Paddle 'Til Dark
by Ray Zvirbulis, 2007
We have two copies of this book, one donated by Will Golson and the other by Mark Riffe.
As a young man growing up in Beatrice, Nebraska, Ray Zvirbulis listened to "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" programs and dreamt of going to the Yukon Territory. Years later he was finally able to fulfill his dream by floating the full length of the Yukon River. If you are interested in long 2000 mile floats or river trips in Alaska or the Yukon Territory, this is a good book to read. The author thoroughly describes the people and villages he encounters and his struggles during a very long journey. ( by Roger Faaborg)
We have two copies of this book, one donated by Will Golson and the other by Mark Riffe.
As a young man growing up in Beatrice, Nebraska, Ray Zvirbulis listened to "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon" programs and dreamt of going to the Yukon Territory. Years later he was finally able to fulfill his dream by floating the full length of the Yukon River. If you are interested in long 2000 mile floats or river trips in Alaska or the Yukon Territory, this is a good book to read. The author thoroughly describes the people and villages he encounters and his struggles during a very long journey. ( by Roger Faaborg)
(by the author)
This solo, wilderness kayaking journey began many years ago, years before I even knew anything about kayaks and paddling down remote, legendary rivers. Poring over maps of those places revealed very little. The blank spaces spread far and wide. At last, after decades of dreaming, I stood on the shore of Lake Atlin in British Columbia where the headwaters of the Yukon River are. I stood there and thought about all those hope filled years and thrilled at the anticipation of leaving that morning in mid-June.
Crossing the expanse of Lake Atlin in a fine mist, I guided the kayak toward Graham Channel, which would take me to Tagish Lake. There I met Jim and Marion Brook at their cabin. After hot coffee and freshly baked cookies, they sent me on my way. They were the first of many people who helped me on my journey.
That evening, having found the "perfect" campsite, I inspected the area for bear tracks. Finding none I started a large campfire before setting up the tent. Supper had been eaten at a previous stop, so there was no cooking where I stayed for the night. This was the procedure I followed every night. It kept animals bigger and hungrier than me from visiting my campsites.
As I paddle down the lakes, I stopped at villages such as Tagish; I paddled down Marsh Lake, down dangerous Lake Laberge; stopped in historic towns such as Whitehorse and Dawson City. I passed by wrecked and beached steamboats from the gold rush days and finally crossed the US/Canadian line into Alaska. I had paddled through a forest fire so immense that it took a day to pass the flames. The current carried me past Eagle, Circle City, though the Yukon flats (where he river was 10-20 miles wide) and crossed the Arctic Circle at Fort Yukon. Then came the small villages of Beaver, Stevens Village, and then the oil pipeline.
I paddled on to Rampart where the fierce head wind nearly drove me back upstream. Next I passed through Tanana, where I met Emmet Peter who had won the Iditarod long ago; then on to Ruby, Galena, Nulato and Holy Cross where Bergie Demientieff served me coffee and gave good advice.
Finally I arrived at Russian Mission where I ran out of time after 51 days and 2, 000 miles of paddling my kayak. There Harvey Pitka and his wife Ester fed me a wonderful dinner before I flew out. As the plane climbed and banked toward Bethel, I knew that I would return one day to finish my Kayak trip to the Bering Sea.
This solo, wilderness kayaking journey began many years ago, years before I even knew anything about kayaks and paddling down remote, legendary rivers. Poring over maps of those places revealed very little. The blank spaces spread far and wide. At last, after decades of dreaming, I stood on the shore of Lake Atlin in British Columbia where the headwaters of the Yukon River are. I stood there and thought about all those hope filled years and thrilled at the anticipation of leaving that morning in mid-June.
Crossing the expanse of Lake Atlin in a fine mist, I guided the kayak toward Graham Channel, which would take me to Tagish Lake. There I met Jim and Marion Brook at their cabin. After hot coffee and freshly baked cookies, they sent me on my way. They were the first of many people who helped me on my journey.
That evening, having found the "perfect" campsite, I inspected the area for bear tracks. Finding none I started a large campfire before setting up the tent. Supper had been eaten at a previous stop, so there was no cooking where I stayed for the night. This was the procedure I followed every night. It kept animals bigger and hungrier than me from visiting my campsites.
As I paddle down the lakes, I stopped at villages such as Tagish; I paddled down Marsh Lake, down dangerous Lake Laberge; stopped in historic towns such as Whitehorse and Dawson City. I passed by wrecked and beached steamboats from the gold rush days and finally crossed the US/Canadian line into Alaska. I had paddled through a forest fire so immense that it took a day to pass the flames. The current carried me past Eagle, Circle City, though the Yukon flats (where he river was 10-20 miles wide) and crossed the Arctic Circle at Fort Yukon. Then came the small villages of Beaver, Stevens Village, and then the oil pipeline.
I paddled on to Rampart where the fierce head wind nearly drove me back upstream. Next I passed through Tanana, where I met Emmet Peter who had won the Iditarod long ago; then on to Ruby, Galena, Nulato and Holy Cross where Bergie Demientieff served me coffee and gave good advice.
Finally I arrived at Russian Mission where I ran out of time after 51 days and 2, 000 miles of paddling my kayak. There Harvey Pitka and his wife Ester fed me a wonderful dinner before I flew out. As the plane climbed and banked toward Bethel, I knew that I would return one day to finish my Kayak trip to the Bering Sea.