Yukon River kayaking

Between the Yukon Canoe and Kayak club kids program and favourable weather conditions, we have been out on the river in town 3-4 days a week.

The Yukon river runs right through Whitehorse and is dam controlled by Yukon Energy. This means that the river levels change on an ongoing basis. Over a 2km stretch there is something for everyone:

• put in right below the dam and get to experience hay stack waves, VW sized boils and an amazing green surf wave called the “Lava Wave”
• put in 1 km down from the dam and you get a rodeo wave called the “Butt hole” – it’s positioned right below a major walking bridge so audiences are almost guaranteed. It’s great for freestyle tricks and the kids boogie board in it until they are comfortable being there with their kayaks.
• put in 2km down from the dam and you are at the “Intake” (as this is where the water control building is) – it’s a man made bunch of wave trains that are amazing for learning and front surfing at all levels.

Hunter and I spend 80% of our time at the Intake while Tim splits his time pretty evenly between the three. His Intake time comes when he hangs with us and he keeps himself amused being the family camera man and clearing logs out of our little rock garden that we like to run through.

The kids program has the kids spending alot of time swimming all of the rapids to ensure they are comfortable in the water and not scared when they swim in their boat. This is Hunter launching himself off the rocks at the Intake rapid.