| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | 9 | 0.68 |
| Feb | 26 | 12 | 0.74 |
| Mar | 34 | 18 | 0.65 |
| Apr | 44 | 29 | 0.52 |
| May | 55 | 39 | 0.70 |
| Jun | 62 | 47 | 1.06 |
| Jul | 65 | 52 | 1.70 |
| Aug | 63 | 49 | 2.93 |
| Sep | 55 | 41 | 2.87 |
| Oct | 40 | 28 | 2.09 |
| Nov | 28 | 16 | 1.09 |
| Dec | 24 | 11 | 1.05 |
Rinsing my knife in the cold river, I heard splashing in the distance. A grizzly bounded across the rushing waters, sending up a halo of glistening spray. I stepped back from the stony bank and watched, upwind.
We had just paddled our rafts up to a tight bend on the Marsh Fork, the rocky shore splaying to a backdrop of majestic purple mountains, when we heard it: an intense but muffled percussion. Seconds later, we rounded the turn and found ourselves floating directly at the sound's source: caribou, thousands of them, stepping over stones and fording the rushing river on their annual migration.
Stunned by the drama, we lifted our paddles into the rafts and floated silently into the herd. The caribou calmly yielded, allowing us our drifting passage. Their inquisitive calves, having no knowledge of humans, looked us straight in the eye. We smelled their musky coats and felt the warm steam of their breath.
Later, after making camp, we took our fly rods to the river for a few casts, attracting grayling and char, and a grizzly bear. Drawn to our scent and activity, the towering brown male appears suddenly from the foothills, rises to his hind legs, noses the breeze and lumbers toward us. Our guide has schooled us in bear protocols, and we hastily release our catch back into the river and begin whooping and hollering and waving our arms. The bear stops, grunts, and then lopes off through a field of wildflowers.
At this time of year, the sun never sets in the refuge, a wild and challenging place, where the rivers flow north and wolves howl soulfully from the mountains under Alaska's nighttime sun.
Wilderness guide and naturalist Joe Ordoñez has been leading adventures in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge since 1990, incorporating the Canning River into his repertoire in 1999. Co-author of The Complete Guide to the Alsek Tatshenshini Rivers, he holds certifications in wilderness first aid and swift water rescue.
Arrive in Fairbanks, where you meet your guide for an expedition briefing.
Fly over the Brooks Range and land on a remote clearing on the range's north side. Load your camping equipment into inflatable rafts and begin the paddle downstream, along the Marsh Fork of the Canning River.
Navigate this vigorous Alaskan river, following its northern flow through rugged, pristine wilderness. This rarely explored territory is accessible only a few months out of the year. Your equipment, skills and guide's experience are essential in this unspoiled but challenging environment. You have no daily schedule: nature and your interests determine your unique adventures. Hike mountains, navigating the peaks and crags without the benefit of trails, for a closer look at Dall sheep or nesting golden eagle. You may spend several days exploring the streams, fields and marshes around one campsite, sleeping in your dome tent, dining on camp stove meals and washing in the river. Then continue rafting even deeper into the refuge. By week's end, you reach the Marsh Fork's confluence with the Canning River, and continue across the wildlife-rich coastal plain.
Arrive at the Staines River, or "Delta Strip," located only a few miles from the Arctic Ocean, and explore the wildlife-rich Coastal Plain by small aircraft; with luck, your flight passes directly over the Porcupine caribou herd. Spend the final night of your expedition in the historic exploration camp of Kavik.
Depart Kavik via bush aircraft and fly to Fairbanks, from which you depart for home the next day.
