When you’re on a paddling trip in Northwestern Alberta, you will often be far from roads, towns, or other forms of civilization. So, to increase your safety and peace of mind, we include a SPOT GPS tracking device with all our multi-day rentals.

SPOT works by contacting GPS satellites, so it works everywhere, beyond cell phone ranges. There are 4 buttons on the front; ON/OFF, OK, HELP, and 9-1-1. While you’re on your trip, you can periodically turn it on and press the OK button, and your “I’m okay” message will be relayed via satellites to whoever (friends, family) you listed before leaving on your trip. You can set the SPOT up so that it will send either a text message to a cell phone or an email message to your contacts (and to us, so we can track your progress, too). Your location will also be marked on a Google map – you can share the map’s URL with anyone you want, so they can track your progress. This is so much fun on week-long trips – there’s no better way to stay in touch!

If something unforeseen happens and you need help, you can press the HELP button and a non-emergency help message is sent to your contacts. Since they are likely hundreds or thousands of km away, we, as your outfitter, will send help to your location as soon as possible (usually via powerboat). If you have a serious emergency, the 9-1-1 button will relay a message with your GPS co-ordinates to emergency agencies which will dispatch help -– usually helicopters -– to rescue you.

Before you head out, we’ll review the features and details of the SPOT not mentioned here. For more, check out their webpage. Having the SPOT device brings amazing peace of mind to your wilderness journey!