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NorthernersGuides9TuesdayAugust192014CanoeArcticInc.celebratesfourdecadesinbusinessEcotourismcompanytheoldestlongestrunningintheterritoryByDALICARMICHAELAfter40yearsofexplor-ingthetundrayoudbehardpressedtondanyonewhocannavigatetheawe-inspir-inglandscapenorthofGreatSlaveLakebetterthanwild-lifebiologistAlexHallbasedinFortSmith.TheownerofCanoeArc-ticInc.whoclaimstohavepaddledthebarrenlandsmorethananyoneelseintheworldiscelebratingfourdecadesofbusinessthisyearandhasnoplansofintentionallyslowingdownanytimesoon.IlovegoingoutthereIjustlovethatareaHallsaid.Idonteverwanttostop.ImgoingtokeepgoinguntilIdropIguesswheneverthatis.Im71nowsoyouknowIdonthavemanyyearsleftbutImplanningonnextyearanyway.EverysummerHalltakesgroupsofupto10peopleoncanoeingexpeditions-mostlyalongtheThelonRiver-toex-ploretheArctictundraandseethewildlifethatinhabitsthearea.FromJunetoAugusttheouttterannuallycom-pletessixexcursionswhichcanlastfromeightto12days.Duringthelongcoldwin-tersoftheNorthHallisalwaysbusyorganizingtripsforthenextworkingseason.ItkeepsmeyoungHallsaid.ItcertainlyishardworkIwork15hoursadayfrom630inthemorningto900atnight.ThoughhesstillraringtogounfortunatelyHalldoesntseemuchofaopportunityforhisnicheindustrywhenhelookstowardthefuture.Iwasveryoptimistic28yearsagoaboutthesesortsofthingsbutnowImverypessimisticbecauseofthecostHallsaid.InthatsortofbusinessIthinkwereonourlastlegs.TheairchartercostsaresohighthatlasttripIhadwas46000-47000justfortheights.Stillheisexaminingwayshecanadapttheconceptofecotourismtomakeitmorecostefcientandaccessiblebycreatingmorestationarycampsthatarelessremote.EitherwayHallisntreadytogiveuphislifesworkjustyet.IwonthaveanythingtodosothatswhyImnotgoingtoretirehesaid.TestimonialsovertimeWhenaveragedoutHallhasreturnedtothebarren-landsatleast240timesonhissummerexpeditionsalone.Inthattimeover1000cli-entslookingfortheexperi-enceofalifetimehavemadeittotheNorthtotravelwithCanoeArctic.TheJournalreachedouttoahandfulofthoseclientswhohavere-turnedtimeandagain.AlexsharedwithusaworldthatiswildandvastandrareandnearlymagicalsaidAliceFischer-Colbriewhohastrav-eledwithHallrepeatedlyovertheyearswithherpartnerSeanBrennan.Alexsdeepknowl-edgeofthewildlifewhereandhowtheylivechangesovertimeaswellashisfamiliar-itywiththemilesofterrainandhistoryconnectedustothismysteriousworld.Wecouldnotgetenough.Wehadtoseemore.Wehadtocomeback.WehavenowtakenthreetripswithAlexoverthelast10yearseachadifferentadventureandeachatripofalifetime.WerstwentonatripwithAlexin2005intotalEricaandIhavegoneon4tripswithAlexwroteCharlieBoonewhohasbeentotheNorthsev-eraltimeswithhiswifeErica.Allthetripsarememorablefordifferentreasonstheyaregreatadventuresintotheunknownwhitewaterwild-lifeshingartefactsincred-ibleremotescenery.YouwilltestyourselfphysicallyandmentallybutAlexwillmakecertainyoureturninonepiecehecon-tinued.Histripsaresomem-orableoneofAlexstripswillstaywithyouforeverPhotocourtesyofBillUlinskiPhotocourtesyofAndrewPerryPhotocourtesyofEricaandBillBoonePhotocourtesyofEricaandBillBoonePhotocourtesyofAndrewPerryHallrightandhiscrewsetouttocanoethroughthebarrenlandsalongtheThelonriver.Curiousyoungwolfpupspeeratthetravelers.Hallishighlyregardedforhisextensiveknowledgeofthespeciesandisknowntoletoutanamazinghowlfromtimetotime.Hallrightandoneofhisadventurersnavigatethroughawaterchannelenroutetotheirnextcampsite.Hallhaltshisgrouptoshareinformationaboutthetundrasstintedvegetation.OneofthehighlightsofanyCanoeArctictripistheamazingwildlifecamperscomeacrosslikethismuskoxseengrazingalongtheshore.Onthatrsttripwesawwolvesbarrengroundgrizzlybearscariboumooseandcountlessbirds.Iwashooked...HavingcompletedeighttripswithAlexover23yearsIambeginningtounderstandhisloveforthebarrens.AndrewPerryAustraliaAlexhasintroducedmetoatotallydifferentwayoflookingatthenatureandthewayofdealingwiththebackcountry.Ifeelveryprivilegedtohavemethim.NotripafterthathasbeenasgoodaswithAlex.DidierMaclainePontNetherlandsTheArcticplusAlexswonderfulsafetripskeepdrawingyouback.YougetthechancetotakeNationalGeographicqualitypicturesbecausethesettingsarethere.BillandSharonEriksonIowa