Churchill River #2 Nistowiak Falls Bucket List Expedition
2024 Dates | # of Days | Cost | Skill Level |
|---|---|---|---|
July 19th to July 24th | 5 | $1595 | Beginner |
Get Signed Up For This Activity
July 19th to July 24th
Start Date
5
Duration (days)
$1595
Cost
Beginner
Skill Level
Day 1 - Travel to Missinipe, SK
Make your way to La Ronge on Rise Air Flight 502 from Saskatoon or drive yourself directly to Missinipe SK. (Own Expense)
CRCO shuttle pickup at the airport to Missinipe (80 km).
Pre trip meeting, gear check, dinner, overnight at CRCO in Missinipe
Day 2 - Travel to Stanley Mission
Breakfast,
You will travel by van shuttle to Stanley Mission SK (76 km)
Skills Review and get on the water
Day 3 - 4 - Paddle Mountain, Drope, and Nistowiak Lakes
Paddle the unspoiled lakes of the Churchill River. Visiting the church at Stanley Mission, the Stanley Pictograph site, Stanley Rapids and Nistowiak Falls. We will set up a base camp on Drope Lake, surrounded by ruggedly beautiful scenery.
Day 5 - End of Adventure
Paddle back at Stanley Mission
Van shuttle will take you directly to the La Ronge Airport in time for your flight back to Saskatoon or back to the CRCO base in Missinipe SK
Optional Group Dinner and overnight in Missinipe (own expense)
Itinerary
Guides - 5:1 ratio
Excellent meals during the trip
Snacks
17’ Prospector expedition canoes
Paddles, PFD, helmets (you may bring your own)
Throw lines and other safety accessories
‘Kitchen’ - tarp, fire box, cooking stoves, utensils, dishes, etc
First aid and repair kits, communications equipment (satellite phone)
Canoe rescue gear
Return Transportation between La Ronge Airport and Missinipe
Return transportation between between Stanley Mission and Missinipe
Transportation of guides, group gear, canoe etc to and from trip
What Is Included
PST & GST - 11% of the trip fee
Personal clothing and gear - a recommended clothing & equipment list will be provided
Travel between your home and the trip rendezvous - La Ronge, Saskatchewan
Accommodation in Missinipe SK if required at the end of the trip
Any additional expenses or costs incurred as a result of delays to the trip caused by factors beyond our control - i.e. wind, waves, unsafe paddling conditions, forest fire, pandemic, etc
Any costs associated with your emergency evacuation from the trip - please contact us at CRCO for more information
Gratuities - we recommend $20 per day per guide that went out of their way to make your trip extraordinary
Tents - (available upon request) standing custom expedition dome tents - 2 per tent
What Is Not Included
Let the aroma of a fresh-brewed coffee draw you from your tent to a buffet of fresh fruit and granola while bacon and eggs sizzle on the grill!
Shore lunches include a great selection of bread, meat, cheese, bruschetta or hummus, fresh veggies and of course, good old peanut butter and jam.
After a great day of paddling, enjoy a nutritious, hearty meal with a tasty dessert while you sit around the fire to tell tales of your adventures.
Our focus is on fresh local produce where we can combined with freeze dried and dehydrated food. Our fresh meats are sourced and prepared locally and you will taste the flavors of the boreal in our locally sourced wild berries, teas and mushrooms.
What is the Food like?
Fly to Saskatoon SK (YXE), From Saskatoon Fly to La Ronge SK via Rise Air flight 502 on the fist day of the itinerary. You will be then greeted by CRCO staff and shuttled by Van to Missinipe which is our home base and the launch point the expedition.
Alternatively you may drive to Missinipe yourself. Missinipe is located 480 km north of Saskatoon SK.
How To Get To This Trip
This route shows off the Churchill River canoe country at it’s best with it's typical Precambrian Shield, Mountain, Drope, and Nistowiak Lakes offering an intimate section of the Churchill.
There are numerous highlights on this trip - the church at Stanley Mission is certainly worth spending some time at. It was built in the mid 1800s by Rev Robert Hunt, and it is Saskatchewan’s oldest building. Just down stream of the church is an ancient pictograph site. This site is mentioned in many of the voyageur diaries. No one knows how old these paintings may be. Certainly the main highlight of this trip is Nistowiak Falls on the Rapid River. This is certainly Saskatchewan’s best known waterfall. It drops about 15 meters eventually joining the Churchill River on Nistowiak Lake. These falls drain Lac La Ronge, Montreal Lake and the area of Prince Albert National Park to the south. This trip starts and ends in the community of Stanley Mission.
The Nistowiak Falls Canoe Trip follows a popular route in the Lac La Ronge Provincial Park. The trip starts and ends at the in Stanley Mission. The route is about 35 km long with 2 portages. The portages are about 30 meters each in length.
The trip crosses Mountain Lake to the Stanley Mission Church. After visiting the church the route continues down Mountain Lake to the pictographs. After a visit here. The group will continue on to Stanley Rapids. After the short portage, or possibly running these rapids the group will look for a camp to base out of on one of the islands of Drope Lake.
The next day the group will paddle to Nistowiak Falls and spend the day visiting these falls before paddling back to their camp spot on Drope Lake. The last day they will pack up the camp and paddle back to Stanley Mission. The van will meet them there.