Yukon River: Eagle to Circle planning
Yukon River: Eagle to Circle trip packet
Print this. The checklist, the hazards, the emergency plan and the rules of the corridor in one place.
Packing checklist
Boat and safety
- Full flotation in the canoe
- Throw bag and spare paddle
- Dry suit or immersion-rated layers
- Satellite communicator
- Repair kit for hull and spray cover
Camp
- Bear-resistant food containers
- Silt-settling bucket plus filter
- Four-season-capable sleep system
- Bug shirt and headnet
Known hazards
- Cold silty water — immersion is the primary killer on this river.
- Braided channels, sweepers and submerged driftwood.
- Strong upstream wind that can halt a loaded canoe for hours.
- Grizzly and black bear; moose in the willow shore zone.
- No cell coverage and multi-day evacuation timelines.
Water notes
Heavy glacial silt. Settle water in a container overnight and filter off the top, or you will clog filters in a day. Clear tributary mouths are the easier draw.
Emergency plan
Carry a satellite communicator and file a float plan with the Eagle NPS office and someone at home. Self-rescue is the realistic plan for the first day of any incident.
Leave No Trace
Camp on gravel bars and durable open ground, use a fire pan or existing driftwood fire scars below the high-water line, and pack out everything including fish waste near camps and cabins.