To, through, and around Alaska video available to view for limited time

[Alan Gage]

For those of you who aren't members of BWCA.com one of the members (BeaV), last summer, did a 5000 mile solo canoe trip, unassisted and non-stop. From Seattle to Alaska, over the Chilkoot trail, part way down the Yukon, up the Chandalar river, and portaged over trackless tundra to another river that would lead back to the Yukon, which he followed to the Bearing Sea. And then, just to cap it off, paddled 1000 miles down the Bearing Sea coast to Anchorage. All in one summer.

No hype, no sponsors, no fancy video equipment. Just a guy not quite knowing what to expect, his canoe, and a P&S camera documenting the trip. He put together a 9 hour video but hasn't been willing to make it public. Finally they came up with a solution to host it on a private channel on Vimeo, password protected. No downloading or copying allowed. No embedding the videos anywhere else. He's not comfortable with the video "getting out" but is happy to have some like minded people see it. I asked if it would be ok to post a link here that would take you to the bwca.com forum where the videos are linked and he said that would be ok. Please respect his wishes and don't try to copy, distribute, or share the videos in any way.

Their are 14 video segments ranging from 30 minutes to nearly an hour. They'll be available to view until sometime around Feb. 12th. Link to the bwca.com forum where you can find them: http://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseactio...1&forumId=414&CFID=458534256&CFTOKEN=22918279

In each post (one for each segment) you'll find a link and password, which you'll need to enter in order to view on Vimeo.

I've watched it already and will probably view it again before it's taken down. Amazing scenery, incredible determination, and a pretty good glimpse into what it must have been like, both the highs and lows.

Enjoy.

Alan

 

[Alan Gage]

Just found out the forum I linked to is for bwca.com members only so if you're not a member and want to see them you'll have to join up.

Alan

 

[Mama]

I watched this series with my husband. If you love canoe tripping it's truly a trip to follow. We looked forward to each video in the series as they were uploaded. I am in awe of BeaV's resilience and determination, even when things got rough. A remarkable journey. I still can't believe the part of the trip when he successfully paddled around Alaska on the Bering Sea. A lot of people would have dropped out of the trip at so many different points along the way. Hats off to BeaV.

 

[Guest]

I've watched the first three episodes. Outstanding!

 

[Bearleealive]

Great stuff, Alan. Just watched the first one, and looking forward to watching the rest soon too.

 

[daveo4]

I am almost done with them. Holy Jamolie! What a trip. What perseverance!

 

[Alan Gage]

I am almost done with them. Holy Jamolie! What a trip. What perseverance!

No kidding. Just when you're thinking the guy deserves a break he gets to the coast of the Bering Sea to find himself paddling 3 miles from shore in 10" of water and getting stranded on mudflats at low tide for 6+ hours with no fresh water to be found.

I think it would be neat to look back on a trip like that and the sense of accomplishment it would give. But I don't think I'd like to actually do it.

Glad some of you and getting a chance to see it.

Alan

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Thanks so much for this link, Alan.

I've watched all the episodes and think it's the best wilderness canoeing video I've ever seen. I'll be writing comments to BeaV, including some he may not expect, on the BWCA forum.

5000 miles in about 180 days solo on a route no one else has ever undertaken in a canoe -- or at all. Oceans. Downstream on rivers. Upstream on rivers. Giant wind-swept lakes. Monster portages over avalache-pregnant snow passes. Harder portages over arctic tundra. Almost everyone told him he couldn't do it, and almost all the advice he got, even from locals, was wrong.

BeaV used a standard depth Kruger Sea Wind canoe, a carbon bent shaft canoe paddle and occasionally a carbon double blade. He brought no axe and no saw. He used his knife mainly to open plastic food packages. I never saw a tarp. There was one early video of him in what he called a "lean shelter", which he criticized as being too difficult to put up in the rain with no trees. Never saw it again. He probably chucked it for the Chilkoot pass portage as he did with lots of his early gear.

Dumped only twice. Once in the Chandalar River and once in the Bering Sea.

Awesome, and both positively and negatively inspiring.

 

[Rippy]

Watched the whole thing. Any one leg of the trip is extreme. Chained together it is epic.

 

[Hanz]

Whew! I'm tried and I just sat here and watched videos. Unbelievable adventure.

He was truly driven to get it done.

I have to admit to having some canoe envy. That Sea Wind is sexy.

 

[Robin]

Nice to see a Duluth Pack on probably the most difficult canoe trip ever recorded. As a big fan of DP's, I have grown tired of the detractors and sat here smiling as he pushed upstream on the Chandalar River pulling that canoe with a Duluth Pack on his back. Not sayin' it's the best, but the proof of the pudding.....
I also use my PFD for a pillow (like the author) or seat pad, a real no no in some circles, but out on the trail it makes for a comfortable cushion.

 

[Rippy]

No Title

Nice to see a Duluth Pack on probably the most difficult canoe trip ever recorded. As a big fan of DP's, I have grown tired of the detractors and sat here smiling as he pushed upstream on the Chandalar River pulling that canoe with a Duluth Pack on his back. Not sayin' it's the best, but the proof of the pudding.

I noticed The pack and immediately thought of you Robin. The man is from Minnesota, home of the Duluth Pack. I have been to their outlet store in Duluth. Also drove by the factory (Duluth Tent & Awning) on Superior Street and looked in the windows ( they were closed that day). Poster is from outlet store.