THREATENED RIVER!

Travel through world-class wilderness on the Taku River, one of North America's wildest and most endangered wilderness rivers. In the far northwestern reaches of British Columbia and flowing into Alaska, is the magnificent Taku River Valley, the largest unsullied and as yet unprotected watershed on the Pacific Coast of North America. From mountains and glaciers, three rivers come together to form the Taku River, which flows from source to sea, reaching the mouth of Taku Inlet about 10 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska. The Inlet and the lower 25 miles of the river are located in US waters, and traverse Tongass National Forest.

Encompassing 18,000 sq. km, the Taku River Valley is a rugged and remote region of forest, peaks and wetlands, harboring outstanding wildlife: grizzly and black bears, wolves, mountain goats, sheep, moose, migrating birds and woodland caribou. The Taku supports significant runs of all five salmon species (sockeye, king, chum, coho, and pink), plus cutthroat and steelhead trout, Dolly Varden char and whitefish. The Taku is one of the largest salmon-producing rivers in Canada. With its long history of Tlingit cultural significance, this is indeed a special place. The scenery is spectacular, the fishing outstanding. The region is entirely roadless, and the only human presence is a small number of commercial fishermen, on the lower reaches of the river during salmon runs.

On this expedition, we canoe about 70 miles through Canada's Northern BC, and Southeast Alaska, experiencing a variety of habitats, from interior aspen forests and marshlands to glacier-clad mountains and coastal rainforest. We have chosen a canoe route that begins at the confluence of the Sheslay and Nahlin rivers. Our route takes us down the Inklin River to its confluence with the Nakina, where it forms the Taku River. We follow the Taku to tidewater, taking time to explore the forest, mountains, lakes and glaciers that calve into fresh water.

We avoid the most difficult whitewater found on the lower Sheslay River, best suited to inflatable rafts, yet we still find challenge paddlin a swift, steel-grey glacial river. The coast mountains rise dramatically all around, and, after merging with the Nakina River, we are soon on the Taku.

As we paddle towards the ocean, the climate changes, and we encounter hanging glaciers and a lush rainforest guarding the river. We take time to explore a 4-mile wide glacier with 200-foot-high face. At the mouth of the river, we reach Taku Inlet on Alaska's Inside Passage.

The Taku has been on Canadian and American environmentalists’ list of endangered rivers, for a controversial mining project. Vancouver-based Redfern plans to resurrect the long-abandoned Tulsequah Chief mine. After much protest that by building a 100-mile [161-kilometer] road through the heart of this spectacular wilderness would forever change the watershed, opening the country to logging, spur roads, and other industrial activity (See below), the company has now proposed the use of a hoverbarge and newly-invented Amphitrac to haul supplies and ore from the mining operations.

Much like the fight to save the Tatshenshini-Alsek river corridor a decade ago, the issue pits short-term mineral extraction over long-term environmental health. We're fighting for wilderness, and we invite to join us; we're sure you'll see why.