Off into the wilderness: Three-day hike Ä’äy Chù (Slim's River) West in Kluane National Park in Yukon/Canada.

Bears, mountains, glaciers, and adventure. The three-day hike along the Ä'äy Chù (Slim's River) West in Kluane National Park in Yukon, Canada, is a grand adventure. Here you'll find all the necessary information and GPS data.

My nephew Lars has chosen a tour in Kluane National Park for our next hike , which will bring us very close to the glaciers .

Bear check before the hike

In the Visitor Center, the friendly ranger from Parcs Canada goes through a long list of questions with us:

Do we know what to do if we see a bear ?

Do we know where and how to store our food to make it bear-proof ?

(I have summarized all the tips in my blog post Safe Hiking and Camping in Bear Country Canada - The Ultimate Tips .)

Hike Slim's River West Kluane National Park Yukon Canada

In the Yukon, you're hiking in the wilderness and need to be prepared . Even though there are so-called backcountry campsites, they usually consist of nothing more than a composting toilet. After the briefing, we pack food for one night, a tent, sleeping mats, a sleeping bag, a stove, dishes, bear spray, our water bottles, and the extremely cumbersome (but obligatory) bear canister , and set off.

Key facts about the Ä'äy Chù (Slim's River) West hike in Kluane National Park in Yukon Canada

♡ Factor: ♡♡♡♡♡

Walking time : 26:00 h

Altitude : 1,911 m up and down

Length : 65.8 km

Accessible by public transport?

No.

Directions: Thechàl Dhâl (Sheep Mountain) hikers' car park, from the Thechàl Dhâl Visitor Centre 2.6 km up the Ä'äy Chù (Slims River) valley.

GPS data: You can download the GPS data for the hike on Outdooractive.

Starting and ending point: Thechàl Dhâl (Sheep Mountain) hiking car park.

NOTE: Before the hike, you must register at the Thechàl Dhâl' Visitor Centre , as you need a backcountry camping permit and must sign in. You can also borrow a bear box here if you don't have your own. You must bring one with you on the hike. There are no bear boxes at the campsite. There is no clean water at the overnight site. It's best to fill up your water bottles at the stream beforehand.

Safety notice:

Bear spray is a must on any trip in the Yukon.

It's essential to learn beforehand how to behave in the event of a bear encounter and how to camp safely. I've summarized all the tips in my blog post " Hiking and Camping Safely in Bear Country Canada - The Ultimate Tips ."

Crossing glacial rivers is dangerous. Water levels are particularly high in the evenings, after the sun has melted the glaciers. Be sure to check the current situation with Parcs Canada and other hikers beforehand. Hiking poles are helpful when crossing rivers.

Equipment: Bear spray is a must on any trip in the Yukon.

For this tour, you must carry a bear-proof storage box, which you can borrow at the visitor center.

For multi-day tours:

The backpack should not weigh more than 25-30% of your body weight .

Well-worn and, above all, waterproof hiking boots, warm and weatherproof clothing, a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat , and a completely waterproof tent are essential. A waterproof bag for valuables and a change of clothes is essential . A bear crate is essential. A water filter or chlorine tablets are essential .

Useful: Hiking poles and gaiters. Backpack with a rain cover, packing items inside in plastic bags. Stove, hiking map, rope (clothesline, river crossing), first aid kit, cell phone, toilet paper .

Further information and links: General information on accommodation and activities can be found on the website of Travel Yukon to find.

Current information on the condition of the hiking trails can be found on the Parcs Canada website .

The challenge of this trek lies in crossing several glacial rivers.

The first: The Bouillon River is named for a reason . Like a boiling soup, it shoots from the mountains into the valley six kilometers beyond the trailhead.

As soon as I step into the rushing stream, a boulder about the size of a football rolls over my feet

Startled, I jump back and look at my nephew with wide eyes. With a stick on each side, hooked under our arms in the middle, we manage, but the water shoots so high that even my underwear is wet. So much water! We have no idea that we'll soon be dreaming of clean water .

We hike south through the broad valley of the Ä'äy Chù (Slims River). In the sunshine, it seems almost lovely with its white clay and sandy soil, and deciduous trees even grow on the mountain slopes. Completely unexpected for Canada, the riverbed has dried up, the clay soil cracked like an arid region. The trail repeatedly climbs the mountainside, ostensibly to avoid the river. But there is no sign of Ä'äy Chù. The water has disappeared, only a shallow, muddy trickle trickles past us in places.

A river without water

In 2016, the river's flow changed within a few days : Whereas the meltwater from the Kaskawulsh Glacier previously flowed in two directions, now it all flows into the Kaskawulsh River and further into the Gulf of Alaska. This has drastically reduced the size of the Ä'äy Chù. In the evening at the campsite, I set out to find water. It's a long walk: no matter how far I walk into the wide river valley, I only find muddy water. In the end, I don't care anymore. After 27 kilometers, I'm fed up and fill our water bottles with the thick, brown sludge...

Bears at the campsite

Kluane National Park is famous for its large population of grizzlies.

A large pile of dung lies on the trail, obviously fresh, the berries still bright red. We follow the bear tracks but don't see a single one during the hike. That evening at the campsite, with Lars already in his tent, I walk back to the dining area where we left our water bottles.

In the distance, I see something dark approaching me. At first, I think it's hikers, but as I get closer, I recognize it as a bear. Excited, I want to run back to the tent to get my nephew, who has never seen a bear before. But the grizzly bear is approaching so quickly that I decide to switch to defense mode and shout loudly for it to go away.

“Go away!” I yell at the giant animal and disarm my bear spray ...

Luckily, he turns around and trots away.

Click on the first picture to start the photo story:

Lars tries to hang the food bear-proof

In sunshine the landscape looks almost lovely

From close up, the glaciers and mountains appear impressive and powerful

We see animal tracks everywhere – not only of bears, but also of wolves

We see animal tracks everywhere – not only of bears, but also of wolves

Crossing the once mighty river is now a muddy affair

The water quality at the campsite also leaves something to be desired

Global warming is not stopping in Canada either. Here, too, glaciers are melting

What could be better than camping in the sunshine?

Excited, I run back to the tent and ask my nephew if he heard me. "Yes, I heard you, but I'm not stupid enough to come out when there's a bear around," he mumbles and goes back to sleep.

If conditions are good, you can climb Observation Mountain on the second day. It was very hot during our hike, and Canada Creek was overflowing from glacial meltwater. We chose an alternative route, hiking along the creek bed to the hill and viewing the glacier from there.

Danger:

In the afternoon, the stream often has a higher water level due to meltwater from the glacier. We were told that you have to camp on the other side then, as you can't cross the stream until the next morning. Even with heavy rain, the streams can collapse and become impassable. Be sure to carry extra food with you.

Check the current conditions beforehand!

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INFO

All information about the Ä'äy Chù (Slim's River) West hike in English is also available on the Parcs Canada website.

General information about the Yukon, activities, accommodations and restaurants can be found on theTravel Yukon website

The hike to Sheep Creek in Kluane National Park is a slightly easier alternative to the hike described here.

For specific information about camping and hiking in the Yukon, visit www.yukon.ca

On the Parks Canada website You can reserve campsites in Kluane National Park.