SUB-ARCTIC RIVERS EXPEDITION
Summary
The TUNGUNIQ “Water Sky” Expedition. A modern take on a traditional Inuit travel route that has existed for millennia, spanning the Labrador Sea to Ungava Bay through the ‘Place of Spirits’. We made an offering for safe passage across these lands, and it was graciously gifted to us, but it wouldn’t be easy. We chartered a twin otter to fly us into the Torngat Mountains of Kuururjuaq National Park to reach the source of the upper Koroc River, on the border of Quebec and Labrador. We came early in the season for a high water run and the rivers delivered exactly that. Flood levels were well above the vegetation with no shoreline in sight. We would begin our journey above the treeline at the Upper Koroc River landing strip. It’s a meaningful experience to paddle modern crafts where Inuit invented kayaks thousands of years ago and to trek up valleys where trails lead to historic campsites. These stunning landscapes are stacked with wildlife, we saw 11 bears on our first day, a lone caribou belonging to the Torngat Mountains Herd, and a friendly river otter who just couldn’t get enough of us. We were pummeled with a week straight of rain, hail, and winds. We paddled hard into the biggest, most powerful rapids I’ve ever run. It tested every skill I have. I flipped and swam 4 times, 2 of which my expedition partner @ryguyoconnor had to do a mid rapid rescue. I lost a shoe, skinned my knees, banged up my shins, jammed my wrist and ripped my drysuit. We spent 3 days exploring the Andre Grenier River, a lesser known tributary to the Koroc River. We hiked the valley through the remains of a expansive forest fire, camped on a ridge above a towering waterfall, all before paddling the lower Andre Grenier River which was flowing like a freight train. Extreme precipitation made moisture management, keeping gear dry, and staying warm challenging. While scouting a class IV drop on day 8 along the Koroc, a helicopter buzzed us, windows open with hands out giving us a thumbs up. We pushed hard for 11 hours on our last day for 45 km of flat water paddling into a horrifying head wind to make the coast of Ungava Bay. Absolutely spent and frozen, we found a small cabin where we hunkered down and dried out, safely out of reach of the coastal weather and any potential polar bears roaming the area. We spent 36 hours in our wooden shack, we laughed, we chatted about life, talked business and anything else that came to mind. We came as friends, we left as brothers. Ryan’s got my back, and I’ve got his. That’s not to say we did it without help. Although the trip was a whirlwind from the start, we had a strong support network in the background working to make sure we executed as best as possible. Our injured colleague and intended expedition partner @evanle5 was on standby with weather and route input throughout the trip, and knew the plan intimately if any safety issues arose. He kept us informed and communicated with our friends and family of our whereabouts and plans, which changed on a near daily basis. I also want to acknowledge some of the corporate support we received. Ryan and I both paddled @aquabound Carbon 4 piece Aerial Major paddles. I loved my bent shaft and the finish on the handle gives good grip. It will be my go-to paddle for pushier runs. Ryan is wearing his new @nrs dry suit and I’m sporting a @NRS Ninja PFD which I consulted with Zack from @fontenacoutfitters on. Solid dude, solid company, I’ll be purchasing a new rescue PFD from them later this year, you should do the same. We are both paddling @alpackaraft boats with full white water rigging and internal gear storage. Ryan is in a Gnarwhal and I’m in a Wolverine. These are not replacements for hard sided crafts, but intended to be used to access remote rivers that would otherwise not be possible to get to because of portage length and difficulty. We used these specifically so we could hike up the valley and paddle the Andre Grenier River. Skill wise, if you are looking to do trips similar to this, remote rivers on big white water routes or even just learn to handle moving water on local lakes and rivers, then look no further than @paddlercoop for skill development, classes, and just a good crew to hang with. Everyone is welcome, everyone is awesome.
The Gear
Another unique aspect to the trip is the type of gear to be used. In order to experience the highlights of the area, the team must be flown in to a remote airstrip with limited capacity. They each must dawn full cold water paddling gear, boats, coupled with the task of both traverses and climbing long exposed foot routes through the mountains and valleys. All this while being self sufficient and safe in extreme environments.
The Route
This expedition is focused on the highlights of the area. This includes the Koroc River in it’s entirety, the Palmer River and Valley, and the saddle beside Mount Caubvick (Mont D’Iberville). This unique route will cover all three of these areas, whereas in the past, without the benefit of a multi-sport strategy, would be done as 3 separate expeditions.