If I'm not mistaken, a trip like your canoe run is good for finding brooms, but you have to take note where exactly they were located (GPS), and then go collect them in late fall or late winter.
I'm sure the experts here will give you some good tips - possibly even do grafting for you (from what I've read so far, its not a very simple set up, that you need to be successful...)

Hi Coralbelle,

Here is a bit of advice about witches brooms. First don't collect them in summer. We won't get into all the technical aspects but the broom harvest doesn't start around here until usually December. I actually just finished grafting a new broom yesterday. I received a call from a lady a couple days ago about witches broom growing on Cham. obtusa Gracilis that I have to pick up on Monday. This is the tail end of the conifer grafting season.

The only specimens I would collect this summer are photos of them. It's tough to tell how the brooms turn out but they generally do replicate the mutation in the tree. I just graft them and use a wait and see attitude.

Propagating them or other cultivars is technically easy enough but the after care has about 50 variables. A friend of mine had 1200 live out of 7000 Blue spruce grafts this year. His worst take in over 25 years and he can't figure out exactly what went wrong. A bitter dissapointment and huge financial loss as these plants were all sold.

The opposite was nearly true last year with me. This year touch wood, I should be around the 90% or more mark this year depending on the species of tree. Certain species are more difficult than others and certain cultivars within that species are more difficult than others.

If you do stop this summer (if that happens), I can show you exactly how it's done.

As for the greenhouse in Inuvik, just some trivia I picked up from somewhere. I wouldn't want to pay that heating bill.

How long did you live in Inuvik?

Darren

Hi Darren,
Thanks for bringing me up to speed about the broom harvest. I guess it's a no go as I could never get back to those places in the winter (84 sets of rapids on that river!)
Yes, I am absolutely planning to stop by your place this summer - I've already scouted the route on my handy Ontario road map! I'm looking forward to it!
I lived in Inuvik for 2 years - incredible experience. Once you've experienced the Arctic you're marked forever.
Coralbelle