-
13
River Maps
WARNING: River conditions and the location of navigable channels
can change quickly due to a number of variables including seasonal
water levels. As a result, the ratings of river difficulty used in
this guide may vary in accuracy. Also, this guide does not show
every rapid on the South Nahanni River. This guide and its maps
were prepared by Parks Canada using its best judgment in light of
the information available to it at the time of preparation. Any use
you make of this guide or its maps and any reliance on or decisions
made based on this guide or its maps are your own responsibility
absolutely. Parks Canada, its employees and its agents accept no
liability or responsibility for damages, if any, suffered or
sustained by you or any third party as a result of decisions made
or actions based on this guide or its maps.
-
14
!
!
!
!
10 km
20 km
0 km
!
Initiation Rapids (class III)
Descente Rapids (class II/III)
class II/III
class I
The Moose Ponds
Mount Wilson
Ross
Riv
er
(2,275m)
Overland Route
from Ross River
South
Nahanni
River!q
!ÃYukon
NWT
NahÆâ Dehé
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#0
129°28'0"W129°30'0"W129°32'0"W129°34'0"W129°36'0"W129°38'0"W129°40'0"W129°42'0"W129°44'0"W129°46'0"W129°48'0"W129°50'0"W129°52'0"W62°57'0"N
62°56'0"N
62°55'0"N
62°54'0"N
62°53'0"N
62°52'0"N
62°51'0"N
62°50'0"N
62°49'0"N
± 0 2 41 Kilometers
! Rock Gardens !
Km 10 marks the start of 50 km of virtually continuous
whitewater. This guide labels several rapids with unofficial names
given by individuals who have paddled this section many times. Over
the years, these names have stuck. The names and specific locations
of rapids vary depending on the source. When in doubt, pull out and
scout. This entire stretch is known locally as the Rock
Gardens.
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15
!
!
!
!
!
!
30 km
40 km
20 km
Junction Rapids (class III)
Massive Rock Garden Rapids (Class III+)
Initiation Rapids (class III)
Danish Dynamite Rapids (class II/III)
Descente Rapids (class II/III)
Thread the Needle Rapids (class III)
Bailing Rapids (class II/III)
class II
class III
class II
class II/III
NahÆâ Dehé
South
NahanniRiver
1700
1100
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0
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129°11'0"W129°13'0"W129°15'0"W129°17'0"W129°19'0"W129°21'0"W129°23'0"W129°25'0"W129°27'0"W129°29'0"W129°31'0"W129°33'0"W129°35'0"W62°49'0"N
62°48'0"N
62°47'0"N
62°46'0"N
62°45'0"N
62°44'0"N
62°43'0"N
62°42'0"N
62°41'0"N ± 0 2 41 Kilometers
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16
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
50 km
60 km
70 km
Massive Rock Garden Rapids (class III+)
The Sequel Rapids (class III++)
Hollywood Rapids (class III++)
class II+
Bailing Rapids (class II/III)
end of whitewater
NahÆâ Dehé
Graduation Rapids
River
South
Nahanni
1200
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128°53'0"W128°55'0"W128°57'0"W128°59'0"W129°1'0"W129°3'0"W129°5'0"W129°7'0"W129°9'0"W129°11'0"W129°13'0"W129°15'0"W62°41'0"N
62°40'0"N
62°39'0"N
62°38'0"N
62°37'0"N
62°36'0"N
62°35'0"N
62°34'0"N
62°33'0"N ± 0 2 41 Kilometers
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17
!•
•
•
••
•
•
!
!
90 km
80 km
110 km
100 km
NahÆâ Dehé
Little Na
hanni Riv
er
South
Nahanni
River
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128°28'0"W128°30'0"W128°32'0"W128°34'0"W128°36'0"W128°38'0"W128°40'0"W128°42'0"W128°44'0"W128°46'0"W128°48'0"W128°50'0"W128°52'0"W
62°33'0"N
62°32'0"N
62°31'0"N
62°30'0"N
62°29'0"N
62°28'0"N
62°27'0"N
62°26'0"N
62°25'0"N ± 0 2 41 Kilometers
Nahanni
The Dene, who since time immemorial have occupied the Dehcho
(Mackenzie) and Liard River areas, call this river NahÆá Dehé. They
spoke of another group of Dene people living in the Mackenzie
Mountains who they called NahÆá, meaning “people who live in the
valley on the other side of the first mountain range.” The NahÆá
were known for making clothing from sheep and goat fur in the
winter. European fur traders of the early 1800s began to refer to
the NahÆá Dene as the Nahannies, later modified to Nahanni, a word
which became associated with this river. Today, descendents of the
NahÆá Dene live in nearby communities and maintain their connection
to the area.
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18
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
140 km
130 km
120 km
110 km
NahÆâ DehéIsland Lake
Moore's Cabin
Honeymoon Lake
Moore's Hotspring
BOLO
GNA
RIDGE
Bo
logna
Cre
ek
HaywireLake
South
Nahanni
River
Park Bo
undary
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!q
!q
!i^
128°5'0"W128°7'0"W128°9'0"W128°11'0"W128°13'0"W128°15'0"W128°17'0"W128°19'0"W128°21'0"W128°23'0"W128°25'0"W128°27'0"W62
°26'
0"N
62°2
5'0"
N62
°24'
0"N
62°2
3'0"
N62
°22'
0"N
62°2
1'0"
N62
°20'
0"N
62°1
9'0"
N62
°18'
0"N
62°1
7'0"
N ± 0 2 41 Kilometers
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
160 km
170 km
150 km
140 km
NahÆâ Dehé
Corner Rapids (class I/II)
Nah?a Dehé
VAMPIREPEAKS
VAMPIREPEAKS
Broken Skull River
Black Wolf
RAGGED RANGE
South
Nahan
ni
River
2000
1800
1700
2400
2000
1800
2200
2200
1600
1600
2400
2100 800
2200
800
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18002000
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1800
800
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1800
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2200
2200
2200
2400
1500
2000
1900
2000
127°41'0"W127°43'0"W127°45'0"W127°47'0"W127°49'0"W127°51'0"W127°53'0"W127°55'0"W127°57'0"W127°59'0"W128°1'0"W128°3'0"W
62°2
4'0"
N62
°23'
0"N
62°2
2'0"
N62
°21'
0"N
62°2
0'0"
N62
°19'
0"N
62°1
8'0"
N62
°17'
0"N
62°1
6'0"
N
± 0 2 41 Kilometers
Park Expansion
Nahanni National Park Reserve was expanded in June 2009 to
30,050 km2, and in many places the new boundary follows the South
Nahanni River watershed divide. Here, however, the park boundary
follows the political division between the Sahtu Settlement Area
and the Dehcho Region - two distinct land claim areas within the
Northwest Territories.
Moore’s Hotspring
In the spring of 1978, John and Joanne Moore built a log cabin
beside the river as a honeymoon project, and lived there for most
of a year. A few km downriver, they discovered a small stream fed
by a series of hot water seeps emerging out of the bank. The warm
water and lush plant growth stands in stark contrast to the glacier
fed streams on the opposite side of the South Nahanni River. River
travellers can find the site by watching for a dark sand beach at
the base of a steep ridge on river left, as the main river turns to
the right.
-
19
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
160 km
170 km
150 km
140 km
NahÆâ Dehé
Corner Rapids (class I/II)
Nah?a Dehé
VAMPIREPEAKS
VAMPIREPEAKS
Broken Skull River
Black Wolf
RAGGED RANGE
South
Nahan
ni
River
2000
1800
1700
2400
2000
1800
2200
2200
1600
1600
2400
2100 800
2200
800
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2200
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800
2100
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2400
2400
18002000
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2200
2600
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800
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2300
1000
1000
900
1900
1800
18002000
2600
2100
1400
2200
2000
2400
1800
1400
1800
800
2000
1800
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2200
2200
2200
2400
1500
2000
1900
2000
127°41'0"W127°43'0"W127°45'0"W127°47'0"W127°49'0"W127°51'0"W127°53'0"W127°55'0"W127°57'0"W127°59'0"W128°1'0"W128°3'0"W62
°24'
0"N
62°2
3'0"
N62
°22'
0"N
62°2
1'0"
N62
°20'
0"N
62°1
9'0"
N62
°18'
0"N
62°1
7'0"
N62
°16'
0"N
± 0 2 41 Kilometers
-
20
!
!
!
!
!
!
190 km
180 km
NahÆâ Dehé
Mount Sir James MacBrien (2,759 m)
Dolf Mountain
Broken Skull Rive r
South
Nahanni
River
2400
2000
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#0
#0
127°18'0"W127°20'0"W127°22'0"W127°24'0"W127°26'0"W127°28'0"W127°30'0"W127°32'0"W127°34'0"W127°36'0"W127°38'0"W127°40'0"W62°16'0"N
62°15'0"N
62°14'0"N
62°13'0"N
62°12'0"N
62°11'0"N
62°10'0"N
62°9'0"N
62°8'0"N
± 0 2 41 Kilometers
The Ragged Range
This range is named for the spectacular formation of jagged
granite peaks that pierce the skyline around you. The highest peaks
in the Northwest Territories, they are also extensively glaciated.
The Ragged Range was formed 110 million years ago when molten
igneous rock deep within the earth’s crust was forced to within
3,000 metres of the earth’s surface. As it hardened and cooled, it
pushed sedimentary rock up from below. Over time the upper layers
of sedimentary rock eroded, exposing the hard granite of the Ragged
Range. The last period of glaciation, which ended about 10,000
years ago, sculpted the formation you see today.
-
21
!
!
!
!
!
210 km
220 km
200 km NahÆâ Dehé
Mount Sidney Dobson
Glacier Lake
Glacier Lake
Fairy Meadows
Fairy Meadows
Cirque of the Unclimbables
Mount Sir James MacBrien (2,759 m)
Brintnell Creek
RAGG
ED RANGE
Mount Harrison Smith
Bunny Bar
(2,622 m)
Glacier Lake
Mount IdaSouth
Nahanni
River
1200
2000
1800
1400
2300
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!q
!Ã
!Ã
!q
#0
#0
#0
!i
127°17'0"W127°19'0"W127°21'0"W127°23'0"W127°25'0"W127°27'0"W127°29'0"W127°31'0"W127°33'0"W127°35'0"W127°37'0"W127°39'0"W127°41'0"W
62°7
'0"N
62°6
'0"N
62°5
'0"N
62°4
'0"N
62°3
'0"N
62°2
'0"N
62°1
'0"N
62°0
'0"N
61°5
9'0"
N
± 0 2 41 Kilometers
-
22
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
250 km
240 km
230 km
220 km
NahÆâ Dehé
GahnîthahRabbitkettle Hotsprings
(Tufa Mounds)
Secret Lakes
Secret Lakes
Gahnîthah MñeRabbitkettle Lake
Rabbitkettle Mountain (2,343 m)
Hole
in th
e W
a ll
Rabbitkettle River
Nahanni
River
South
1200
2000
2000
2200
1500
1700
2000
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900
1900
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1800
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1900
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1800
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1200
1100
!q !i!?
^
!Ã
!Ã
#0 !Ã
126°55'0"W126°57'0"W126°59'0"W127°1'0"W127°3'0"W127°5'0"W127°7'0"W127°9'0"W127°11'0"W127°13'0"W127°15'0"W127°17'0"W61°59'0"N
61°58'0"N
61°57'0"N
61°56'0"N
61°55'0"N
61°54'0"N
61°53'0"N
61°52'0"N
61°51'0"N
± 0 2 41 Kilometers
Gahnîhthah (Rabbitkettle Hotsprings and tufa mounds)
The Rabbitkettle staff cabin is located on the south-eastern end
of Gahnîhthah Mñe (Rabbitkettle Lake), one km from the portage
landing on the South Nahanni River.
Interpretive hikes are offered from this location during the
months of July and August.
Gahnîhthah (Rabbitkettle hotsprings and tufa mounds) is a Zone 1
special preservation area.
!
Gahnîhthah Mñe
^
Ri
ver
Emerald Lake
Rabbitkettle Island Campground
RabbitkettleLake
GahnîhthahRabbitkettle Hotsprings
Tufa Mound Trail
Rabbitkett
le
South
Nahanni River
(Rabbitkettle Lake)
± 0 1 20.5 km
!q!?
!i
Gahnîhthah Mñe
-
23
!
!
!
!
!
!
!270 km
260 km
250 km
NahÆâ Dehé
Alpine Ridge
Hel
l Roa
ring
Cree
k
South
Nahanni River
900
1300
1600
150016
001500
1100
1800
900
900
1600
1000
1200
1800
1300
1600
1600
600
800
1800
1100
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1200
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900
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15001000
1400
1400
1400
1400
1500
1600
1000
1300
1300
1400
1100
1900
1500
1000
900
!Ã
126°31'0"W126°33'0"W126°35'0"W126°37'0"W126°39'0"W126°41'0"W126°43'0"W126°45'0"W126°47'0"W126°49'0"W126°51'0"W126°53'0"W61°56'0"N
61°55'0"N
61°54'0"N
61°53'0"N
61°52'0"N
61°51'0"N
61°50'0"N
61°49'0"N
61°48'0"N
± 0 2 41 Kilometers
Contrast the wide upper valley with the steep sided, narrow
canyons you will experience below Náîlîcho, which has not seen
glaciers in more than 200,000 years. Flowing water, rather than
ice, shaped the four lower canyons. As the mountains thrust upward
over time, the river was able to stay its course and slowly carve
through the rising rock strata, creating the canyons and preserving
the meanders that developed when the river flowed across a flat
valley.
River Valleys
From Gahnîhthah (Rabbitkettle) area to Náîlîcho (Virginia
Falls), the river meanders through a broad u-shaped valley that was
carved by glaciers more than 130,000 years ago. The more recent
Wisconsin glaciation that shaped the Ragged Range did not reach the
Nahanni river valley in this area.
-
24
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
300 km
280 km
290 km
NahÆâ Dehé
Floo
d Cr
eek
South
Nahann
i
River
900
1300
1700
1600
1400
1600
1600
1300
1800
800
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1500
1400
900
1300
1500
1100
1200
1500
126°8'0"W126°10'0"W126°12'0"W126°14'0"W126°16'0"W126°18'0"W126°20'0"W126°22'0"W126°24'0"W126°26'0"W126°28'0"W126°30'0"W61°56'0"N
61°55'0"N
61°54'0"N
61°53'0"N
61°52'0"N
61°51'0"N
61°50'0"N
61°49'0"N
61°48'0"N
61°47'0"N ± 0 2 41 Kilometers
Early River Travellers
In the late 1800s, Mountain Dene from the surrounding area would
travel down the South Nahanni River each spring in moosehide boats
to trade the winter take of furs and visit relatives in the Dehcho
(Mackenzie) region. Similar in design to the Hudson’s Bay York
boats, the Dene created moosehide boats suited to mountain river
conditions. Using only material from the land, these boats, which
could be up to 20 metres in length, were constructed from six to 10
un-tanned moose hides sewn together and stretched over a spruce
pole frame. These massive boats would transport entire families,
their dogs and cargo of furs down the river during high water. Upon
arrival at the fort, the boat was dismantled and the hides traded
along with the furs. Following a visit with relatives in the Dehcho
area, the Dene would return to the high country with only what they
could carry and load on their pack dogs.
