Our Guides
A few years ago, a major outdoor magazine became alarmed at the number of people who wrote to them with personal stories about their bad experiences with guiding companies who ran poorly-organized trips or had guides who were incompetent. In response, the magazine developed a questionnaire to help people decide which tour company to choose. Below are the most important questions to ask the tour company:
- How long have the company's guides been guiding in the specific area that you are interested in?
- Does the company specialize in one or two specific activities and one or two locations or do they try to cover the whole spectrum (spread themselves too thin)?
- Do the guides have their wilderness first aid certification and do they have training and certification in the activities that they are guiding?
- Does the company provide the clients with all the necessary safety equipment for the activities they are participating in and do they insist that clients use or wear it in accordance with regulations?
- Does the company have former clients who will provide testimonials and references?
Pathways' Response to the Questionnaire
Pathways is a small company that prides itself in its guiding experience and personal service. We run only canoe expeditions and we run them in two areas: the Bowron Lakes and Yukon rivers. We were the first company to run commercial canoe trips in Bowron Lakes Provincial Park and have been guiding canoe trips there since 1974. We have been guiding on the Yukon rivers since 1980. We take great care to make sure our guides reflect our love of the wilderness. We use the same guides year after year and all have extensive experience guiding Yukon rivers and the Bowron Lakes. Also, they all have wilderness first aid certificates and BCRCA canoe instructors' certificates. We supply all the safety equipment, including PFDs (life jackets) and insist that clients wear them, properly secured, whenever they are in the canoes. We also have many former clients who have offered to supply references and testimonials. We are the most experienced guides on the Bowron Lakes and believe our company runs the best trips. If you'd like to ask us more questions, give us a call at 800 924-2944 or e-mail pathways@bowronlakes.com
Your Yukon guide, Dean, has been guiding wilderness trips for over 30 years. His true love is canoeing.
His ideas on camping borrow literally from
the trappers and voyageurs of pioneer times.
Dean had the biggest influence on us when it comes to nature and living
in the bush. Dean gave us that sense of at-home ness and belonging
there.
Herbert Pascoe, M.D. F.R.C.P.(C)
The guides' obvious experience, competence and knowledge on the water,
in camp and during portages made me feel safe and confident
at all times.
In addition, his up-beat personality always made the trip seem like
an adventure even on the damp, rainy days.
Judy Thompson
