In the November issue 

1. Guide Wrap-Up & Lessons from the Water 

Each fall, our guide wrap-up sessions are a fantastic and fun opportunity for our guide and office team to gather and debrief the summer season, review participant feedback, and share some lessons learned. During our breakout sessions, we talked about goals for the future, how to support each other in achieving them, and reflected on the moments (and gear) that were highlights of the 2026 season. We are looking ahead to prepare for our 2027 trips and implement your and our guides suggestions to continue to improve our offerings for you! Below you'll find a few guide responses from the session.

What's in a guide's pack? 

We asked our guides to share a favourite gear item that they wouldn’t hesitate to bring on trip again. Some items were more practical, such as parchment paper for baking (now added to our “staples” kit!). Other items focused on camp fun: strings of LED lights to illuminate the group tarp, a a kite, or a simple deck of cards to bring people together at night. Ella, seasoned canoe guide, didn’t hesitate to mention her Biscoff spread. When Stef asked what she puts it on, Ella replied, “What do you NOT put it on?”.

What were your standout moments? 

Beyond the gear, guides also reflected on standout moments for themselves and for participants. These included fresh fish on the Coppermine River, the awe of floating through first canyon on the Nahanni River, and laughter and music under the tarp each evening. 

More importantly, most guides celebrated seeing participants’ confidence grow throughout the expedition. The success of our season came from a combination of strong guide pairings, dedicated office staff, and wonderful participants. Thank you for another unforgettable year!

2. Our Season in Numbers 

3. Looking Ahead: More 2027 & 2028 Trips Announced

With 2026 behind us, we are excited to announce that in addition to trips that were already open for 2027 bookings, we have now added British Columbia, Iceland, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Quebec trips as officially open for booking! Click here if you'd like to learn more about the outstanding destinations we have in our roster for next year. You can take advantage of our Early Bird Pricing by booking before December 31st.

Then we thought…why stop at 2027? For those who like to plan ahead, a small but mighty selection of 2028 trips are now open for booking on our website as well!  Click on the links below to be taken to your desired 2028 trip(s) now open for booking:

4. Thank you, Wendy! 

While she is stepping back from drafting the monthly newsletter, rest assured that Wendy is still around! She will always be a vital part of the Black Feather community and remains an important member of our guiding and office team. Thank you, Wendy!

5. Guide Spotlight & Book Launch: Adrick Brock's Islanders

November marks the beginning of a new series: the Guide Spotlight. Every month, we hope to highlight the incredible and talented folks who lead our trips and introduce you to the passions they pursue outside of their work with Black Feather.

This month, we are thrilled to celebrate guide Adrick Brock, who has just published his debut novel, Islanders. Adrick has been a seasoned guide at Black Feather since 2019 and led trips on the Snake, Mountain, and Nahanni rivers.

Here is what Adrick had to share: 

“I grew up on Toronto Island but spent summers in and around the Madawaska Valley, where I first got into whitewater. I was also a very lucky camper at Wanapitei. I worked as a raft guide and kayak instructor in the area from the age of 16 to 25, took a long hiatus from the river, and came back to guiding with BF in 2019.

I started Islanders in 2021. The book was published by Nightwood Editions in October of this year. It's my debut novel, set largely in Toronto Island and Whitehorse. Stick with it long enough and there is a canoe trip at some point in the book!”

Adrick’s debut novel “captures the ache of isolation and belonging amidst the rare backdrop of one of Canada’s most unusual neighbourhoods”. To learn more, you can visit Adrick’s website, or you can order a copy online or find his book near you through the publisher’s website! Congratulations on this amazing achievement, Adrick! 

6. Remembering Maligiaq Padilla

We are sorry to share the news that Black Feather Guide and Greenlandic paddling legend Maligiaq Padilla passed away last month. He was part of a countless number of paddling, guiding and cultural communities, all of whom are grieving a great loss. Maligiaq was not only a skilled paddler and one of the foremost traditional Greenland kayak knowledge keepers, but he was also a wonderful and kind human. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him last year when he co-led our group of paddlers in Qaanaaq, northwest Greenland. One of the co-guides, Jack, had these words to share:

Maligiaq often talked about the next generation of Greenlanders and how he could contribute.  I am thrilled that he was able to join us at Black Feather, not only because of the skill, wisdom, humour and grace that he brought to the group, but the trip reenergized his love of kayaking and was a turning point to rededicate himself to the craft.  He will be greatly missed. 

Our hearts go out to his family and friends around the world.

Black Feather | The Wilderness Adventure Company 

1-888-849-7668

www.blackfeather.com | info@blackfeather.com