The Porcupine River (Ch’ôonjik[3] in Gwich’in) is a 916 km (569 mi) tributary of the Yukon River in Canada and the United States. It rises in the Ogilvie Mountains north of Dawson City, Yukon, Canada.[4] From there it flows north through the community of Old Crow, veers southwest into the U.S. state of Alaska, and enters the larger river at Fort Yukon, Alaska.[4] It derives its name from the Gwich'in word for the river, Ch'oonjik, or "Porcupine Quill River".
Porcupine River
Porcupine River
Location of the mouth of the Porcupine River in Alaska
Possible (but disputed) evidence of the oldest known human habitation in North America comes from a cave on one of the Porcupine's tributaries, the Bluefish River. Many apparently human-modified animal bones have been discovered in the Bluefish Caves. Radiocarbon dating has assessed them as 25,000 to 40,000 years old—several thousand years earlier than the generally accepted date for human habitation of North America.[5]
The Porcupine River offers the possibility of "an excellent novice river trip for those experienced in remote wilderness travel,"[4] according to author Karen Jettmar. Boaters can travel by canoe, kayak, or raft, though rafters may have difficulty with upriver winds. A 800 km (500 mi) float trip beginning at Summit Lake in the Yukon Territory, descending the Bell River to its confluence with the Porcupine, and continuing to Fort Yukon is all rated Class I (easy) on the international scale of river difficulty. However, in high water the difficulty may rise to Class II in Upper and Lower Rampart canyons, downstream of the international border, where the current is swift.[4]
^Holton, Gary (July 16, 2013). "Alaska Native Language Archive: Alaska Place Names". University of Alaska Fairbanks. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
^ abcdJettmar, Karen (2008) [1993]. The Alaska River Guide: Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting in the Last Frontier (3rd ed.). Birmingham, Alabama: Menasha Ridge Press. pp. 132–34. ISBN978-0-89732-957-6.
^ Morlan, R.E. (1986). "Pleistocene archaeology in Old Crow Basin: a critical reappraisal". In Bryan, Alan Lyle (ed.). New Evidence for the Pleistocene Peopling of the Americas. Peopling of the Americas: Symposia series. Orono, Maine: Center for the Study of Early Man, University of Maine. pp. 27–48.
Works citedEdit
Benke, Arthur C., ed., and Cushing, Colbert E., ed.; Bailey, Robert C. (2005). "Chapter 17: Yukon River Basin" in Rivers of North America. Burlington, Massachusetts: Elsevier Academic Press. ISBN0-12-088253-1. OCLC 59003378.
External linksEdit
Treasures of the snow Manuscript at Dartmouth College Library
September 26, 2023
porcupine, river, other, places, with, same, name, disambiguation, ôonjik, gwich, tributary, yukon, river, canada, united, states, rises, ogilvie, mountains, north, dawson, city, yukon, canada, from, there, flows, north, through, community, crow, veers, southw. For other places with the same name see Porcupine River disambiguation The Porcupine River Ch oonjik 3 in Gwich in is a 916 km 569 mi tributary of the Yukon River in Canada and the United States It rises in the Ogilvie Mountains north of Dawson City Yukon Canada 4 From there it flows north through the community of Old Crow veers southwest into the U S state of Alaska and enters the larger river at Fort Yukon Alaska 4 It derives its name from the Gwich in word for the river Ch oonjik or Porcupine Quill River Porcupine RiverPorcupine RiverLocation of the mouth of the Porcupine River in AlaskaNative nameCh oonjik Gwichʼin LocationCountriesCanadaUnited StatesTerritories StatesYukonAlaskaPhysical characteristicsSourceNahoni Range locationOgilvie Mountains Yukon Canada coordinates65 28 N 139 32 W 65 467 N 139 533 W 65 467 139 533 1 MouthYukon River locationFort Yukon Alaska United States coordinates66 35 42 N 145 18 32 W 66 59500 N 145 30889 W 66 59500 145 30889 1 elevation126 m 413 ft 1 Length916 km 569 mi Basin size118 000 km2 46 000 sq mi 2 Discharge average414 m3 s 14 600 cu ft s 2 The Porcupine caribou herd whose range includes the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ANWR in Alaska gets its name from its calving grounds around the Porcupine River Possible but disputed evidence of the oldest known human habitation in North America comes from a cave on one of the Porcupine s tributaries the Bluefish River Many apparently human modified animal bones have been discovered in the Bluefish Caves Radiocarbon dating has assessed them as 25 000 to 40 000 years old several thousand years earlier than the generally accepted date for human habitation of North America 5 Contents 1 Boating 2 See also 3 References 4 Works cited 5 External linksBoating EditThe Porcupine River offers the possibility of an excellent novice river trip for those experienced in remote wilderness travel 4 according to author Karen Jettmar Boaters can travel by canoe kayak or raft though rafters may have difficulty with upriver winds A 800 km 500 mi float trip beginning at Summit Lake in the Yukon Territory descending the Bell River to its confluence with the Porcupine and continuing to Fort Yukon is all rated Class I easy on the international scale of river difficulty However in high water the difficulty may rise to Class II in Upper and Lower Rampart canyons downstream of the international border where the current is swift 4 See also EditOld Crow River List of longest rivers of Canada List of rivers of Alaska List of rivers of YukonReferences Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Porcupine River a b c Porcupine River Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey January 1 2000 Retrieved November 3 2013 a b Benke and Cushing p 802 Holton Gary July 16 2013 Alaska Native Language Archive Alaska Place Names University of Alaska Fairbanks Retrieved November 3 2013 a b c d Jettmar Karen 2008 1993 The Alaska River Guide Canoeing Kayaking and Rafting in the Last Frontier 3rd ed Birmingham Alabama Menasha Ridge Press pp 132 34 ISBN 978 0 89732 957 6 Morlan R E 1986 Pleistocene archaeology in Old Crow Basin a critical reappraisal In Bryan Alan Lyle ed New Evidence for the Pleistocene Peopling of the Americas Peopling of the Americas Symposia series Orono Maine Center for the Study of Early Man University of Maine pp 27 48 Works cited EditBenke Arthur C ed and Cushing Colbert E ed Bailey Robert C 2005 Chapter 17 Yukon River Basin in Rivers of North America Burlington Massachusetts Elsevier Academic Press ISBN 0 12 088253 1 OCLC 59003378 External links EditTreasures of the snow Manuscript at Dartmouth College Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Porcupine River amp oldid 1066128124, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
