Rowing on the River

The Nahanni Wilderness Experience !

Moose Ponds * Mount Wilson * Rock Gardens
Island Lakes * Moore's Hot Springs * Broken Skull River
Cirque of the Unclimbables * Glacier Lake * Ragged Range
Rabbitkettle Lake * Tufa Mounds * Sunblood Range
Virginia Falls * Painted Canyon * Hell's Gate
Third Canyon * The Gate * Pulpit Rock
Funeral Range * Second Canyon * Deadmen Valley
Headless Range * Prairie Creek * Dry Canyon
George's Riffle * First Canyon * Lafferty Canyon
Kraus Hot Springs * The Splits * Nahanni Butte

** Moose Ponds, Mount Wilson, Rock Gardens, Island Lakes, Moore's Hot Springs, Broken Skull River, Cirque of the Unclimables, Glacier Lake, and Ragged Range are not visited on the two week trip.

Remembering…..

(Something I wrote a few weeks after my return to "the real world." Some references will only make sense to those who were there.)

The Fort Simpson airport and the meeting of strangers. Beautiful downtown Fort Simpson. South Nahanni Air, Rabbitkettle Lake, Emerald Lake, the Tufa Mounds hike, the Ragged Range, and Ranger Carl. The first portage, and the Rabbitkettle campsite. Storing the "smelly stuff". Ferrying the Nahanni for the first time (gee, this river is swifter than I expected). Rain and sun and rain and sun. Repeat. Hell-Roaring Creek. Jill and Curly (Diane) and Mo. (and Kathy too). Deadheads and strainers and sweepers (oh my). Dall sheep and bald eagles in the distance. Anyone seen the "Northern Lights" yet? (I think I did, but I'm not sure).

Oxbow Lake, the roar of the falls, Virginia Falls (bring your own firewood) and the brief encounters with civilization. "Nahanni" Neil Hartling and his homemade libations. The pesky camp critters. More food than we knew what to do with (anyone for thirds)? The Honeymooners (James & Lillian). John's unmistakable laugh. The sluice box hike, and the hikes up Sunblood Mountain or to Last Chance Harbor. The portage around Virginia Falls (there's more up there?) Outfit of the day: Polypro, wetsuits, and raingear. Painted Canyon (Fourth Canyon) and Matt and Duke in the canoe that refused to float, with Jed and Diane's fate tied to ours. The legend of the "cursed white canoe". (aka the canoe that refused to float). Third Canyon and the Figure Eight Rapids.

The crowd at Pulpit Rock. Sunset high above the Rock. "Father Abraham" and "Barbie Girl", a match made who knows where. "Wally's World", maybe? Nope, not there. The Funeral Range, the Burial Range, Second Canyon and Deadmen Valley. Jill's perfect pancakes. The carved paddles in the Ranger's Station. George's Riffle, and the moose in the rapids. Other occasional wildlife sightings, but none of the elusive narwhal. Yet. A slow drift through First Canyon and the long lunch at the springs (no filtering needed). Our guides haven't moved in over an hour. OH NO, we've overworked them. One last rapids called Lafferty's.

Kraus' Hot Springs (let's stay in all night), the "price of admission", the Northern Lights watch, and Mo's hole. The "Splits", Twisted Mountain, and leaving the park behind. "Mosquito Beach". Lunch on the river (grilled ham & cheese), a short trip to Nahanni Butte, and the first real civilization (sort of) in a week and a half. The weather goes really bad, for the first time on the trip. Rain and wind. Leave the Nahanni behind for the Liard River. Our last lunch on the river at Blackstone, where we try to finish off our food. We fail this task again.

The final leg to Lindberg's (Edwin, Sue, and Anna too). Group pictures in full river regalia. A HOT shower and home made dinner. Jim on piano and guitar. The first beer in two weeks (one to a customer, please). Trade the sleeping bag for a mattress. The last breakfast, and the long drive back to Fort Simpson. Arrival at the airport (where is everybody)? and the return to civilization. There are no strangers here this time.

Thanks for visiting!