Some 16 years ago, my mom gave me the book "Prisoners of the North," by Pierre Berton.

I loved it. I became fascinated by Canada’s north, and knew I’d go there soon.

In 2008, I crossed the Arctic Circle for the first time. Then again in 2010. Back in the Arctic in 2014, 2016 and 2017. (And I even squeezed another trip to Yukon in there too.)

I’m a prisoner of the north.

And maybe, so is my guest, Joel Hibbard.

Joel comes from a family of northern guides—he currently operates Canadian River Expeditions and Nahanni River Adventures, running raft trips down some of the most storied waterways of Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Here’s the thing—I’m a tourist in the North.

Joel lives and works there.

So he joined me on a call to chat about the North, river travel, the future of guiding and what it means to run an ethical, sustainable and community minded business in the 21st century.

It has me yearning for my next trip north—and I’m double-vaxxed and ready to go!

Stay tuned for Joel Hibbard.