Alice's Skidoo (Snowmobile) and Dogsled Trip
From Fort McPherson, NWT to Old Crow, Yukon
February 2005
Alice's Letter and Pictures to John:
I hope all is well, wherever you are- the Arctic, Alberta, Japan, California, NC...Again, I apologize for the group e-mail, but I wanted to get in touch with all of you and send some photos from our group's snowmobile trek to Old Crow, Yukon. I've fallen behind on personal messages again, but don't worry, I'll eventually send proper mails to each and every one of you... The trip was definitely the toughest, most challenging 9 days I've ever experienced, bar none. But for that reason, it was also a kick-ass time, because reaching Old Crow and then trekking back to Inuvik [pronounced "IN-NEW-VICK"], despite the massive forces of nature was such an accomplishment for us.
We left Fort McPherson, NWT on Wednesday 02 March, 19 snowmobiles, and 25 people, including one 5 year-old boy, the son of one of the leaders. All of our gear (gas, tents, food, chain saws, sleeping bags, etc., was roped down in big toboggans that were hitched to each snowmobile- so the loads were heavy. After crashing my ski-doo into a tree and tipping it off the trail 3 or 4 times that first afternoon I decided to ride on the back for a while. A narrow trail through mountainous terrain is no place for a novice...We hit a blizzard that night, and lost track of the trail, due to the 70km/hr winds blowing massive amounts of snow onto the trail. It was brutal, and no amount of warm clothes could have kept me warm in that bitter wind and seething cold. I've never been so cold in my whole life, and at one point was starting to see pink stars and purple boxes...hypothermia delirium or something.
Then we stopped at 1:30AM and made an open camp, cuz the idea was to take a 2 hour break and continue on to the cabin when the first light of day appeared. Needless to say, an open camp with brush and tarps is no protection from that kind of cold, but when we finally reached the cabin at Curtain Mountain the next morning, it was nice to relax in front of a wood stove. We continued on the trail the next day, and saw some breathtaking scenery while driving through the mountains, and the most incredible northern lights I've ever seen, just past the Yukon border...deep blue, and dancing and shimmering across the entire sky. We finally arrived in Old Crow that Saturday afternoon, and the whole town had prepared a feast of moose meat, caribou, turkey, salads and tons of desserts for us- it was amazing! And the people were so warm and welcoming. I stayed at a ski lodge with 2 of my students, and one of the skiers took us to church on Sunday on a dog sled- so much fun! The town is very small, tucked away in the mountains, and all of the homes seemed to be heated by wood stoves, and had a limited supply of running water.
We gassed up and left on Monday morning, and managed to travel 2/3 of the way home at top speed (255km in 10 hours), and made it back to the camp at Curtain Mountain on Monday night. The plan was to stay there for one night, and leave on Tuesday morning, but then the blizzard and blowing snow returned, and we were stuck for a while. I slept in a McPherson tent outside for 3 nights (with 8 students), and it was pretty comfy- we lined the floor with tarps and spruce boughs, and burned wood in the stove to keep warm. It's nice to sleep breathing in the pungent aroma of spruce...and the Gwich'in natives definitely took care of us, and offered kindness and advice, especially to me, the token white girl who was initiated into bush lifestyle.
One of the elders shot a moose on Wednesday, while we were waiting for the weather to improve, and I got to help skin its hide and prepare the meat. There's nothing like fresh moose meat cooked over a wood stove! And I still have a freezer full of moose steaks... We finally left the camp last Thursday morning, but the harsh winds and blowing snow still hadn't let up, so the first few hours were deadly cold and difficult- we could barely see the trail and had to move along at a snail's pace. The machines kept getting stuck and it was hard work hauling them out and unhitching the sleds, etc., but we drove through the storm, and the last 50 km or so were quite pleasant. It was a relief to arrive back in Fort McPherson last Thursday night, all of us dog tired and badly in need of a shower, but we were happy that we made it all the way back safely. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and definitely a test of our strength and endurance. I would do it again, but first I'd need a lot more experience driving a snowmobile through such a narrow, hilly trail...
Check out these pics...I took the first one while riding on the dogsled in Old Crow. The second one is some of the NRTP students and I at the community hall in Old Crow, and the third is in the Richardson mountains on the trip back. The fourth is the big tent at our camp on the return trip, and the last one is a glamour shot of me in my snowmobiling clothes!
Please take care and stay healthy. Best wishes for the month of March, and happy St. Paddy's Day to all you Irish folk!
Talk to you later,
Alice x