Shane Hansen of Iron Ranch Wildlife Adventures on the North Saskatchewan River, Alberta (Canada)
Today is the day I met Shane Hansen, wearing a beat up old cowboy hat with an eagle’s feather, pins from his previous life as a hunter in the Northwest Territories, and a pink & white fluffy fish bait his daughter sewed on. You can’t miss him.
Shane runs Iron Ranch Wildlife Adventures from his small and simple six-person boat. Using his skills from navigating the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta to take people out for boat tours and fishing trips, he chats about the area’s history and points out historical sites.
This is no luxury tour. Depending on the package, you can get out and explore the beaches, check out the small town of Heinsburg or just enjoy the quiet stillness.
Passengers can bring lunch on longer tours and picnic on one of the stops, while kids can splash around the empty beaches and islands.
The highlight of the trip is, for most people, the chance to hang out with Shane and take in his good, small town Alberta hospitality.
And ask him about the beaver, the one who set up shop too close to his boat launch: when the first attempt to smoke him out was unsuccessful, he set fire to the beaver’s dam. Thinking himself triumphant, he returned the next day to see the beaver sprawled out on his charcoaled dam, soaking up the sun in what seemed like utter defiance.
Shane Hansen of Iron Ranch Wildlife Adventures hitching his boat on the North Saskatchewan River, Alberta (Canada)
This drove Shane to pick up a stick and poke the beaver awake, telling him to move over a few feet. I guess the beaver understood, as his new home, still under construction, is now located about six feet further away from Shane’s boat launch. Charred sticks can still be seen strewn on the rocky beach.
Shane and the beaver are still friends and have learned to co-exist.
What I liked:
- Shane is one of those “colourful characters” you meet outside of the city. A great guy, super knowledgeable about the North Saskatchewan River and about as laid back as you can get.
- This river was deserted (by people) when I went, and is also one of the quietest. I would call it a hidden gem if I were writing up a description for it on a brochure
Lori Henry is a freelance Travel & Lifestyle writer based in Vancouver, Canada. She covers Solo Travel, Outdoor Adventures, Wellness & Spas, and Cultural Dance, and is often called "That Cultural Dance Gal."
