Northern Currents - Spring 2002

Guidelines

River guide and ski coach Les Parsons with his winning Olympian Beckie Scott. She won bronze, but it should have been gold (if not for two "blood doped" Russians!).

Photo: Colleen Preist/Vermillion Standard

One of Les' many callings over the years was Nordic ski club coach in the rural town of Vermillion Alberta. In 1987 one of his keen skiers was 12 year old Beckie Scott. Over the ensuing years they spent thousands of hours training which delivered Beckie to the National Team and the Nagano Olympics. Les traveled with her to Japan for those first Olympics where she put in an admirable performance.

Fortunately Les was home from Afghanistan in time to accompany her to Salt Lake City for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The rest is now history! Beckie won the bronze medal in the Nordic Pursuit event, a combination of classic and skating technique. She is the first North American woman to win a medal in a Nordic event! We are all very proud of Beckie (and Les). Besides a reputation as a medal winner, Beckie is admired by her teammates as a gracious winner and caring person. Knowing Les, we are not at all surprised that one of his athletes has achieved such distinction. He is truly a great leader, a man of many talents – and even more good stories!

Nahanni River Adventures, Nahanni offers exceptional expeditions by raft and canoe on the great rivers from Alaska to Nunavut including: South Nahanni River, Tatshenshini River, Alsek River, Firth River, Snake River, Wind River, Stikine River, Burnside River, Coppermine River, Horton River, Mountain River, Yukon River, Taku River, Gataga River and Sea Kayaking and whale watching at Point Adolphus, Alaska, over-looking Glacier Bay National Park.

Our expeditions encompass Nahanni National Park (South Nahanni River), Kluane National Park (Alsek River), Ivvavik National Park (Firth River), Glacier Bay National Park (Alsek River), Herschel Island Territorial Park (Firth River).

Nahanni River Adventures operates in Alaska (United States of America), Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and British Columbia (Canada).

Nahanni.com is the online presence of the company, Nahanni River Adventures Ltd.

Nahanni River Adventures works with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society to ensure the environmental integrity of our wild places.

Neil Hartling, founder of Nahanni River Adventures, is also the author of: Nahanni, River of Gold...River of Dreams. Alaska to Nunavut - The Great Rivers. Nahanni River Guide. These books may all be purchased through Nahanni.com.

Common misspellings of the name are Nahani, Nahannie, Nahanie, Nahoni, Nahonni.
Nahanni River Adventures.