This site shares stories about Dad’s expedition company from the ’70s, how we brought aspects of that company back to life to celebrate around Dad’s 80th birthday, and is a place for some of my other writing.
Would you travel to one of Canada’s greatest and most northern rivers on a 530-kilometre exploratory quest through the wilderness with only some used rafts, a few paper maps, and two friends?
In 1973, our Dad, David Rowe and a buddy did that, and it led him to start the first guiding company on the Nahanni River. Over 300 miles (if you prefer imperial) in a time when technical gear was Adidas runners, jeans and a wool sweater.
No GPS. No Cellphones. Just a crazy idea that regular people would want to see the true wild, and what used to be called gumption.
I hope you take 5 minutes to read about it. North-west Expeditions was the first guiding company to bring clients down the Nahanni, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dad’s story is a reminder to try incredible things, chase dreams, and get outside.
Slowly, and sometimes suddenly, this site is becoming a memorial. Dad’s doing well, but he doesn’t remember this time, or us. It’s been a long time since he was on the river, but he still cries when he laughs. We miss him and we love him.
Click around. Headers tell you how long each bit is, and there aren’t any adds.
Some links to get you started
Ian Writing | Dad’s Stories | About Us | Videos | Instagram Gallery
There’s a certain measure of freedom that’s very important to me.
– Riverman Dr. David Rowe (Dad)
