Even the best four-wheelers need a trail. So when discussing possibilities for a backcountry ATV trip with the editors of Field & Stream, one route came to mind: The Canol Trail.

Nine hundred miles east of Anchorage, Alaska, at the spine of the staggering Mackenzie Mountains, the Canol Trail cuts through some of the most remote country in North America. Short for Canadian Oil, the Canol is an abandoned pipeline trail in Canada’s Northwest Territories that was built by the U.S. in World War II to transport oil from the fields at Norman Wells to refineries in Whitehorse, and on to Alaska. Only used for one year, the oil line was shut down and, in the end, deemed a huge waste of money.

Today the Canol Trail is still quite possibly the most remote trail in the world. Bridges were long ago washed away by rushing mountain rivers. The dirt road built during the pipeline’s construction has long since over grown. The trail snakes down into the deep glacial canyons and up to 5,427 feet above sea level at the fabled Planes of Abraham. Rusty wartime relics like old Ford trucks and ten-inch oil pipe still litter the landscape. The region is legendary for its wild and untamed expanses of mountain wilderness, history of gold rushers, murder, and mountain men.

Field & Stream Video Editor Mike Shea and I are attempting the journey aboard two Polaris Sportsman 550 ATVs. From Whitehorse we’ll travel by truck more than 300 miles northeast to the trailhead. Without air support, we’ll carry all the food, fuel and survival gear we’ll need for the full 222 miles aboard our quads and in towed trailers. We’ll face three major river crossings, including the Twitya River at mile 135 – a 60 yard stretch of deep, fast, icy mountain water. We plan to ferry it on a homemade raft.

Without doubt, this trip will challenge the limits of what can be done on an ATV. Over the next few weeks Mike and I will bring the story back to you through blog posts, photos and videos. You’ll see us, and our machines, pushed to the edge. This, my friends, is the Canol Trail.

Comments (8)

from labrador12 wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

I've camped on the North Canol in the Yukon many times since the 1970s. You guys are going to face a real challange. Good luck and enjoy the country. Its some of North America's finest.

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from LoopRope wrote 33 weeks 10 hours ago

Hello there. This expedition looks awesome. Please take a look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cWW2PsxBGA It's a brand new product I invented and it's already available at Cabela's in their ATV category. I see you guys have a rats nest of rope and bungee cords on your rigs, LoopRope absolutely eliminates all of it.

I would love to donate enough for your cause. You will absolutely love the stuff. It's the only tie down that goes from your truck to quad to your back packs to using as clothesline in the trees.

Would love to participate!

Thank you.

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from Carlton Fuqua wrote 33 weeks 9 hours ago

Did you consider other means of transportation such as a horse, mule, dogs even an elephant!!! Look at all that gas for cryin out loud! That's more than the refinery at the end of the oil pipeline could have ultimately supplied for WW2 in its total existence.

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from Ranger 89 wrote 32 weeks 6 days ago

What a great trip! Good Luck! And Carlton, you completely miss the point of this. Using gas for what it was made for is completely fine, horses, mules and dogs aren't the point of this trip. NxcV5

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from tomterrymcphee@... wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

GOOD LUCK, PLEASE KEEP US POSTED ON PROGRESS...

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from crowman wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

Carlton Are you retarded because that would explain your post. Do you know how much fuel you would use [ or a semi truck ]to get any type of animals to an area like this? The feed you would have to take to supplement there grass feed that they would need would be hundreds of pounds. You are not a person that has spent much or any time in the outdoors to even have an opinion on what is needed for a trip like these guys are taking. If your worried about gas being used by people quit having the reason that it's being used KIDS.

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from Tepcro wrote 32 weeks 4 days ago

Sounds like quite an adventure!!!
I hate when people get all critical about someone else's adventure!!!
Keep us posted, I will be looking forward to reading and sharing in your adventure.
Thanks for sharing

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from truckee trout wrote 30 weeks 5 days ago

TOTALLY AWESOME, I WOULD LOVE TO BE OUT THERE WITH YOU GUYS. BE SAFE AND ENJOY.

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from labrador12 wrote 33 weeks 1 day ago

I've camped on the North Canol in the Yukon many times since the 1970s. You guys are going to face a real challange. Good luck and enjoy the country. Its some of North America's finest.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from LoopRope wrote 33 weeks 10 hours ago

Hello there. This expedition looks awesome. Please take a look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cWW2PsxBGA It's a brand new product I invented and it's already available at Cabela's in their ATV category. I see you guys have a rats nest of rope and bungee cords on your rigs, LoopRope absolutely eliminates all of it.

I would love to donate enough for your cause. You will absolutely love the stuff. It's the only tie down that goes from your truck to quad to your back packs to using as clothesline in the trees.

Would love to participate!

Thank you.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Ranger 89 wrote 32 weeks 6 days ago

What a great trip! Good Luck! And Carlton, you completely miss the point of this. Using gas for what it was made for is completely fine, horses, mules and dogs aren't the point of this trip. NxcV5

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from tomterrymcphee@... wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

GOOD LUCK, PLEASE KEEP US POSTED ON PROGRESS...

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from crowman wrote 32 weeks 5 days ago

Carlton Are you retarded because that would explain your post. Do you know how much fuel you would use [ or a semi truck ]to get any type of animals to an area like this? The feed you would have to take to supplement there grass feed that they would need would be hundreds of pounds. You are not a person that has spent much or any time in the outdoors to even have an opinion on what is needed for a trip like these guys are taking. If your worried about gas being used by people quit having the reason that it's being used KIDS.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Tepcro wrote 32 weeks 4 days ago

Sounds like quite an adventure!!!
I hate when people get all critical about someone else's adventure!!!
Keep us posted, I will be looking forward to reading and sharing in your adventure.
Thanks for sharing

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from truckee trout wrote 30 weeks 5 days ago

TOTALLY AWESOME, I WOULD LOVE TO BE OUT THERE WITH YOU GUYS. BE SAFE AND ENJOY.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Carlton Fuqua wrote 33 weeks 9 hours ago

Did you consider other means of transportation such as a horse, mule, dogs even an elephant!!! Look at all that gas for cryin out loud! That's more than the refinery at the end of the oil pipeline could have ultimately supplied for WW2 in its total existence.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.