February, 2026 In this Issue
1. HOOD RIVER
2. HOLIDAY CANADIAN
3. SUPPORT GREENLAND
4. KEEPING DRY
5. GEORGIAN BAY BIOSPHERE
HOOD RIVER REFLECTIONS
A lyrical and poetry writer, mountain climber and backcountry skier, Tricia Daum is also an avid Black Feather tripper. In 2016, Tricia took her first paddling trip to Banks Island, NWT on the Thomsen River. She has signed up every summer since then to explore northern Canadian rivers and gain tandem canoe whitewater paddling skills. Tricia’s writing and art describe nature, explore quandaries and explain life transitions in poetry, prose poems and essays. Her most recent publication, “Milestones and Reflections", will be published in 2026. This past summer Tricia travelled down the Hood River with Black Feather, guided by Colin Smith, Colleen Hammond and Pat Eastment. She tells the inspiring account:
After two hours of travel, the meandering turquoise Hood River appears below. Our bush pilot slows the float plane while the engines roar; he circles a dozen times. He wants enough river depth and parallel banks to serve as a runway for the pontoons. The plane descends lower each circle to finally splash down below Kingaumiut Falls. He backs pontoon rudders to a gentle riverbank, hammers a steel rod into the sand, attaches a painter to park the airplane. We canoeists step ashore to unload equipment and set up camp. After the two planes noisily depart, we are left alone in the Hood River’s serenity.
Across the Hood, three muskoxen graze on a verdant river bench. I stern one of five canoes upriver, eddy hopping, and ferry to the rocky shore below the three massive animals. After beaching canoes and securing them, we arctic visitors creep and crawl, binoculars in hand, cameras at the ready. We ascend dwarf birch, moss and lichen to view the horned, furry grazers. Read more here!
| |
|
HOLIDAY CANADIAN
Black Feather is proudly Canadian. For over 50 years we have been a Canadian-owned family business. With our wonderful guides and participants, we softly explore some of Canada’s most pristine and unique wilderness. Canoe wild rivers in the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Paddle tranquil waters of Georgian Bay, the French River and Saguenay. Hike stunning wilderness in British Columbia, Nunavut and the High Arctic. Ski the valleys and mountain passes of Baffin Island. Watch for polar bear, narwhal and bowhead whales at the Floe Edge.
Whatever your interest or skill level, we have an adventure waiting for you.
Join us to see what Canada has to offer! Simply, the best.
| |
SUPPORT GREENLAND
Black Feather has offered adventurous sea kayaking and hiking trips in Greenland “Kalaallit Nunaat” since 1989. In these years, we have hired and contracted with local Greenlanders and have enjoyed sharing the unique culture of this land and people. Greenland’s sparkling fjords, ragged mountains and small communities have similarities to the Canadian Arctic, but are distinctly Greenlandic.
Supporting Greenland means protecting its sovereignty, culture, and future from foreign influence. To truly support Greenland, we must stand with its people, respect its land, and defend its right to self-determination. Preserving Greenland is about safeguarding its independence, environment, and cultural heritage—today and for generations to come.
We support Greenland and would like to share this website where you can purchase a cap, t-shirt, sweatshirt or other item to show support and fund the charities Greenlandic Children and the Red House Greenland Foundation.
| |
STAYING DRY
When asked on a recent trip what tip I had to give to folks to make their trip more enjoyable, I thought for a moment, then responded “preserve dryness”. In an environment where you can get splashed by a wave, rained on, step into a creek by mistake, have a tent leak, find a trickle of water creeping down your neck … you realize that comfort is extremely closely tied to your dryness! The big question, though, is how to keep as dry as possible! We’ve asked a few of our senior guides for their pro-tips on keeping it dry which are outlined on this link!
| |
GEORGIAN BAY BIOSPHERE
The Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve funds projects and studies dedicated to the health of the surrounding biosphere. Winter is an understudied season in the Great Lakes, largely due to the challenges of collecting data in colder temperatures. While many researchers get out on the water in warmer months, collecting data in the winter has more barriers. Without sufficient data from the winter, a large piece of the puzzle is missing in understanding the ecology of the Great Lakes.
Historically, there has been a long-running misconception that winter is a time of stagnation—that not much happens in lakes in the winter. This assumption is far from the truth! There are a whole host of important processes going on in those icy waters. Some species of fish, like burbot, even spawn under the ice! Collecting more winter data would allow us to better understand just how much life and activity is present in these cold winter waters.
What happens in the winter also has a huge impact on summer water conditions. Winter influences everything from water temperatures to fish communities to algal blooms. For instance, a winter with more algae growth due to low ice cover and warmer temperatures could mean a summer with larger blooms, which can have implications for drinking water and recreation. Read more here!
You can donate to the great work of the GBBR by clicking here!
Black Feather runs a variety of special sea kayaking trips on Mnidoo Gami, ‘the Bay’, you can check out our listings here!
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
