Peel River (Canada)

Ice Road on the Peel in winter

The Peel River is a 452 km ( 684 km including source flux Ogilvie River) long tributary of the Mackenzie River in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories in Canada.

River

Its source rivers, Ogilvie River and Blackstone River, rise in the Ogilvie Mountains in the central Yukon. These unite in the Porcupine Plateau. The Peel River flows in an easterly direction and takes the right tributary of Hart River on. Then flows through the Peel River Aberdeen Canyon ( ⊙ 65.876058-135.744867 ), a gorge with strong rapids ( Class IV -VI), which lies at the southern end of the Richardson Mountains. Further downstream, in the region of Peel Plateau Wind River, Bonnet Plume River and Snake River make right on the Peel River. After the Peel River changes its direction to the north.

The Dempster Highway crosses the Peel River at Fort McPherson, the only community on its banks. In the summer there is a ferry is in operation, in the winter rolls the traffic over a bridge of ice. The river reaches the Peel Plains and finally joins up with Nagwichoo tshik in the Mackenzie River in the Mackenzie Delta. Nagwichoo means " far country ", tshik means " mouth ". This course identifies the location of an old village, which was built in the early 20th century, when the catch of muskrats was lucrative. There was a time when forty families spent part of the year here with fishing, trapping and moose hunting. Today a person only lives temporarily here.

Upon reaching the Mackenzie Delta, several side arms split on the left side of the main branch of the Peel River, which flows directly into the main flow of the Mackenzie River, from. In one of these river arms of the Rat River, which drains a part of the Richardson Mountains flows. The side arms of the mouth of Peel River meet only at Aklavik on a tributary of the Mackenzie River.

Flora

The most common tree species are black spruce, white spruce, Western balsam poplar, aspen, larch, alder and willow.

Fauna

To native wildlife, moose, black bear, grizzly bear, wolf, beaver, muskrat and a large number of small animals and birds are found.

Tourism

The Peel River with its two source rivers - Ogilvie River and Blackstone River - as well as the four major right tributaries Hart River, Wind River, Bonnet Plume River and Snake River is a popular destination for several weeks canoeing.