When we got to Hornby Bay on Great Bear late in the afternoon, we were surprised to see snowmobile tracks. We followed them for a couple minutes until we saw a few walled tents in the northeast corner of the bay. We went over to check it out and met several people. They were mostly high school students, lead to Great Bear Lake by a few older men from Kugluktuk. The kids were learning traditional ways of hunting, fishing, camping, and navigation from the older guys.

We mentioned the route we planned to take to Ulukhaktok once we reached Kugluktuk. Two of the men in the group, Gerry and Isaac, were very experienced travelers and told us that the route we planned would not work. There would be open water on the ocean at the mouth of Prince Albert Sound and our fiberglass toboggans would never make it on the rocky overland section we had planned to cross. Isaac drew a different route out on our topo maps, and we’ve decided to follow his advice. The new route will make the trip longer but hopefully much safer. That night the Northern Lights danced in the sky over the route to Kugluktuk we planned to take in the morning.

The next day we woke up to the sound of a howling wolf. We fished all morning with no success, although the previous evening one of the older guys had landed a couple lake trout. Our plan was to leave for Dismal Lake that afternoon but by the time we packed up, tightened our suspensions, fixed a broken hitch, and chatted with everyone, it was evening already. Gerry gave us a whole caribou leg before we left and we were very grateful for the good meat. We left Hornby Bay under overcast skies, knowing we would be traveling well into the night. After climbing a large hill we got a final look at Great Bear Lake. About 10 minutes later we crossed the tree line and cut a standing dead tree, which we strapped to our sled for emergency firewood. Winds howled and snow fell causing whiteout conditions as we crossed the Arctic Circle. It was almost dark and it was very difficult to follow the blown-over trail. The horizon was barley visible to the east and west but non- existent in front of us. We had left traditional Dene territory and were now in the realm of the Inuit.

Soon we came into the rugged canyon terrain of the Theshierpi River that we would follow to Dismal Lake. The canyons cut the wind and although it was dark we could see that the country was beautiful. Wolverine tracks crossed our trail and we followed them in the darkness on foot for a while, hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive creature.

It was pitch black out for a couple hours when we stopped to add oil. We were out of the canyons, traveling over a large hill nearing Dismal when the winds began howling again. It was freezing. We’d hoped to stay in a small cabin we heard was at Dismal Lake. The tracks left from the group at Hornby Bay became much easier to follow once it had gotten dark because of the shadows my headlights cast.

We rolled onto Dismal Lake around 2:30 a.m. and a light went on in the cabin. Larry and his son, who we had woken up, came out into the wind to greet us and invited us into the cabin for some hot coffee. We gladly accepted. He and his son had been out wolf hunting—they got two, one being his son’s first wolf. We set up camp on the ice and the wind died down.

The next morning Larry went towards the Kendall River to look for more wolves. Ted and I wanted to fish for char that are in the lake. Dismal feeds the Coppermine River and Arctic char often spend the winter in lakes connecting to the Coppermine. Our auger plus one extension couldn't make it through the ice and we had to add another extension. The ice was almost 7 feet thick and we could barley pull our auger out of the hole. Finally we dropped line only to realize the water was less than a couple feet deep below the ice. This wasn't the end of the world though because we knew people in the area often fish in shallow water. We jigged for a couple hours and caught nothing. With our tails between our legs we began to break camp. Larry came back from his hunt, no wolves, but his son got a caribou. They escorted us back to town and we were able to go between 35 and 45 kph through the open country. We stopped to meet with another few guys who were on their way to visit their dad at Hornby Bay. It was nice to meet other people; we were surprised that we saw anyone.

We made it to Kugluktuk by 9 p.m. and began to prepare for the second leg of our journey. We will travel across the Dolphin and Union Straight to Victoria Island, then overland to the Wollaston Peninsula to Prince Albert Sound. Then we'll cross the sound to follow the north shore, through Safety Chanel all the way to Ulukhaktok—longer but much safer route than we had originally planned. --Jim Baird

Comments (12)

from blackdawgz wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Great adventure!

Ah wood go there just to see the Northern Lightz!

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Happy Myles wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

What a fabulous photo of the Northern Lights. Did you run into Sam McGee?

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from benu0009 wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

@Happy Myles

I thought the same thing!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from steelhead08 wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Love this saga-in-the-making! 7' of ice-amazing to say the least! Keep the adventure rolling guys;this armchair adventurer is looking forward to the next page as usual!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Happy Myles wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee

Could not help myself, that great photo deserves it. A great adventure for you young folks. Have been all over that country, just too old to do again. kindest Regards

+5 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Emilie Baird De... wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Wow! Amazing photo of the Northern Lights. You guys have always told me you can see them at the cottage sometimes, but I still haven't caught them. I imagine they're never as spectacular as in the Arctic there, but I do hope to see them someday.
Also glad to hear (via other means) you've made it back home safely by now.
I look forward to seeing all the photos and hearing all the tales up close and personal this fall! Miss you.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from db270 wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Spectacular. Makes me sorta sad that it'll be years or never before I'd be able to take on an adventure of this magnitude. Godspeed.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Jkennedy wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

I was riveted and the end came all too quickly. Turns out I'm not as far removed in spirit as my location might testify. There's a man in California tonight that knows certain things are beyond him and a boy that can still feel the sting of the snow driven wind that won't let him entirely believe it. Safe travels and by all means, post again!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Caroscuro wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Your trip is inspiring, Jim. Keep writing, we're riveted!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Carl Grundhauser wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Wow ! What a picture !! Where can I get a copy framed ??

Thanks !
Carl

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from JG wrote 2 years 8 weeks ago

The photography you have posted is quite amazing. I've been charting your progress on my computer(my dull life behind a desk).

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from billyjo bondurant wrote 1 year 45 weeks ago

I liked the photo of the lights.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

from Happy Myles wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee

Could not help myself, that great photo deserves it. A great adventure for you young folks. Have been all over that country, just too old to do again. kindest Regards

+5 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from blackdawgz wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Great adventure!

Ah wood go there just to see the Northern Lightz!

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Happy Myles wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

What a fabulous photo of the Northern Lights. Did you run into Sam McGee?

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from benu0009 wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

@Happy Myles

I thought the same thing!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from db270 wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Spectacular. Makes me sorta sad that it'll be years or never before I'd be able to take on an adventure of this magnitude. Godspeed.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from steelhead08 wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Love this saga-in-the-making! 7' of ice-amazing to say the least! Keep the adventure rolling guys;this armchair adventurer is looking forward to the next page as usual!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Jkennedy wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

I was riveted and the end came all too quickly. Turns out I'm not as far removed in spirit as my location might testify. There's a man in California tonight that knows certain things are beyond him and a boy that can still feel the sting of the snow driven wind that won't let him entirely believe it. Safe travels and by all means, post again!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Caroscuro wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Your trip is inspiring, Jim. Keep writing, we're riveted!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Emilie Baird De... wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Wow! Amazing photo of the Northern Lights. You guys have always told me you can see them at the cottage sometimes, but I still haven't caught them. I imagine they're never as spectacular as in the Arctic there, but I do hope to see them someday.
Also glad to hear (via other means) you've made it back home safely by now.
I look forward to seeing all the photos and hearing all the tales up close and personal this fall! Miss you.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Carl Grundhauser wrote 2 years 9 weeks ago

Wow ! What a picture !! Where can I get a copy framed ??

Thanks !
Carl

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from JG wrote 2 years 8 weeks ago

The photography you have posted is quite amazing. I've been charting your progress on my computer(my dull life behind a desk).

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from billyjo bondurant wrote 1 year 45 weeks ago

I liked the photo of the lights.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.