- GeorgeMap.jpg
George River.
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The new QNS&L.
- George-10.jpg
Getting to the De Pas River.
Dave Brown photo. - George-11.jpg
On the De Pas River.
Dave Brown photo. - George-12.jpg
On Indian House Lake.
- George-13.jpg
Entering the Wedge Hills.
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Caribou hair on the river bank.
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Hillside with rock and trees.
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Underwater reflections.
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Dave with the perfect bannock.
- GeorgeTall-12.jpg
Scenic campsite on the George.
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More drama.
- GeorgeOrig-11.jpg
Wendy at the Pyramid Hills.
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Light on the mountain.
- GeorgeTall-13.jpg
Jim under a waterfall in 1984.
- GeorgeOrig-12.jpg
The crew in 2011.
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Big sky country.
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Trout.
- GeorgeTall-14.jpg
Al and Black Flies on a bad morning.
Dave Brown photo. - GeorgeTall-15.jpg
Looking downriver.
- George-19.jpg
Upriver sky.
- George-20.jpg
A sentinal near tidewater.
- GeorgeOrig-14.jpg
Near the mouth of the river.
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On the tidal mudflats near Kanqiqsualujuaq.
- George-22.jpg
String bog from the flight out.
Al Stirt, Wendy Scott and Friends: Canoe Tripping in Northern Quebec and Labrador
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De Pas and George Rivers
In 1984 I needed a partner for a canoe trip up north on the George River. A mutual friend suggested that her friend Wendy might want to go.
Wendy and I met on the banks of the Lamoille River to see if we could paddle together. We've been paddling together ever since.
We paddled the George again in 2011. It's a classic northern river with crystal clear water, stunning scenery, numerous runnable rapids and very few portages. It’s wooded along the banks, but once you climb a little you're above tree line.
We've paddled this route two more times -in 2015 and 2017 . With differing water levels, the rivers offer lots of new challenges and surprises. as well as many areas that are increasingly familiar, allowing us to plan our day's travels with more confidence.
The easiest and least expensive way to get to the George is via the De Pas River. If you take the train to Schefferville, you’ll have easy access to the headwaters of the De Pas.
The George River caribou herd used to be the largest in the world. In recent years, the population has crashed, leaving less than 10% of the original numbers.
With the recent push for mineral and hydro development in the north, it's hard to know what the future holds for the river. The most dramatic section is now part of a provincial park.
