Aha! Adventures- Drinking River, SK

Dates:  June 22-July 5, 2023 

Cost: $2200 + gst

The Drinking River is a less traveled route off the Churchill River system and it is a favorite trip of many in the rugged Shield.  It is a fantastic trip for people who want to get into the wilderness and see a unique part of the Churchill river area with less people. It is not a white-water trip, but has scenic falls, a hidden creek to explore, lots of fishing opportunities (there are even some lake trout!), great camping and swimming in the beautiful lakes.

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We start in Stanley Mission and travel a distance down the Churchill River and then travel up the Drinking River and make a loop back to Stanley Mission through the Kemp/ Guncoat Bay route.

 

There will be a pre-trip meeting via Zoom.  After you register, you will receive an email when this will occur.  At the pre-trip meeting, you will meet your group and we will discuss clothing selection, food planning, packing techniques, meals and travel logistics.

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All of our Aha! Adventure trips are "community catered".  All participants and guides take their turn providing and cooking breakfasts and suppers on the trips. Everyone looks after their own lunches. This is a fun way to share, try new meals and learn how to bake and cook in the backcountry. Guides will help at every meal and give you lots of assistance! 

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Prerequisites: You just need to have an adventurous spirit, be of an average fitness level and we can teach you what you need to know.

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Cancellation Policy:  A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to register. The balance is due 30 days before the trip start date. No refunds on or after this date. We recommend trip cancellation insurance.
 

Itinerary:

June 22: Meet group by 1pm at Youth Farm Bible Camp and you can join the van for the drive to Stanley Mission.  We will put on the water when we arrive and paddle a short distance to a campsite.

June 23 – July 3:  Enjoy 11 full days of paddling the Churchill/ Drinking River route and loop back to the Churchill.  We will have a layover day if it works with weather/ wind and water levels.   Enjoy Nistowiak, Hunter and Hepburn falls, fishing for walleye and lake trout and classic Shield camping.

July 4:  We will take off the water in the morning and then drive back to the camp with a supper stop along the way.  You are welcome to stay and tent at the camp the night or carry on to a hotel.

July 5: Travel back to home.

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Cost Includes:

• Safety equipment (throwbags, first aid kit, emergency communication)

• Group camping gear (tarp/ shelter etc.)

• Group cooking equipment (pots, stoves, utensils, fuel)

• Experienced and qualified guides

• All canoe gear (canoes, paddles, pfd's)

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Transportation Details:

You can meet the group in at the Youth Farm Bible Camp and travel in the van.  Alternatively, you can drive all the way to Stanley Mission.  There is good parking there but you would be responsible for the parking fees for your vehicle ($5/ day)

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Medical Form and Waiver:

In order to participate in this trip, you are required to fill out all your registration and medical information.

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EMERGENCY EVACUATION AND TRIP CANCELLATION: In rare cases, if you have an emergency and need to be evacuated from the trip, you will be responsible for any extra charges.  The quickest way to get off our remote trips is via floatplane or helicopter and if we contact these companies directly for the quickest service, you will be responsible for the expense.  To ensure that there are no surprises, we recommend that you get evacuation insurance.  An evacuation could be very costly in remote locations, so we recommend that you are covered through your credit card or another plan.  One option available is Tugo Insurance at:  https://www.tugo.com/en/travel-insurance/canadians/.  You may also want to consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance if for some reason (i.e. illness) you are unable to go on the trip.  If cancellation is required at the last minute, you will need to have trip cancellation insurance. This will protect yourself and Aha! Adventures and allow us to offer great trips into the future.