In July 2019, Gordon Congdon, Paul Hessburg, Gary Womeldorff, and Andy Dappen spent 23 days canoeing the Hood River, an Arctic river flowing northeasterly from the lakes of Nunavut (northern Canada) to the Arctic Sound. In the late-1840s, the Hood was the drainage where some members of the doomed Franklin Expedition met their end as they attempted to travel overland from their icebound ships in the Arctic Ocean to Yellowknife, Canada.

In modern times, the Hood’s wildlife and rapids make it one of the premier northern rivers to canoe. Despite the river’s appeal, its remoteness and rigors mean only a few groups paddle it each year. "We felt it important to do the river sooner than later," says Dappen, "partly because we were still fit enough for all the portaging, partly because the Arctic was changing so fast."

The presentation, part discussion and part slideshow set to ballad poetry written by Paul Hessburg during the journey, captures the essence of the adventure while describing the scope, scale and importance of what's being lost in the vanishing Arctic.
Doors open at 6:30pm for community social and no-host bar; presentation begins at 7:00pm.