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| The Firth River |
July 4th, 2012
Sunrise: n/a
Sunset: n/a
Temps: 17 - 24'C (although lately it's hit the low thirties on numerous days!)
I hummed and hahhed about it for quite a while. It's expensive. Very. But how else does a girl get access to the "local" national parks in the NWT or Yukon? Really, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Alright, alright. So, I bit the bullet. I went.
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| Our plane, at the airport in Inuvik |
Ivvavik National Park in the northern Yukon. 200 km West of Inuvik. Pretty much only accessible by plane. Calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou herd (have you read "Being Caribou?"). Unglaciated terrain, meaning cool landscapes, rock formations, unique flora and the "oldest" rivers in the world." All in all, a pretty special place with lots to brag about.
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| The Mackenzie River Delta - lake, lake, river, lake.... |
We left Inuvik on our chartered flight, crossed over the massively wide Mackenzie River Delta, and entered into the British Mountains. Our little plane landed on the gravel and rock landing strip near the confluence of Sheep Creek and the Firth River, and we set up camp for 5 days
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| Wild flowers in wild lands |
Each day was filled with hikes, along alpine ridges and scree slopes, along the creek and the river, and over tussocks and flowering meadows. I found the landscape really interesting, different from what I have seen before, and I was in awe of the hardy little flowering plants that made their home in such extreme terrain. The air was filled with the scent of a fuschia coloured flower, which blossomed in such abundance in the meadows that the hills looked pink from miles away.
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| Our camp below and the confluence on the left |
We were lucky with the weather. In the mornings it would be warm and calm, and I would find good use for my new fashion-forward bug hat. But soon a wind would pick up, keeping us cool and mostly bug free for the majority of the day. Lucky for us, there was also a little mini canyon on Sheep Creek that provided an excellent swimming hole for us at the end of each sweaty hiking day, and that provided a much needed, and very refreshing, daily cleanse.
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| Working on dinner |
Evenings were pretty relaxed. Some members of the group would fish in the Firth River, and I took part in several meals of fresh greyling and dolly varden char (yum!).
While we were too late to witness the caribou migration, their mark on the land was obvious with many long, crisscrossing trails. We did have luck with the sheep, and they were often spotted on the hill near our camp, and even wandered through camp a time or two.
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| Sheep Creek International Airport |
On Canada Day, we awoke to an awesome display of crashing thunder and pouring rain. Things cleared up enough for our plane to come in, and we left the park via the Firth River valley, out over the coastal plain, along the Beaufort Sea, and back over the delta to Inuvik.
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| From the plane |
I will hopefully get additional pictures from fellow park visitors and will post more when I can.
July 23, 2012
History meets lattes and boutique stores in this well-preserved little town. Buildings are maintained in the olde style, with fake fronts and a multitude of finishing details. Most streets continue to be gravel and mud, and wooden boardwalks remain. Numerous historical exhibits allow for a more detailed look into the past, with pictures from the late 1800s, when Dawson was busting at the seams with prospectors, merchants, riverboats and tents.
Warm sunny summer days and nights also yield unique Northern activities, such as Inuvik's annual "Midnight Sun Fun Run." This popular event includes a 5km, 10km and 21km runs. The start times are staggered allowing most people to arrive at the finish line between 12:00 and 1:00 am.The great runner that I am, I struggled through the 5 km and am pictured here, red faced and sweaty, at the finish line.
Another wonderful thing about Inuvik in the summer is the variety of celebrations and free food events. Inuvik likes to feed people! Pictured here is a view of the Aboriginal Day events on June 21st.
Another reality of warm summer days, especially in this dry climate, is forest fires. (Yes, there are trees in the Arctic!) We have recently had several forest fires within close proximity to town, and with an unfortunate shift of the wind, residents have found themselves scrambling to close windows to keep the smokey air out. 
