Canoeing and Paddling the Yukon and Teslin Rivers
Over the years we have made many mistakes, but after a while we hit upon things that seem to work the best for us. This will not be an exaustive list, but we hope it might help you in choosing items to take with you.
Fire starting - it does not need to be an art
Getting a fire started can be important to your comfort and sometimes critical to your well-being. The best fire starters we have found are homemade. Wrap strips of newspaper (do not use color) as tightly as possible. Secure the roll with masking tape. Drop in melted paraffin. Wait until they sink. Take out and let harden. To use, peal back a bit and light. They can be submerged for days and still work great. Use a butane lighter. They will dry quickly and work after a dunking.
Rain gear and rain tarps - it will rain
Rain clothes should be from head to toe. It should be rubberized if you have it. Laminates are a second choice because it tends to fail. There should be at least one, large tarp to cook under when it rains. Nylon is the best as it is more compact but plastic is ok.
Stoves - it must work the first time, every time
We have tried several types of stoves. We must admit, we like the ease of cooking using butane /propane. Liquid fuels smell, leak, and are "finicky" to regulate. Bottle gas has few moving parts and is dependable. You many not need the large setup pictured but use bottled gas. Remember that no matter what you use, you need to shelter your flame from the wind to get effective heat.
Canoe tarps and sails - keep it dry, in the boat, and go fast
A tarp large enough to run from behind the bow paddler to the knees of the stern paddler should be used to cover your load. It should attach to velcro on the outside of the hull so water will run into the river. It is held down with bungee cords. It will help hold gear in in the event of a capsize. A space blanket is a perfect sail for two canoes "bungeed" together. Poles are cut on the bank or found in log piles.