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NWT Canada Canoe trip

Our trip included the lower Anderson River, the lower Carnwath, Liverpool Bay, then up the Kugaluk River.
It was quite an adventure: a lot of different types of terrain: big and small rivers, deltas, coastal, sea ice (!), upriver over 135 miles (paddling and tracking-walking) as well as down. We put in as soon as we could after ice break-up, June 11th and went for 46 days. We saw numerous cabins of various sorts, but not a single person during the whole time, a record I don't expect to match during this lifetime. We saw grizzlies (4x; 8 bears), caribou, muskoxen, wolves, seals, a moose, beaver, muskrats, many peregrines and lovely tundra swans, plus LOTS of other engaging birds, from nesting through raising chicks.
Permafrost exposures. Wonderful wildflowers, and the berries were just starting to ripen as we left.
Hunting (2 ptarmigan and 2 geese) and a bit o' fishing (2). Hiking... the mysterious and raw Sherbert Hills with the strong smell of sulfur and beautiful colors. Mosquitos. More mosquitos. Cold days (34 degrees) and Hot days (80's)... and only on the last day did the black flies really come out.
And all with my best friend (plus). Not a bad deal.
What else? The very day our stove died, we found a fire grate.
The Universe is magic; enjoy it.
Crossing the Arctic Circle
Crossing the Arctic Circle		 Dall sheep by road; also lynx, fox, b-bear
Dall sheep by road; also lynx, fox, b-bear		 Waiting for the ferry to open for season
Waiting for the ferry to open for season		 MacKenzie River ice
MacKenzie River ice
Finally we arrive
Finally we arrive		 We waited a week to fly in
We waited a week to fly in		 Waiting for flooding river to recede
Waiting for flooding river to recede		 Our rte, R to L, yes maps DO match
Our rte, R to L, yes maps DO match
How can the boat carry this much crap?!
How can the boat carry this much crap?!		 River ice on the Anderson
River ice on the Anderson		 Mud and ice, scarred banks
Mud and ice, scarred banks		 Cooking behind boat: wind break
Cooking behind boat: wind break
No bugs yet. Ice-scarred island
No bugs yet. Ice-scarred island		 More practice
More practice		 Not too bad for second day
Not too bad for second day		 Wolf prints (saw many) and natural oil
Wolf prints (saw many) and natural oil
Grizzy trx (saw many), men's size 7 boot
Grizzy trx (saw many), men's size 7 boot		 While I was walking for a break
While I was walking for a break		 Wolverine trx! Many tracks, no critters
Wolverine trx! Many tracks, no critters		 More tracking; now Carnwath River
More tracking; now Carnwath River
Nice do-rag, eh?
Nice do-rag, eh?		 Watched them swim, cub dance on ice
Watched them swim, cub dance on ice		 I learned to track upriver
I learned to track upriver		 Native fish-hunt camp
Native fish-hunt camp
Traps and snares
Traps and snares		 Tracking up Carnwath River
Tracking up Carnwath River		 Nice weather to bivy out
Nice weather to bivy out		 Larry
Larry
Late night rainbow
Late night rainbow		 This is the day we watched 3 wolves
This is the day we watched 3 wolves		 Heading up the Carnwath
Heading up the Carnwath		 Lots of cutbanks, also landslides
Lots of cutbanks, also landslides
Spent a week going upriver
Spent a week going upriver		 Lupine, delightfully scented
Lupine, delightfully scented		 Tracking is a form of ferrying
Tracking is a form of ferrying		 Hike in boreal/tiaga forest
Hike in boreal/tiaga forest
Overlooking Wolverine River
Overlooking Wolverine River		 One of many peregrines
One of many peregrines		 Muskoxen! Arctic bison
Muskoxen! Arctic bison		 Muskox; beautiful coats
Muskox; beautiful coats
sweet pea or vetch
sweet pea or vetch		 Now heading down Anderson
Now heading down Anderson		 Govt Water Survey cabin
Govt Water Survey cabin		 Lifejacket still on for warmth!
Lifejacket still on for warmth!
Seagull nest, guarded by winged missiles
Seagull nest, guarded by winged missiles		 Ft. Anderson ruins
Ft. Anderson ruins		 Checking out trappers' cabin
Checking out trappers' cabin		 Ft. Anderson ruins site, 1800's
Ft. Anderson ruins site, 1800's
Cowering from the wind again
Cowering from the wind again		 Solstice midnight sun
Solstice midnight sun		 Hiking the Sherbert Hills
Hiking the Sherbert Hills		 Overlooking the Anderson
Overlooking the Anderson
HOT but have to dress for bugs, ugh
HOT but have to dress for bugs, ugh		 Mud coming out of Sherbert Hills
Mud coming out of Sherbert Hills		 Sticky mud!
Sticky mud!		 Acidic outflow from Sherbert Hills
Acidic outflow from Sherbert Hills
Sherbert Hills, pervasive sulfur smell
Sherbert Hills, pervasive sulfur smell		 Sulfuric acid clay-ifying sed. rock?
Sulfuric acid clay-ifying sed. rock?		 Calcite? Sulfuric terrain
Calcite? Sulfuric terrain		 In hopes of not losing all pack-carrying fitness
In hopes of not losing all pack-carrying fitness
Interesting terrain, great to explore
Interesting terrain, great to explore		 veget clumps holding wind-scoured soil
veget clumps holding wind-scoured soil		 We spent 4 nights in area, much hiking
We spent 4 nights in area, much hiking		 Permafrost exposure above S. Hills
Permafrost exposure above S. Hills
Sherbert Hills, Andeson River
Sherbert Hills, Andeson River		 Arctic veget above Sherbert Hills
Arctic veget above Sherbert Hills		 Crazy colorful clay mud
Crazy colorful clay mud		 Fascinating geology. Clay, not algae
Fascinating geology. Clay, not algae
Chemical alteration due to sulfuric acid
Chemical alteration due to sulfuric acid		 Where ice chunks were buried, melted
Where ice chunks were buried, melted		 Larry the Popcorn Master
Larry the Popcorn Master		 Beautiful colors and topography
Beautiful colors and topography
I think I know why he took this shot
I think I know why he took this shot		 Old golden eagle nest in crags
Old golden eagle nest in crags		 Enough wind to blow bugs away!
Enough wind to blow bugs away!		 Female, books say can raise chicks herself
Female, books say can raise chicks herself
Stalking the male ptarmigan
Stalking the male ptarmigan		 Wow, here he is. Thank-you, poor sweet bird
Wow, here he is. Thank-you, poor sweet bird		 Here's the crop full of willow leaves
Here's the crop full of willow leaves		 Preparing the ptarmigan
Preparing the ptarmigan
Ptarmigan and risotto
Ptarmigan and risotto		 Yes, more of the amazing hills
Yes, more of the amazing hills		 Fun ridgewalk
Fun ridgewalk		 Hydrogen sulfide smell in whole area
Hydrogen sulfide smell in whole area
The colors were so wonderful
The colors were so wonderful		 Hot buggy camp, ugh!
Hot buggy camp, ugh!		 Got H2O from across river where not acidic
Got H2O from across river where not acidic		 Rough-legged hawks nesting here
Rough-legged hawks nesting here
Mud camp! Wood Bay, river delta; tidal
Mud camp! Wood Bay, river delta; tidal		 One of many tundra swans
One of many tundra swans		 Our crew of two
Our crew of two		 Windbound here 2 days (4 days here)
Windbound here 2 days (4 days here)
Canadian goose nest by Mud Camp
Canadian goose nest by Mud Camp		 To overlook to check sea ice out in Bay
To overlook to check sea ice out in Bay		 Krekovich Landing, multi-use hut
Krekovich Landing, multi-use hut		 Cute little eggs!
Cute little eggs!
Larry's driftwood bridge
Larry's driftwood bridge		 Tied so wind can't take it; windbound at Mud Camp
Tied so wind can't take it; windbound at Mud Camp		 Lupine, wind (clouds) keeping us off water
Lupine, wind (clouds) keeping us off water		 Fog and some rain, tent time
Fog and some rain, tent time
On the move again: boat ready for ocean
On the move again: boat ready for ocean		 Tundra swans of which we saw many
Tundra swans of which we saw many		 Yea, a nice camp!
Yea, a nice camp!		 Much nicer camp, now on Wood Bay
Much nicer camp, now on Wood Bay
Brants geese; first chicks of year
Brants geese; first chicks of year		 Cow caribou antler
Cow caribou antler		 Windbound again: waves
Windbound again: waves		 Peeing in the blessed bug toilet-net
Peeing in the blessed bug toilet-net
SEA ICE! Liverpool Bay
SEA ICE! Liverpool Bay		 Exposed permafrost
Exposed permafrost		 Summit pose on sea ice
Summit pose on sea ice		 Summit pose ice floe
Summit pose ice floe
ALWAYS on the move: mosquitos
ALWAYS on the move: mosquitos		 Full mosquito season
Full mosquito season		 We ate well
We ate well		 L out in Liverpool Bay while I walked
L out in Liverpool Bay while I walked
Me on photo, leg-stretch walk
Me on photo, leg-stretch walk		 Tundra polygons: permafrost effect
Tundra polygons: permafrost effect		 Liverpool Bay. At times much more pack ice
Liverpool Bay. At times much more pack ice		 Taking bug-free break on ice floe
Taking bug-free break on ice floe
Ice breaks were the coolest!
Ice breaks were the coolest!		 (Gas can we found on beach)
(Gas can we found on beach)		 Sneaking through the floes
Sneaking through the floes		 A seal popped up a few times to investigate
A seal popped up a few times to investigate
Glassy water
Glassy water		 Chunks that had rafted onto each other
Chunks that had rafted onto each other		 This day the ice was dense, moving with tide-current
This day the ice was dense, moving with tide-current		 For a while we had to steer among the floes
For a while we had to steer among the floes
And once we had to thread the needle as a gap closed
And once we had to thread the needle as a gap closed		 Despite appearances, he's NOT fishing
Despite appearances, he's NOT fishing		 I just loved the ice, some floes big
I just loved the ice, some floes big		 Dark sow, blonde cub, pipeline trash
Dark sow, blonde cub, pipeline trash
Tundra swans among the floes
Tundra swans among the floes		 One of our great estuary camps, low tide
One of our great estuary camps, low tide		 A bull in rare stillness (run from bugs)
A bull in rare stillness (run from bugs)		 Delightful lupine, heinous bugs
Delightful lupine, heinous bugs
Heat made bugs hell: bug shirts are HOT!
Heat made bugs hell: bug shirts are HOT!		 Five minutes later... this was NOT staged!
Five minutes later... this was NOT staged!		 A novel type of bollard; I was psyched
A novel type of bollard; I was psyched		 Thank-godz for bug-free breaks
Thank-godz for bug-free breaks
Just that VERY morning the stove had died
Just that VERY morning the stove had died		 Shallow water as we scoped out camp area
Shallow water as we scoped out camp area		 Grateful for the Great Grate
Grateful for the Great Grate		 Desperate to cool off; tide-stranded ice
Desperate to cool off; tide-stranded ice
Tides took ice fast, noisy-crushing, thru' narrows deep into estuary
Tides took ice fast, noisy-crushing, thru' narrows deep into estuary		 Caught one on his first cast, then no more
Caught one on his first cast, then no more		 Big sardine! Didn't know marine species
Big sardine! Didn't know marine species		 Another good meal by Larry
Another good meal by Larry
Night paddle to ride the tide
Night paddle to ride the tide		 Riding the tide deep into the night
Riding the tide deep into the night		 Arriving at camp 1 or 2am
Arriving at camp 1 or 2am		 cool sea foam
cool sea foam
bigger view of the foam
bigger view of the foam		 Better maintained, multi-family subsistence camp
Better maintained, multi-family subsistence camp		 Looks like 3 families (whole family) come here
Looks like 3 families (whole family) come here		 Years worth of native 'bou hunting
Years worth of native 'bou hunting
Fish drying racks, native seasonal camp
Fish drying racks, native seasonal camp		 On a walk up estuary looking for fresh water
On a walk up estuary looking for fresh water		 Wonderful cottongrass!
Wonderful cottongrass!		 First camp in Kugaluk, still tidal
First camp in Kugaluk, still tidal
Can we make it up the Kugaluk River?
Can we make it up the Kugaluk River?		 Rough-legged hawk chicks
Rough-legged hawk chicks		 Looking up Kugaluk
Looking up Kugaluk		 Didn't know if we'd be able to go all the way up
Didn't know if we'd be able to go all the way up
Fun to be back on a small river
Fun to be back on a small river		 Canadian gosling playing dead!
Canadian gosling playing dead!		 Ice damage along bank
Ice damage along bank		 More sedimentary outcrops
More sedimentary outcrops
Canyon with no beaches for miles
"Canyon" with no beaches for miles		 Canadian geese raise families in groups
Canadian geese raise families in groups		 A wee bit o' whitewater (class 1.5)
A wee bit o' whitewater (class 1.5)		 Tracking isn't easy without a gravel bar
Tracking isn't easy without a gravel bar
Bald eagles nesting
Bald eagles nesting		 Spent about 10 days on this river
Spent about 10 days on this river		 More tracking up the Kugaluk, 400+' vert worth
More tracking up the Kugaluk, 400+' vert worth		 Arrival at first lake, on to second
Arrival at first lake, on to second
Final camp, on shore of lake
Final camp, on shore of lake		 I caught this pike! My first fish
I caught this pike! My first fish		 Back in the boreal forest, last camp
Back in the boreal forest, last camp		 Nearby commercial hunting camp
Nearby commercial hunting camp
A lot different than native subsistence camps
A lot different than native subsistence camps		 Attaching canoe to Cessna 185
Attaching canoe to Cessna 185		 Here's the route again
Here's the route again

comment | share
Trousse de toilette06-Aug-2015 07:13
Nice picture:)
Guest 12-Sep-2014 00:15
Anybody else going to float the entire Anderson River next summer, June-July 2015? Starting at Colville Lake to TUK(Arctic Ocean)? I am single but need other people to come along with me. Going solo is TOO dangerous! My e-mail address is: scootersaunders1@yahoo.com My phone number is (505)614-6708. Randal Saunders
peterv 01-Jan-2010 18:00
greetings: floated the lower anderson summer '09 on a walk to paulatuk. stopped at the location shown as ft. anderson, and it's quite the interesting (bug infested) place. more research shows us ft anderson was on a bluff downriver, on the east side. am basing this on a book called "cold summer wind 2" , and an aerial photo off site about the eskimo curlew. i however, did not stop and look atop the bluff. thank you so much for the great pictures, they helped me plan that 5th, and finally successful, effort to walk inuvik to p-tuk. take care.
Bernard A. Bast 22-Jun-2009 00:41
I am interested in canoeing the Anderson R. in July 09, this summer. I plan to solo, roughly the lower 200 miles. I did a long section of the Horton some years ago, also solo. My understanding is that this river has limited whitewater. My age does does not encourage too much stress. Your thoughts will be appreciated.
Laura Stevens 28-May-2008 19:18
My hustband and I are hoping to canoe the Anderson this summer, at least the lower 200 miles or so. We would love to talk to you about it. Your pictures are wonderful.

I am a lawyer in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Laura Stevens
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