INAC)

Building 918, Box 100

Iqaluit, NT X0A 0H0

(867) 975-4275; fax: (867) 975-4286

If you finish your trip at a remote settlement, you may be able to ship your canoes south by truck, train, or barge. Patience is a virtue, however; shipping time may be a matter of weeks or months.

Alaska Railroad

327 West Ship Creek Ave.

Anchorage, AK 99501

(907) 265-2494

akrr.com

Northern Transportation Company Ltd.

42003 Mackenzie Hwy.

Hay River, NT X0E 0R9

(877) 770-NTCL or (867) 874-5128

Fax: (867) 874-5103

ntcl.com

Tug and barge service. Services Arviat, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, and other remote communities.

Via Rail, Canada, Inc.

101-123 Main St.

Winnipeg, MB R3C 2P8

(888) 842-7245

viarail.ca

Largest railroad system in Canada. View fares, book tickets (save money by booking in advance).

Byers Transport System, Inc.

Box 157

Edmonton, AB TSJ2J11800-661-6953

www.transportsource.com

Grimshaw Trucking & Distributing

11510 151st St.

Edmonton, AB T5M 3N6

(403) 452-5820 grimshaw-trucking.com

Manitoulin Transport

38 Dead Dr.

Hay River, NT XOE OR6

(800) 265-1485

manitoulintransport.com

Magnetic Declination websites:

United States: ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/

Canada: geomag.nrcan.gc.ca/calc/mdcal-eng.php

National Geographic Topo!

National Geographic Maps

PO Box 4337

Evergreen, CO 80437-3457

(800) 962-1643

http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/maps

Detailed CD map sets that cover most of the US back roads available for some states; also, portages and campsites for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota. You choose the map scale, orientation, and coordinate system. Order maps or print your own.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAAs National Ocean Service

Communications and Education Division

SSMC4, Room 13317 1305 East-West Hwy.

Silver Spring, MD 20910

(301) 713-3060

oceanservice.noaa.gov (for maps and charts)

For charts and tide tables of US coasts, the Great Lakes, sections of major rivers, and contoured fishing maps.

US Geological Survey

Box 25286, Federal Center

Denver, CO 80225

(888) ASK USGS; fax: (303) 202-4693

usgs.gov or earthexplorer.usgs.gov

Your complete source of US topographic maps and aerial photos. Ask for a free index and the UTM (Universal Trans Mercator) Fact Sheet. The USGS accepts checks, money orders, and popular credit cards.

mapcard.com

Map Card membership allows you to customize, print, and download unlimited topo maps and aerial photographs on your computer.

mytopo.com

Build your own custom topo map or aerial photograph of any area in the US. Choose the scale, orientation, and coordinate system. Printed on tough, waterproof paper and shipped direct to you.