Lost River Mountains Photo by Dianna Troyer
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Joan and Bill Gundlach Canoe the Far Northern Wilderness
Photo courtesy of Joan & Bill Gundlach By Jack McNeel As the talk turns to wilderness canoeing trips measured in hundreds of miles, wildlife, and the adventure of the experiences, it is hard not to feel a bit of envy for Bill and Joan Gundlach. Their adventures aren’t like putting in on a local river or lake for a day; their trips involve months of planning, getting to northern Canada or Alaska, flying by float plane to a remote river, being picked up two or three weeks later 200-300 miles downstream, and then being flown back to civilization. These would be significant adventures for people in their thirties, but Bill and Joan are twice that age - 74 and 68 respectively. They are planning for yet another wilderness trip this coming summer - possibly into Alaska’s Brooks Range. This passion is not surprising to folks who knew Bill thirty years ago when he was a kayaker and member of the Spokane Canoe Club. Their first date was – drum roll – a canoe outing on Casco Bay of Coeur d’Alene Lake! (Continued on page 30)