Super trip, nicely done!

How did you scout the canyons?

@swampwalker

We scouted the entrance to 4th Canyon from the cobble bar on River Right. That was it. Everything else was a river scout. Any obstacles in the canyons were plain to see. Nothing sneaks up on you. Reflecting waves, major boils and big waves are your concerns. You can see them coming and prepare your line. Inside the canyons there are very few obstacles to actually hit. No falls or major ledges.

Sometimes the scale of the mountains throws you off. Everything ends up bigger than it seems from a distance. none of the videos or pictures do this justice. From 100 yards off we would start towards some nice little bouncy waves. 50 yards off, hmm that wave is looking bigger than I thought. 15 yards off, oh crap boat eater! We learned to be cautious of these river mirages and keep our distance.

MartinG,

Your photos and trip report bring back great memories. 8 of us paddled the Mountain River in 2015 in pretty much the same way you did. We were self-guided and started our trip at Dusty Lake as you did. I believe we spent 16 or 17 days on the river with a silly number of rest days, which just allowed us to do more hiking and exploring. As you said, when you are self-guided, have your own gear, look for deals on flights, etc., the overall out of pocket expense for a trip like this is a lot lower then you would think.

The water was higher for us then you experienced, but I wouldn't call it "high water". I also would say the WW was not challenging at all, but at higher water it would be a different story. We heard a story of a group being rescued by helicopter in high water as the river was impassible.

The scenery is what I will always remember. Once you climb up a mountain, you can see for miles and miles and miles.

There were some challenges in planning and packing for a trip like this, but they were not insurmountable. The hardest thing was picking flights and then figuring out how to pack your gear to incur the least number of additional luggage charges and oversize fees from the airline. The river itself is well documented, there are tons of campsites and no real obstacles on the river (at moderate water levels). If you have experience with WW, own your own gear (drysuit included) and have done at least a few self-guided multi-day wilderness trips, the Mountain river is certainly within your reach.

I totally agree with you! Trips like this in the Mackenzie and Peel watersheds are awe inspiring and far more accessible than people think.

Looks like David never did get round to making his video. So I made my own. Hope you like it!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR-0lNDK5R8[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR-0lNDK5R8

Did I like it? Did I like it? That river has been in and out of my mind since the mid-nineties. Thanks for sharing, Martin.

Hi I'm wondering if anyone has successfully been towed back upstream on the Mackenzie to Norman Wells from the mouth of the Mountain River???

I've heard of it being done, but looking for a contact in the area, or estimated time/cost.

Email at lindsay.wiebold@gmail.com THANKS!!

Lindsay - Contact Al and Lin at Canoe North Adventures. They'll know if there is someone in Norman Wells who could do a water taxi/charter.

You can paddle upstream on the Mackenzie as well if you have the time and are looking to keep the costs down.

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WOW! great trip report and amazing views. Just another reminder to us, on why we do this.

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@lindsaywiebold The individual who ran the boat shuttle back up to Norman Wells passed on in 2016. It used to be a 3-4 hours ride. I believe someone else has started doing it. http://canoenorthadventures.com/ should know.

@Captaincanadian Thank you for the comment!!

Thanks for this trip report. I have just got back from paddling the river this year. Your report was a very significant factor in my deciding that I could do this trip. I think it was the first time that I had heard about starting at Dusty Lake. I have spoken to a few guides and they all say that using Willow Handle is all about it being cheaper to get a group into it. I consider Dusty Lake to be the better start. We were a group of 10 and made it down with no incidents and a moderate amount of wildlife. Caribou, 3 moose, 2 grizzlies, Bald Eagles, falcons and a wolf. Thanks.