Frank Wolf
To journey self-propelled through the wildest spots on earth and inspire protection of wilderness spaces.
CANOEING / KAYAKING / SKYING /PACK RAFITNG / FREEDIVING
Writer/adventurer based in North Vancouver, BC.
My adventures are really just another way of traveling. I’m drawn by curiosity to blank spaces on maps in wilderness areas- places with no guidebooks telling me what to do and where to go …canoeing, kayaking, walking, cycling, skiing…I use whatever self-propelled means of transport works best for the mission. The personal reward of experience always exceeds what I can imagine in the planning stages.
I hate using inspirational quotes from long-dead people of the past but I’ll make an exception in the case of Haiku poet Matsuo Basho. He said “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” In life and in adventure, that pretty much sums it up.
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The journey begins at the end of the road.
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Accomplishements
(2022) Goba Expedition : 31-day, 1300 km canoe journey from the Tsichu River by the Yukon border to Kugluktuk, on the Arctic Ocean ,with Alex Kozma
(2022) Pikialasorsuaq Expedition : 20-day, 300 km ski journey along the North Water Polynya, over the Devon Ice Cap, and across Jones Sound to finish at Grise Fiord on Ellesmere Island, with Dave Garrow and John McClelland
(2021) Sa Tu Expedition: 30-day, 1360 km canoe circuit along the Athabasca River, Lake Athabasca, Fond Du Lac River, Cree River, Cree Lake, Black Birch Lake, Careen Lake, and Clearwater River starting and finishing in Fort McMurray, with Dave Greene
(2021) Qwunus Expedition: 38-day, 1320 km kayak journey circumnavigating Vancouver Island, starting and finishing in West Vancouver, with Dave Berrisford and Amber Blenkiron
(2020) Sine Tanize Expedition : 25-day, 1060 km canoe expedition through Manitoba from Sandy Bay First Nation to Hudson Bay, via the Churchill River, Barrington River, and Seal River with Shauna Liora.
(2020) The Bear and the Wolf Paddle North : 27-day, 1000 km sea kayak expedition along the west coast of British Columbia from Squamish to Prince Rupert, with Dave Berrisford.
(2019) The Lakeland Traverse : 20-day, 800 km canoe expedition through Finland from Nurmes to Helsinki, with Todd McGowan.
(2019) Arctic Return : 18-day, 350 km ski expedition from Naujaat to Pelly Bay, with David Reid and Richard Smith. Reid and Smith continued on for another 200 km to Rae Strait after Wolf had to abandon the journey due to injury
(2018) Baffin Ski Traverse : 14-day, 230 km ski expedition across Baffin Island via the Penny Ice Cap, with Dave Garrow and John McClelland
(2018) Across the Barrens : 35-day, 1750 km canoe expedition from Yellowknife to the Arctic Ocean via Great Slave Lake, Pike’s Portage, and the Back River with Ryan Bougie
(2017) Maze of the North Expedition : 30-day, 1350 km canoe expedition from Pekans River bridge on Quebec Route 389 to Umiujaq, Quebec with Peirson Ross Mclean
(2017) Angilaaq Mountain Expedition : 12-day, 160 km ski expedition on Bylot Island to summit Angilaaq Mountain, its highest peak, as well as 4 other sub-peaks, with Dave Garrow
(2016) Maskwa Nanook Expedition : 44-day, 1800 km canoe journey from La Ronge, Saskatchewan to Baker Lake, Nunavut, with Shawn Campbell
(2015) Spatsizi/Stikine Expedition : 9-day, 280 km pack rafting/hiking route through the Spatsizi/Stikine Wilderness with Shawn Campbell
(2015) Wild Ones Music Tour: 24-day, 750 km concert tour by canoe from Parry Sound to Ottawa- with musician Peirson Ross;
(2015) Mammal Ski Survey : 7-day, 110 km ski traverse with biologist tracking and logging large mammals in Banff National Park- with Dave Garrow and Ross Glenfield
(2014) Sweetwater Soul : 26-day, 1350 km journey by canoe from Pine Dock, MB to Fort Severn, ON- with Rob Hart;
(2013) Mainstream Last First : 55-day, 1870 km journey by rowboat through Northwest Passage from Inuvik to Cambridge Bay, with Kevin Vallely, Paul Gleeson, Denis Barnett
(2012) Kitturiaq : 21-day, 620 km first-ever journey by canoe over the Labrador Plateau from Nain, NL to Kangiqsualujjuaq, QC, with Todd McGowan
(2011) Boreal Heart : 25-day, 1120 km journey by canoe through Ontario’s Little North from Pakashkan Lake to Peawanuck, ON, with Todd McGowan
(2010) On the Line : 53-day, 2400 km by bike, foot, pack raft, and kayak investigating the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines project, with Todd McGowan;
(2009) Mammalian : 46-day, 2004 km journey by canoe through North America’s largest wilderness from Yellowknife to Rankin Inlet, with Taku Hokoyama;
(2008) Bay or Bust : 25-day, 1050 km journey by canoe from Opeongo Lake to Moosonee, ON, with Alex Raymont;
(2007) Borealis : 75-day, 3100 km journey by canoe from Winnipeg to Parry Sound looking into the issues affecting the world’s largest carbon bank- the Boreal Forest of Ontario and Manitoba with Taku Hokoyama
(2006) Sandakan Death March : Retracing of tragic WWII Sandakan Death March with Australian Military personnel, and Kevin Vallely;
(2005) Shining Islands : 43-day, 900 km kayak circumnavigation of the Haida Gwaii archipelago, with Keith Klapstein and Todd Macfie;
(2004) Across Asgaard : 26-day, 800 km journey by canoe across Scandinavia from Bogden, Norway to Oulu, Finland, with Todd Macfie;
(2004) Taming the Motoco : 17-day journey by foot to the source of the Motoco River in Patagonia with a group of Argentinian explorers
(2003) Bikes on Ice : 49-day, 2000 km journey by bike in winter on the Yukon River from Dawson to Nome retracing the route of two gold miners from 1901, with Kevin Vallely and Andy Sterns;[49]* (2003) Nam Pha : 2nd descent of Nam Pha River in Laos in search of the Asian Water Tiger, with Mick O’Shea and Brian Eustis;[50]* (2002) Kong Lo cave/Mekong rapids : 10-day exploration of Kong Lo cave and Mekong Rapids in Southern Laos, with Mick O’Shea;
(2001) Chasing the Dragon : 20-day, 1000 km Cycling/running journey across Java to climb seven 10,000 ft volcanoes en route, with Kevin Vallely;
(2001) Skagway to Dawson : 9-day, 800 km Hiking/Kayak journey via the Gold Rush trail from Skagway to Dawson along the Chilkoot Trail and Yukon River, with Kevin Vallely, Andy Sterns, David Norona;
(2000) Phuket, Paddles, and Pirates : three-month sea kayaking/whitewater kayaking journey through Thailand/Malaysia/Indonesia, with David Stibbe;
(1998) Canadian Quest : 35-day, 1500 km journey by canoe from Prince Rupert to Carcajou, with Ben O’Hara;
(1995) C2C : 171-day, 8000 km journey by canoe across Canada from Saint John, NB to Vancouver, BC, with Roman Rockliffe
