October 2009

to navigation in the wilderness!

After eight days earlier and 350 km, which led us from Whitehorse to Carmack, Navy and I continue to Dawson. For this second part about 400 km to be completed in 7 days or an average of over 60 km / day.

Dawson, a city emblematic of the gold rush, which has unleashed so much passion, population movements, sacrifice, death ... It was a dream that millions of people, who in the deepest crisis in years 1898, saw there a chance to get rich as the media had reported while boosting the extraordinary discoveries gold in these remote regions. But not one of those men who left the southern United States had any idea in what country they were breaking. Some let loose all their possessions, left in evening dress, ...
Further north, at the exit of vessels was cold, storms, wild animals that hosted these unfortunates. Many would go back to where they were even poorer ...
Others tried the adventure! Rise through the Chilkoot Pass with nearly a ton of food per person, building a raft in the lake level Bennette then down the Yukon to Dawson in confronting the terrible rapid and Whitehorse Rapids''Five Fingers''which have caused many wrecks, neglect, deception and even death ...

first days

raining during the night, allowing us to see the leaking tent Marine . The change from trying to sleep is radical. We moving from a tent over 15 square meters to 2.50 m high with a small stove ... A two-person tent where there is hardly sitting. But another difference, one weighs 2 kg more than the other 10 times. With a single canoe, the choice is not even present!

Breakfast Royal bannock Nutella to refuel energy to face this day which could be lengthy.

We leave around noon after having said goodbye to the German harmonica and a couple that Marine knows and descended to the Yukon to complete (from Whitehorse to the sea) a few years before. Another idea was to experience if you have three months to lose.

We start with a good pace as we keep all day despite the rain is to fall again. We pass several canoes and kayaks same sign that we are moving forward well. We spend the
Fives Fingers Rapids and Rink Rapids smoothly and even a bit of disappointment because of lack of water.

After 50éne kilometers traveled, quick snack break on an island to replenish your energy.
We then continue for a few hours to find a comfortable place to camp on an island in the vicinity of McCabe Creek. It is late, around 21:30 when we drop anchor with about 80 km traveled. Fast but nutritious meal of pasta and sausages before diving into the tent for a good nights sleep.

It rains all night, we're even greeted by a magnificent storm a rarity in its latitude. Poor Speed, finding no refuge shelter where he ended up slipping through the roof and the double roof threatening to collapse this poor little tent.

2nd day:

the morning as the storm subsided, we are awakened by the sound of a large animal walking in water near the tent. Hardly the time to open our eyes Speed starts to growl and chases away the unwanted guest. We will never know what animal it was. A bear, a moose?? No trace ...

We leave the tent under a beautiful sun but will remain only time to say that dark clouds already rely on us and a storm worthy of a real shower. Go
trying to light a fire under such rain as one with willow wood of large diameter at heart already soaked by the rain of the night. The breakfast is simplified to a box of cookies with a little cold water.
The time to load the canoe as the sun returns and accompanies us throughout the day to Fort Selkirk.

Passage to the new barge where Minto We take care to keep our distance with her, not wishing to renew the experience of a parcel with such a machine!
Along the way, we spend close to a herd of Dall sheep, some more than thirty animals, protecting themselves from predators in the cliffs. We also get to see beautiful Family consists of mother grizzly and three young about a year. Unfortunately, Speed put them to flight before we are close enough to photograph them. Arriving at Fort Selkirk we are again greeted by a downpour. Speed takes refuge under a table in a cabin and we provided for this purpose. A German couple and their son Till 5 years, taken refuge with us in the cabin lighting a small fire in the stove which warms the air immediately. is also an opportunity to cook and eat warm sitting at a table ... Appreciable time to time. On the menu fries with cranberries and a kind of German sausage, which replaces the bacon. It's not a bad joint! I also take this opportunity to bake a cake in the pan as a cake. More
Génépi Sapinette or alcohol or other ... An apple, herbal tea and bed! We became very serious.

3rd day:

After enjoying a good night, we are literally assaulted by Till that seeks to draw attention to himself. He leaves his parents and following us for over an hour through the entire village we visit.

In return for breakfast we taste the bread that turns out not bad.

We leave this place always so welcoming around noon with a goal to travel about 70 km where there is a magnificent camp we said this morning the village shaman.
Just departed, the rain starts to fall, the wind blowing and it's almost against a magnificent storm that we must move forward. Only off somewhere to the north the sky seems less black. Only in the evening, after more than 8 hours of sailing we face the sun. The lights are beautiful, with that low sun and the dark sky behind us. Arriving in the vicinity of the camps indicated by the shaman, we saw two German parties earlier in the morning we stop there. No importance, although the area looks beautiful, there are a multitude of islands in the next few km where we'll find a decent place to spend the night.

A little later, we see a beautiful island with a beautiful gravel beach. The place looks interesting, except it is located close to the other shore. We must therefore earnestly paddling against the current in order to achieve it. But the reward exceeds our idea. Beautiful sandy beaches, flat, dry, not very big but just enough for a few square meters to the tent. The kitchen also, with its rock that is both table and bench ... In short, a dream location.
After lunch, we let ourselves be hypnotized by the warmth of the fire, thinking back to all these days already passed since our departure from Whitehorse.

4th days:

In the morning the sun is shining, not a cloud .... A time like we have not had for a long time! I also want to make myself a quick wash in the Yukon. Although water a little cool, it's probably the nicest bathroom of the earth.
We take our time, almost sleeping in the sun, briefly topping up calories ... "Heeeeeuuuu, it is where you think ????" Along the way we passed a magnificent epic that pork we continue for a few moments to draw the portrait. And approaching too close, the latter to eventually climb into the canoe. Loved little stress for us is causing a rapid evacuation of the assailant and of ourselves. Although the distance is relatively short, about fifty km we arrived as the night moved on Kirkman Creek.
Kirkman Creek, a former''village''of India, located in the middle of nowhere, 150 km from Dawson, gradually abandoned by its inhabitants before Dawson does a family bought it for a few dollars symbolic there ten years ago. The family now lives there most of the year except the coldest months. It produces or takes in the natural environment the majority of food it consumes.
few dollars he can even pitch your tent on a beautiful lawn, eating a salmon steak or buy a few jams of various fruits.

We find here two German couples with whom we had befriended at Fort Selkirk, whose family of small Till. The latter, delighted to find ourselves made us party all night.

After a short session of peeling potatoes and our sweet little annoyed Speedoo, we feast with a good dose of sauteed potatoes.

5th day:

In the early morning, a''Hello''wakes us up nicely, followed by long sentences in German which we understand nothing. After trying to make him understand, and a series Auf Widerzenn''to''we try to ignore it thinking that it would eventually leave us alone to finish our night. But instead of that, believing that it was re-asleep or for other reasons he dives on our tent. Marine's hand flew quickly to land on the silhouette of the figure of Till through the tent. Upon impact,''''SLAP sounds. I do not think it will be the first to take but at least he let us finish our night in peace.
Poor tries, it will eventually completely destroyed before the end of the trip if all the dogs and kids to create continues to fall over.

dej After a nice little bannock with jam Fire Weed purchased locally, we take the road to face the White River.

This river, straight down from the glaciers of Kluane Park is very heavily loaded with mineral particle, which gives it a milky color. The mixing zone is surprising that allies such as the nature of things the two waters.

En route, we encounter three Moose and a beautiful fox who allows himself to observe with binoculars for some time before disappearing.

change of scenery after confluence and impressive. Before Yukon has a width of 300 to 500 with some islands one after another. After the river no longer, strictly speaking, bed, have hundreds of islands of all sizes literally blocking the stream. The latter therefore widens considerably reaching over one kilometer in some places. Despite the color of the water that does not let us see half of our paddle boating is fun and enjoy the many small arms, which wind through the islands.

We drop anchor on a beautiful sand island to plant the camp. Suddenly, a noise similar to that of a shot rang out. That what happens - t - it? We scour the landscape of the eyes to understand what could possibly have produced such a noise. Suddenly, on another island that is facing us, I see a tree falling in the water with a few seconds later with the same sound. The nearby island is literally eaten away by the current and slowly collapses. It's impressive, but we risk nothing, or we're too far to be reached by trees or waves associated with the falling material. However this great watchdog does not intend it that way and answered by a bark every time something breaks. Since this happens on average once every 5 minutes is enough wearing for the nerves. But no way to resonate.

We're now a''magnificent''night, covered by the barking but also the rain that is given to fell.

6th days:

last full day of canoeing before Dawson.

We find a beautiful island about thirty miles before the town, so arrive early tomorrow to drain and clean the boat and then find a place to sleep these few days we'll go there. We

set the tent on a kind of dune at about two meters above the water, which offers a magnificent view.
This evening meal is spaghetti cooked in the cast ... the cast is the color of the water where it does not distinguish the pasta to the bottom of the pan.
But the taste and the same as usual and boiled for more than 10 minutes there is not much like vermin resistant.

seventh day:

the survey, the weather is glorious! We linger around cooking bannocks last season, which fortunately proved excellent. Not burned, boiled at heart ...
We take our time before cast off toward our destination port. It is as if the idea of returning to civilization we braked. Only a good little hot shower ...

Time becomes gray again in this day and is sad that we drop anchor at Dawson.

Now we need to know as soon as Kristy, a friend who is supposed to accommodate us during these few days. But no sign of life at the other end of the phone. If we get information from here and there, asking if some local do not know or know where to reach her. But no, nobody knows. After a few hours with no response, we resign ourselves to go try our luck at the campsite in the area. And then crossing the road we see the oncoming car. I throw myself over especially not to be missed. At the time she had to wonder what this kind of fool who would run after him! She eventually stopped and was surprised to find us there.
We had a roof or at least a place to stay, take a shower ... But with no empty space inside her little house we set the tent in his garden.

In the tourist office of Dawson Marine unearths the sledge that used Varig Francois, a french who crossed to independently across Canada during the summer through two winters with indigenous populations. (Book: "10 dogs for a Dream")

night in town, making the rounds of bars and drink the most diverse things even a Sour Toe Cocktail''.'' It is a drink reserved for trappers hardest, those who never leave the woods, those n'on afraid of anything or bear nor -50 ° C. This involves drinking a strong alcohol (> 40 °) in a glass where you put a real human toe, 50 year old age preserved in salt.
The taste is vile between the corpse and Roquefort! No one really feels nothing is as psychological. All in an atmosphere of drama led by a man who is at least as much movement as his toe. With graduation ... Official
Another evening, head for the casino with his performances of French Can - Can.
An afternoon where we had a few hours to spare, you climb quickly to the top of the Midnight Sun Dome, the mountain above the city where normally we have a magnificent view hundreds of miles away. The view is not bad but not as beautiful as I imagined.

Back stop on Whitehorse we took exactly 12 hours and three cars, which for a trip of 600 km in the wilderness is not bad.
The first took us up Steewart Crossing 1 / 3 of the trip. However, we lose three hours chasing the dog owner who's done the beautiful at night.
The second took us to Steewart Crossing, where we waited a good 3 hours to find someone to take pity on us, Carmack. Then her husband brings us to whitehorse. Arrival at Icy Waters shortly after 10 pm. After two or three phone calls, I ended up finding someone to even us up to Fish Lake to join the others in a cabin rented at Sky High Wilderness Ranch.

Arriving, we wake up the parents of Adrian who had just gone down while the others are in town to party with Quebec.
A bowl of soup and bed to be fit for new adventures. The following