Where we enter the Babine, it is a fast-moving, intimate river with exciting Class III and IV rapids and canyons as narrow as eight feet across. Wildlife experts estimate that some 100 grizzlies live along the river's banks. We time our trip dates to coincide with salmon spawning season, when the bears come down to feed – and while we can't absolutely guarantee sightings, we've spotted at least one grizzly on every descent since 1988.

Many predatory birds are attracted by the river's abundant fish life, including bald and golden eagles, osprey and peregrine falcons. Then there are the fish themselves, with steelhead plus sockeye and four other salmon species ranking this among the few Class I angling rivers – and one of only three Class A steelhead rivers – in B.C.

The Skeena is North America's largest undammed river and a major coastal route since the age of steam, yet it remains largely unpopulated in its upper reaches. Here our course broadens dramatically as we stop along the banks discovering the rich culture of native peoples also drawn for thousands of years by the fishing. We visit several villages of the Gitskan, "people of the river of the mist" and creators of some of the finest totem poles in the Northwest.

Dates
2000:
August 28, September 11

2001:
July 23, August 13, September 13,
September 10, September 17