Mackenzie River

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The Mackenzie River (whose native name is Deh Cho) is Canada's longest river. Located in the Northwest Territories, it begins at the headwaters of the Peace and Athabasca rivers, gathering waters from the Slave, the Liard, the Nahanni and the Arctic Red, and ending at the Arctic Ocean. The Mackenzie river system totals almost 4,200 kilometres. At Great Slave Lake, it forges a wide, 1,738 kilometre watercourse of its own, heading "down north" across the Arctic Circle to the Beaufort Sea, in a trajectory that roughly parallels the Northwest Territoties/Yukon border. Its watershed, 1.8 million square kilometres in size, drains one-fifth of the country of Canada, but in an area so remote, few Canadians have ever seen it.

The water of the Mackenzie tends to be gentle and flat, allowing even modestly experienced paddlers to take to the river. It would take the better part of a month to cover the river's entire 1,480 kilometre length, from Great Slave Lake to Inuvik, but put-in points at any community along the route can shorten the trip.

With spring break-up occurring mid-May to early June, and freeze-up coming in November, the Mackenzie canoeing season extends from late June to September. Paddlers can expect temperatures ranging from night-time lows of 3 degrees Celsius in northern regions to day-time highs of 21 degrees Celsius in southern areas. Rainfall is generally light, with less precipitation near the Arctic coast.

There are only 9 communities from Great Slave Lake to Inuvik, so supplies en route are both limited and expensive. Campsites can be found on natural beaches, sandbars and islands, with driftwood available for cooking fires. The murky, sediment-laden water of the Mackenzie itself is not generally suitable for drinking; clear tributaries emptying into the river are a better choice.

Points of Interest/Concern on the Mackenzie River

• Mills Lake - Just past the most southerly put-in point at Fort Providence, the river widens into Mills Lake. Paddlers should cross as quickly as possible to the Mackenzie's south shore to avoid dangerous winds.

• Green Island Rapids - There's little sign of surface turbulence, but watch for swift currents about 19 kilometres above Fort Simpson.

• Camsell Bend - The Mackenzie makes an abrupt turn to the north, as it meets the mountains about 5 kilometres below the mouth of the Nahanni River. Below the Bend, the river slows and widens to 3 - 5 kilometres, and several channels and islands appear. North of the mouth of Willowlake River, the Mackenzie enters a very mountainous region, with the McConnell Range to the east and the Camsell Range to the west.

• Roche qui Temps a l'Eau - Just downstream of the village of Wrigley, look for the thermal springs around this 350 metre dome-shaped rock. · Ochre River - At its mouth, bright red water spills into the Mackenzie in early summer.

• Great Bear Rock - Native legends surround the oval shapes on this 45 metre cliff at Fort Norman, overlooking the entrance to Great Bear Lake.

• San Sault Rapids - Below Norman Wells, the Mackenzie narrows to about 1 kilometre, and a rocky ledge extends into the midstream. Use caution, though a portage is not necessary.

• The Ramparts - Just upstream from Fort Good Hope, canoeists must follow the channel markers through the Mackenzie's most spectacular gorge. The long, vertically-walled limestone cliff extends for 12 kilometres.

• Little Ramparts - Above the settlement of Arctic Red River (Tsiigèhtchic), a 13 kilometre canyon with shale walls up to 90 metres in height narrows the river to less than a kilometre, but the current remains moderate.

• Point Separation - About 24 kilometres downstream from Arctic Red River, the Mackenzie splits up into the channels and streams of the Mackenzie Delta.

Fishing

• Lake trout, averaging 13 - 18 kilograms, in the Mackenzie River, Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake. The largest "laker" on record was caught in Great Bear Lake, weighing in at 32.5 kilograms.

• Arctic grayling, averaging .5 - 1 kilograms. Great Bear Lake also boasts the grayling record of 2.7 kilograms.

• Northern Pike, up to 9 kilograms.

• Walleye (pickerel), up to 3 kilograms.

• Inconnu, in the Mackenzie Delta, averaging 4 - 9 kilograms

• Dolly Varden, in the western Mackenize Delta.

• Whitefish, up to 1.5 kilograms, throughout the Mackenzie watershed.

This entry needs additional details, including:

directions to points along the Mackenzie River

accommodation on or near the Mackenzie River

outfitters serving the Mackenzie River area

Mackenzie River trip details and itineraries