Donjek route in Yukon
 

Has anyone here done this route? Me & my girlfriend would love to do this wilderness route when visiting the Yukon mid August. Most of the trip reports agree that it's a very hard hike. It's 7-10 days with no trail so navigation and route finding will be hard. There's also a number of river fords. And it's bear country. We will have to get informed about best practices for that.

Would love to hear some experiences.

Best information at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/yt/klu...iers-trails/xv

As stated, not an easy hike. The more experience you have, the better you will cope. Aside of considerations mentioned in link, any period of intense rain will cause the rivers to rise. Don't try to ford when running high - very dangerous. May have to sit out day or two. Little extra food warranted on this hike.

Daunting? look at Chilkoot Trail. More doable for the less experienced.

The bears make a difference or Yukon feels different even if you walk along an old mining road. Vast and remote, not so picturesque.

The bear canister you get from the visitor center is small - too small for 10 days of food I would say or: you really have to think about the food that you bring - not too many single items that create a lot of little unused space. You get lot's of infos and advice from them but somehow they never really mention how hard it is to fit everything into a bear can. And I don't like that it's black. Not only because it's not waterproof I would bring a garbage bag to wrap it in - not in black. Or buy perhaps at least one BearVault, probably useful in Alaska as well - a bit larger, a bit lighter even though the lid is not as convenient.

Besides, check it out - you can always turn round and do some of the other stuff. I don't think route finding is that hard, the terrain can be more difficult than you are used to - but somehow one has to start, right?!

Thanks guys. Good tip about the bear canisters. I was actually planning on buying bearVaults myself... Didn't know you got them at the visitor center. I will then buy one myself and get an additional one at the center as you mentioned. We are in fact planning on a trek in Denali afterwards so it will come in handy for that too. I'll also get bear spray for each of us and have it handy at all times during the trek.

I've been planning this trip extensively, reading trip reports and looking at the maps and Google Earth. Planning to go prepared. I guess the dramatic landscape will help in navigation.

You get Garcias from the visitor centers also in Alaska or at least in Denali. They are perhaps the most trustworthy. I guess you get them (mostly for free) because they want to make sure everybody takes one. I suppose you can survive if not everything fits in from the beginning - but in general the goal is not to let a bear get your food. Should be berry season (somehow it's mostly always berry season) - for me that's positive - they have plenty of food already in front of their noses, they are just very distracted and focused (it's astonishing how focused bears are while sitting in a bush, eating) so: sing a song.

An alternative to a bear canister is the Ursack

https://www.ursack.com/

Other outfits sell them, including MEC. I have a canister and Ursack and prefer the Ursack, as they are definitely less weight. Nice to be able to sit on the bear can though....

Sounds like a great trip. Do you have the Kluane hiking guidebook?

That Ursack does indeed look handier to put in a backpack.

Do you mean Vivien Lougheed's book? I didn't get it because I read the Donjek route was fairly inaccurate in it. Do you recommend it? I found some good trip reports that I'm using. And the official Parks Canada description.

Yes that's the book, but no I can't recommend it for the Donjek route because I haven't hiked it. Sounds like you're taking the right approach to planning.