Back in the USA!

We are happy to report that we are back in the good ole’ U.S. of A.  It feels wonderful to be home again!  

From Jasper, we drove to the Waterton/Glacier National Peace Park, spending one night on the Canadian side and two nights at Many Glaciers Campground in Glacier National Park. 

The weather was warm in Waterton but all the campgrounds were closed except for one.  As a result, the park was packed on Saturday night.  We seem to be closing campgrounds and parks as we go.  Most campgrounds have already turned off their water, in an effort to winterize their lines.  A majority of the lodges, shops, and restaurants have already closed.  With weather and autumn colors this wonderful, it is hard to understand!

Waterton Lake

We hiked a little in Waterton and let Roxanne take a dip in the lake before heading over to Glacier.  Our first night there, a front came through, pelting us with wind and rain. 

The gale force winds stayed the next day.  Sleeping in our canvas camper was quite an experience.  The wind would roar up the canyon, shaking the camper and lifting the awning (which, thankfully, David had staked very well!).  After one gust would billow the tent around us, we could hear another gust muster strength in the distance until it, also, roared over us.

We saw very few animals in either park.  However, we did see something in Glacier that was new for us:  mountain goats!  Although they were hundreds of yards away, I am happy to have these photos to show you…

On our second day in Glacier, we took the drive up to Logan’s Pass, a favorite drive for us.  We knew that the road was closed at the top.  We were disappointed to discover half way up that we had to follow a pilot car the rest of the way.  With all the construction, there was no wildlife to be seen.

That evening, however, we found a brown bear grazing berries on a hillside not far from our campground.  Although he was over 50 yards away, it was wonderful just to watch him.  The wind was so strong that I was having difficulty holding the long lens steady.  David set the tripod up for me, but I had to hang onto it and the camera to keep the gusts from ripping the gear from my hands.

Brown bear in Glacier National Park

David has come down with the sniffles.  With the weather report promising more gale force winds and chill for the next several days to come, David and I packed up Oz and decided to head for North Dakota.  I am excited… my wild horses await me!  

Many Glaciers at Glacier National Park

Many Glaciers at Glacier National Park

Jasper and Banff National Parks

In many respects, it has been difficult coming “out of the bush” after nearly a month.  After encountering so few people for miles at a time and the quiet of Wood Buffalo, it is jarring to the senses to come back into “civilization,” particularly a tourist area. 

David and I have been coming to Jasper and Banff National Parks in Canada since 1987.  It remains one of the most beautiful areas we have ever seen.  Over time, however, it has also become more accessible and more crowded… or at least it certainly feels like it after our being in the bush for nearly a month!

We camped at Whistler’s Campground and were disappointed to find our favorite camp area full of other campers.  After setting up Oz, we decided to take a stroll to the shower house to see if we could find our bull elk from last year.  The grounds around the amphitheater showed ample evidence that the elk were still in the area. 

As we neared the shower house, I spied an elk cow in the woods.  She was obviously distracted, looking off into the distance.  I thought that she was concerned about a gentleman loading firewood into his pickup.  Then we heard an elk bugle very close by, and we saw the bull heading straight towards her.  Beyond the cow’s shoulder, we could see a bull elk competitor also making advances towards the cow.

David, Rox, and I backed towards the shower house as the man with the firewood, drove his truck behind the bulls.  Unfortunately, one of the park rangers decided to back his truck into the mix, nearly cutting us off from our escape route.  The cow rushed passed us, brushing within ten feet of our position, with both bulls in pursuit.  Thankfully, the larger bull pushed her towards the meadow and the competitor followed.  We never felt in danger; we were just intimate witnesses to the rivalry that goes on during rut.

There were other folks also in the shower area.  The park ranger immediately got out of his truck and followed the bulls out into the meadow to retrieve two campers who were walking out to get a closer look.  Within moments, two other park rangers arrived.  They were equipped with some sort of air rifle and a hockey stick draped with red and orange flyers.  Their job was to scare the elk from the area in an effort to keep the camper and elk activity separate.

Keeping both people and animals safe must be a daunting task.  While the national parks remain the best places to view wildlife, it also seems that over time people have lost respect for these animals and the danger they present.  Perhaps it is more a testament to our increasingly urban lifestyle and the resulting disconnect from nature.  Last year’s visit to Yellowstone and the chances people took there with wildlife was a shock, particularly how close some got to those enormous plains bison! 

Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park

The same has been true here in Jasper.  Not only have we witnessed dozens of people walk right into an elk’s harem, we also saw a man get out of his vehicle and walk within ten feet of a mother sheep and her baby.  We witnessed a crowd of people actually running up to a black bear for photos at Maligne Lake.  No wonder the incidences of animal attacks is on the rise in our national parks!

The next morning, we found the bull and his harem closer to the road.  We were able to take some good photos until a tour bus stopped and blocked our view. 

The competition

Victorious bull elk

That evening, we drove up to Edith Lake and found a beautiful bull grazing.  We watched him for some time before a man drove up in his car, got out and fumbled around for his camera, then started walking towards the bull.  Last we saw the man, he was dressed in shorts and flip flops, chasing the bull across the road and into the woods.

Thankfully, our Indian Summer has returned... so much so that we are actually wearing T-shirts during the day rather than layers and layers of clothing!

We left Jasper and headed towards Johnston Canyon.  For two wonderful nights, we have stayed in our favorite cabin.  Although the weather has been mild, David has been building fires in the fireplace.  We drove into Banff yesterday to pick up groceries for a wonderful supper of salmon and asparagus. 

This morning we treated ourselves, staying in our pajamas late, having coffee, and cooking breakfast.  We spent the afternoon hiking to the top and bottom of beautiful Silverton Falls.  Tomorrow we will head towards Waterton.  Our plans are to stay there a few days before re-entering U.S. soil via Glacier National Park.  Our journey home continues.

Top of Silverton Falls

Hike to top of Silverton Falls

Jasper on Dwellable

Heading South

Our Indian Summer ended abruptly.  The evening that we left Wood Buffalo, we set up camp in the chill of an evening rainstorm at Twin Lakes. 

From there, we traveled on to Grande Prairie.  Throughout our trip, we had been puzzled at the lack of migrating birds we had seen.  About an hour north of Grande Prairie, however, we found the geese.  We saw hundreds of them, gleaning fields to prepare for their long flight south.

We opted to spend the night in a motel at Grande Prairie.  In addition to our relishing hot showers, the Xterra needed an oil change, we had laundry to wash, and shopping to do.  It took us until around 2:30 to finish all our errands. 

We decided to drive on towards Jasper National Park but had difficulty finding a good campground along the way.  The first one we stopped at was situated less than a hundred yards from a railroad track.  The second had over a dozen trucks and horse trailers in it, obviously a staging ground for outfitters. 

Finally, we arrived at Pierre Grave Lake Campground and found a beautiful site.  Unfortunately, however, it was so cold that we huddled in Oz rather than hike around the park.  By morning, the temperature registered 31 degrees inside the camper.  We discovered that Rox’s water bowl had frozen over and the condensate on the inside of Oz was frost.  I was so cold that my leg muscles hurt from being balled up in the sleeping bag.  It was not a pretty sight breaking camp that morning!

David suggested a hot breakfast, so we drove into Hinton before heading on to Jasper.  Once in the park, we went straight to last year’s campsite, hoping to once again be in the middle of the bull elk’s harem and wondering what new wonders we would see there.

Are We the Weeds?

While in Wood Buffalo National Park, we encountered an extraordinary comment by our guide.  When I asked her if hunting was allowed in the park, she told us that it was and offered this reasoning:  humans had been part of this ecosystem for over 10,000 years and remained a vital segment of Wood Buffalo National Park.

I admit that it took several hours for her profound statement to soak in… here at Wood Buffalo National Park, humans are considered part of the ecosystem, not separate from it.  David and I have been wrestling with this statement ever since we heard it.

It is truly a phenomenal concept… could it be that humans belong?  How long has it been since any of us have felt that we belong?  As environmental concerns grow, humans are most often considered the culprit… the perpetrators… the weeds.

Several years ago, David and I had the opportunity to host Dr. Jay Richards during a presentation on his phenomenal book and DVD, The Privileged Planet, which he co-authored with nuclear physicist, Dr. Guillermo Gonzales.  During a candid conversation about man’s position in our world, Jay told us that the ongoing battle can be summed up in this one question:  Are we (humans) the weeds?

So what is a weed?  I found these interesting quotes about weeds...

“No matter what definition is used, weeds are plants whose undesirable qualities outweigh their good points, according to man.”  Dwight D. Ligenfelter, Assistant Extension Agronomist, Department of Agronomy, Penn State University

“But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow where people want something else.  In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit.  Weeds are people’s idea, not nature’s.  Anonymous

At Wood Buffalo National Park, humans definitely are not the weeds.  The First Nation people have hunted this area for over 10,000 years.  They are spiritually bound to this land and use it and its resources for subsistence living. 

There are those who will caution me at this point.  They will tell me that these are ancient traditions playing out in current times.  We cannot compare this to the environmental concerns of today.

I beg to differ.  In 1949, no more than sixteen whooping cranes lived in the wild.  Scientists,  environmentalists, and ordinary folks from two countries worked together to bring this beautiful bird from the brink of extinction to a viable flock of over 300 in 2011.  Wood Buffalo National Park and Texas’ Aransas Wildlife Refuge became sister homes for this endangered bird.  As a result, these joint efforts by humans have, in fact, saved a species.

Are humans the weeds?  In some cases, one could definitely argue the point that we are… however, with the whoopers and the Wood Buffalo ecosystem, one could also argue the opposite position as well.  Has the industrial revolution and our migration to cities taken us further and further from our connection to nature?  

I remember a quote from a visit to the University of Alaska museum last year that speaks directly to the disconnect that can happen when we live in cities:  "We all die and go back to nature eventually.  When we are in the city, we tend to forget -- we don't really think about it.  But nature reminds us it's not a sad thing.  It gives us energy.  Nature has a kind of power to encourage you to live because Nature teaches -- you are going to die."  Michio Hosino, Alaska Airlines Magazine, August 1991

Could our transition from a rural to urban society cause a disconnect with nature?  And as a result of that disconnect, have we become the weeds?

For me, the Bible offers the purest answer to the question.  It tells us that man was given dominion over this earth in service of man and for God’s glory.  That means that humans have been given the distinct opportunity for dominion over the earth in God’s work… not to exploit it… not to sacrifice it on behalf of ourselves… but to caretake it and to bring God glory. 

And God blessed them (humans) and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.  (Genesis 1:28, Amplified Version)

It is truly an astounding proposition.  What would it look like if each of us worked in concert with our world’s vast resources to bring glory to God?  Could the whooping crane success story be a small testimony for future endeavors in bringing Him glory? 

For the first time since I was a child on a small cattle ranch in south Texas, I feel like I belong.  I will be ever grateful to Wood Buffalo National Park for offering a glimpse of what being part of an ecosystem might look like for all of mankind.  

Indian Summer at Wood Buffalo

We truly did not know what to expect when we arrived at Wood Buffalo National Park.  Tucked away in a remote area on the border of the Northwest Territory and Alberta, it seemed almost inaccessible with just one road skirting the north side.  We knew only that this was the nesting grounds of my whooping cranes.  Would it look like the coastal plains of Texas?  Curiosity and all the markings of an Indian summer pushed us eastward.

A flashing road sign offered our first glimpse into this unique national park:  “Caution.  Watch for Bison and Sinkholes next 120 km.”  Bison we certainly could understand… but sinkholes?  An interpretive sign further along the road offered an explanation.  Ground water often erodes the soft bedrock, particularly in the northern section of the park, creating underground caves.  When the cave roof collapses, the result is often a very deep sinkhole.

Agnus Sinkhole, Wood Buffalo National Park

Within the first hour of our traveling the park road, we encountered a small herd of wood bison and a muddy-faced black bear.  Excited about other animals we might see, we pushed on towards our first campsite at Little Buffalo River, hoping that the campground would still be open.

Little Buffalo River Campground was open, and we were the only visitors for the night.  The aspen grove next to our site was ablaze in color. 

Temperatures dipped into the high 30s that night.  Our last post tells of the miraculous Northern Lights we witnessed in the wee hours of the morning. 

When we awoke, we broke camp and drove into Fort Smith to visit the Wood Buffalo National Park Visitor’s Centre.  Fort Smith is a working town.  Long a center for trade among the First Nation peoples, Catholic missionaries arrived in the early 1800s.  The town has a rich heritage of First Nation and European cultures (primarily French).   

At the visitor’s center, we learned that Wood Buffalo National Park is a true gem in the crown of Canada’s national parks.  The largest national park in Canada, Wood Buffalo is larger than the entire country of Switzerland.  It is known as an ecological masterpiece and World Heritage Site, a status bestowed by the United Nations indicating that it forms part of the heritage for all humankind. 

Wood Buffalo’s geology consists of a myriad of typography, including boreal forests, salt plains, and the largest fresh water delta in the world.  Its wildlife includes the endangered wood bison, black bear, wolves, moose, and beaver.  Each spring, nearly 200 species of birds flock to this area to nest, including the endangered whooping cranes.  Out of all thoee birds, only 19 different species have adapted to stay through the long and extreme winter months.

We watched a wonderful documentary about the park.  I was fascinated to learn that the whoopers nest on the fresh water delta along the enormous Great Slave Lake in Wood Buffalo, building nests in areas marshland so boggy that it deters predators.  It also surprised me that they nested in what appeared to be fresh water.  The whooper’s wintering grounds lie on a sliver of Texas coastline.  Why would they choose a wintering ground on salt water?  A check with a park ranger confirmed that salt from the ancient ocean bed leeched through the gypsum bedrock, making the entire delta brackish.

I asked if hunting was allowed in the park.  Our guide explained that it was and offered this explanation:  humans had been part of the ecosystem for over 10,000 years and remained a vital segment of Wood Buffalo National Park.

Armed with maps and suggested hiking trails, we decided to push further south and camp at Pine Lake Campground for the evening.  We found an interesting interpretive hike about the red-sided garter snake, the most northern snake to be found in the Americas.  These reptiles winter deep in the karst crevices and caves.  Each spring they emerge and gather in huge mating balls, later having live births.  As we finished our hike, we met a park ranger giving a tour to a small group of people.  She held one of the snakes and offered for both David and I to hold it as well. 

Red-sided garter, Wood Buffalo National Park

On our way back to the parking lot, we rounded a corner and met a wood bison not more than 20 feet in front of us.  All four of us stopped short, shocked to encounter one another.  Thankfully, the bull turned heel and plowed through the woods away from us.  It is one thing to encounter one of these enormous creatures in the comfort of your vehicle.  It is entirely different to come upon one so close on foot! 

We drove on to our new campground, encountering another bull along the roadside.  It was yet was another reminder of why these creatures are considered the largest land mammal in North America!

Wood Bison, Wood Buffalo National Park

Rox was delighted to have a swim that afternoon in Pine Lake, an ancient sinkhole that formed this beautiful lake.  Again, we were the only campers for the evening. 

That evening, David said, “Listen.  Have you ever heard such quiet?” 

It was true.  Again, we felt like the only people on earth.  Not a sound touched our ears.  I was use to quiet on the ranch when I was a child, but this was different.  There were no crickets or frogs.  This was true silence.  It was wonderful.

The following morning, we broke camp again to drive back up to Little Buffalo where we had stayed our first night in the park.  We spied a large black bear and were surprised when she placed her front paws on a tree, as if she planned to climb it rather than run away as others had done.  As I began shooting photos, I caught movement in the corner of the lens.  She had a cub and had already sent it up a tree! 

Mother Black Bear, Wood Buffalo National Park

Black Bear Cub at Wood Buffalo National Park

As David brought the truck to a complete stop, the mother bear dropped to the ground and positioned herself under the cub.  She was obviously prepared to defend him at any cost.  Not wanting to stress her, we stayed only a few seconds more.  As we drove off, she gave cue to the cub to drop down and the pair immediately disappeared into the bush.  It was an amazing sight to witness!

Mother black bear defends her cub at Wood Buffalo National Park

Relishing the continued warm days, we hiked a section of boreal forest later that morning, hoping that the trail would lead to the salt plains.  After yesterday’s encounter with the wood bison, we sang a rather lame rendition, “Buffalo Gal Don’t You Come Out Today,” to make any critters aware of our presence! 

Later that afternoon, we hiked another trail down to the salt plains, an ancient seabed bordered by boreal forest and wetlands.  Salt mounds piled on the corners of ponds and dusted the dried earth in this strange place.  Footprints of both birds and mammals tracked in the crusted and cracked mudflats.  Areas that rose several feet above the salt plains offered an oasis for different plant growth.

Salt mound at Wood Buffalo National Park

Salt Plains at Wood Buffalo National Park

Salt Flats at Wood Buffalo National Park

The next morning, sand hill cranes flew in formation above us, heading home to Texas.  We felt it was an omen that we, too, should be heading southward.

Sandhill crane migration from Wood Buffalo National Park

We wanted to take one more interpretive hike that told about the whooping crane nesting grounds.  Across the road and about a hundred yards from the trailhead, however, we spied an enormous black bear, grazing berries.  Needless to say, our hike was rather short and sweet, taking photos of the interpretive signs rather than taking time to read them.  We had absolutely no interest in answering that proverbial question, “why did the bear cross the road?” 

As we exited Wood Buffalo National Park, both David and I spoke about the wonders we had been blessed to see in this exceptional and odd place.  This park is definitely on our “we have to come back” list!

Northwest Territories on Dwellable

The Heavens Declare His Glory

This post title is from Psalm 19:

The heavens declare the Glory of God

The skies proclaim the work of His Hands.

The story of our experience with the Northern Lights is really quite funny.  If you read our Dempster post, you know that we saw a pale green beam over our campsite in Inuvik and were delighted to know that it was the Northern Lights.

Until Eagle Plains... when our new-found Swiss friends showed us fantastic photos of Northern Lights that they had seen the night before.  David and I had slept right through them.

Two nights later, a gentleman in the campsite next to us at Tombstone offered his photos of the aurora borealis that he had captured the night before... again, David and I had slept right through them.

The morning after our first night in Muncho Lake, a delightful Swedish couple told us about their seeing the Northern Lights.  The following night, another camper told us about his experience and that he had seen them about 10:30.  We set the alarm but saw nothing.

Each night, if one of us woke up, we would peer into the night sky to no avail.  We figured that with our sleeping patterns we were simply destined not to see the Northern Lights.  That is, until Wood Buffalo...

On our first night at Little Buffalo River Campground, I got up around 2:30 and peered out the camper window.  As most of you know, I can't see diddily without glasses, however, I can certainly distinguish light and color... and I saw green lights dancing across the sky.  I grabbed my glasses and woke David.

We climbed out of the camper, gazing up at brilliant skies.  Although the temperatures had dipped into the thirties, we were so amazed that we hardly noticed the chill.  The skies had become alive with Northern Lights.

It is impossible to explain them in words.  The closest I can come is that they were like crazy, out-of-control rainbows.  They arched across the sky, dancing and shimmering, swirling and twirling.  They would ebb and flow in shades of brightness.  Some times there were two bands, others only a bright beam shooting over the full moon and shimmering stars.

I can only offer these two-dimensional photos as a feeble attempt to explain the moment.

And how do I explain the feelings that we shared?  It was as if we were the only two people on earth (truth is, we probably were at least the only two people within a thirty mile radius!).

We stood like children, dressed in our pajamas, amazed and awed at this incredible sight.  Tears burned my eyes.  We told each other that this was enough... to be blessed so completely was more than we could have ever asked for and almost more than we could stand.  The words to an old song bubbled to the surface, and we began to sing...

Why me Lord, what have I ever done

To deserve even one

Of the pleasures I've known?

Tell me Lord, what did I ever do

That was worth love by You

Or the kindness You've shown?

(Why Me, Lord?  by Kris Kristofferson)

Thank You and bless You, our Amazing God!

The Liard Trail

Our trip up the Liard Trail was dusty but uneventful.  The word liard means "poplar" in French.  The road was aptly named, fringed on either side with beautiful, golden poplar trees.

The road is over 400 miles in length and offers a substantial short cut between Fort Nelson and the road to Yellow Knife.  Making certain that we had adequate gasoline was our biggest challenge.

We did see some wildlife, including several black bears and this very busy beaver.

We stayed at two wonderful Territorial Parks:  Blackstone River and Sambaa Deh.  We were extremely pleased that the Sambaa Deh campground had hot showers.

Most of the parks in the Northwest Territory have closed or are closing by September 15.  We are feeling the pressure and are currently just one step ahead of the closing date.   Hopefully we will be able to find places to stay before heading back to Jasper.

After hearing that the frost heaves on the road to Yellow Knife were rather arduous, we decided to skip that portion of the highway and head straight to Wood Buffalo National Park.  This park has particular attraction for me... it is home to the endangered whooping crane.

I grew up just a stone's throw from the whooper's wintering grounds.  Wood Buffalo National Park will be another "full circle" moment.  We can't wait!

Northwest Territories on Dwellable

Muncho Lake

The highway from Klondike Corner to Whitehorse was shimmering in gold.  Low on provisions and needing a bath and laundry, we decided to stop over in Whitehorse again to clean up and restock.  We were now back on the the Alaskan Highway and spent much of the day reminiscing last year's adventure on this same road.

The following evening, we spent the night at the Rancheria campground, relishing a hot breakfast at the motel's restaurant the next morning.  The owners told us that they were hosting a large convoy of 200, complete with some of the original vehicles, next August in commemoration of the building of the Alaska Highway.  Sounds like fun!

Our next destination would be Muncho Lake, one of our favorite spots on the Alcan.  We had seen many large animals on this section of the highway and were anxious to see what it had in store this trip.  Soon we were seeing herds and individual wood bison along the roadside.

Wood bison near Muncho Lake

About 30 miles from Muncho, we spied a group of Stone sheep, licking minerals on the road.  It is amazing to see how close vehicles come to these critters.  They barely move, even when a semi speeds close to them, blowing his horn.  Most of drivers slow down when they see animals on the road, but not all.

Stone sheep along Alaskan Highay

Happy to finally have some large animal photos, we traveled on to Muncho Lake.  We arrived at the Muncho Lake Provincial Park and set up camp.  Rox was absolutely delighted to be out and swimming again after being stuck in the truck for several days.

Dave & Rox at our Muncho Lake camp.

Our campground was very near the Northern Rockies Lodge, one of our favorite (albeit very expensive) spots.  The lodge is lovely and set against some spectacular scenery.  They also have some of the best spaetzle in their restaurant.  The owner offers float plane flights to his guests for sight seeing and overnight stays at fishing lodges across the lake.  One day we hope to take one of these side trips.

The next morning, we were anxious to see if we could find any animals to photograph.  We were delighted to finally find caribou and some beautiful scenery.

We stayed at Muncho Lake for three wonderful nights, basking in its beauty and wonderful sunshine.  As the sun continued to shine on us we wondered... should we head for Jasper or further east?  The Liard Trail and Wood Buffalo National Park beckoned but we were concerned that it may be too late in the season to attempt the trip.

Beautiful Muncho Lake

We spoke with our campground host that evening about the Liard.  She told us that the young couple in Site 6 lived in Yellowknife and would know first hand.  We talked with them after we broke camp the next morning.  It had frozen the night before, and the young helicopter repairman spoke with us dressed in a T-shirt and jeans... while we were in three layers.  He assured us that the road was good, and we had heard that the weather would hold.

The choice was easy.  We stocked up on a few more supplies in Fort Nelson and left for the Liard Trail.  Another adventure awaits us!

The Dempster’s Coat of Many Colors (Part Two)

It was now Friday, the beginning of Canada’s big Labor Day holiday.  With many establishments in Inuvik shutting down for the entire weekend, we decided to travel south. 

We were also concerned about finding an open campsite.  We had learned last year that most of Canada shuts down over this weekend.  The holiday is particularly important because it is the final weekend before the children return to school.  The tempo of the entire country seems to change after this date.  Labor Day signals a change in seasons.  Campgrounds begin shutting down and the tourist season wanes.

We traveled back across the Mackensie Delta.  This entire section of the Dempster, from the Mackensie River crossing to Inuvik is a vast, flat land.  It is covered in boreal forests with trees rarely taller than a man because of the permafrost.  Additionally, over fifty percent of the area is considered wetlands.

David and Rox on the Mackensie Delta

We passed an section of road with over a dozen snowshoe hares and another with Ptarmagin.  Both were beginning to turn white from their feet up to their bellies.  We saw a large black bear foraging for berries along the roadside.  He was a bit jittery when David pulled over and shut off the truck’s engine.  However, he soon determined that we were no threat and continued eating his snack. 

We stopped for some time at our favorite vista near the Yukon-Northwest Territories border.  David scanned the open tundra for signs of caribou but found none.  Last year, this same spot had been filled with hundreds of caribou.  We had thought that we had missed the migration last year, when, in fact, we had actually observed it.  This section of the Dempster is the Porcupine Herd’s wintering grounds and their ultimate destination most winters… but not this one.

We camped at Rock River Campground that night, hopeful that we would see more animals if we left early the next morning.  We were camped along the river when a Swiss couple asked if they could walk through our site to access the water.  We chatted for a few moments before they left for their stroll.

While we did not see caribou, we were delighted to find a bull moose crossing the tundra during our morning drive.  We and another couple were blessed to watch this magnificent beast until the driver of a big rig popped his air brakes and scared the moose into the forest. 

North of the Arctic Circle where we had seen last year’s grizzly close up, we saw a magnificent silver/grey bear in the far distance.  He would dash across the tundra, then whirl around, seemingly simply enjoying the moment.  We watched him for some time before he disappeared into the creek bed, wondering if he was the same bear we saw up close in this area last year.

At Eagle Plains, we met the Swiss couple again while we were all seated in the lounge area, trying to catch up on emails in the only area with internet access.  Carol and Rox became fast friends while Andi, David, and I became better acquainted.  The two are from a large city in Switzerland and have come to the Yukon several times.  Like us, they have been smitten by its beauty and remoteness.

As we drove along Olgivie Ridge toward Tombstone the next morning, David and I saw a large animal crossing the road about 25 yards ahead.  Obviously a large cat, it was buckskin in color and had a long body and tail.  It was so large that its front paws hit one set of tire tracks along the road, while its back paws hit the alternate set of tracks.  We both knew immediately that it was a mountain lion.  There was no time to snap a photo, however, we felt truly blessed to have seen one of these elusive creatures!

Olgivie Ridge, overlooking Continental Divide

Near where we saw the black grizzly on the way to Inuvik, we saw a mother grizzly with twin cubs foraging.  While again too far in the distance to take great photos, it was fun to sit and watch the trio.  The little ones appeared to be this spring’s cubs, one black and the other a cinnamon-grey.

Mother brown bear and twins

We remained optimistic about seeing more caribou.  Many along the route told us that where you see grizzlies, you will most likely see caribou this time of year.  This area is a natural passageway for caribou and the open terrain affords ample hunting opportunity for both man and beast.

Past Engineer Creek campground, we hit a section of talus and spied a large cross fox hunting among the rocks.  The fox ran across the road, only to discover that his hunting had led him between the river and hill, with only the road in between.  Feeling trapped, he didn’t know where to go.  I took just a few photos before we drove on, leaving him ample space to retreat.

Cross fox

As we drew closer to Tombstone, the clouds became heavy, and it began to mist.  By the time we reached North Fork Pass, it began to snow.  While the weather had been almost warm in Inuvik, the Tombstone Range sported a fresh dusting of snow all around. 

We camped in one of the few remaining sites along the river.  With all the rain, the campground was extremely muddy.  Crawling into the back of the Xterra, we worked hard to keep all of us from tracking mud on the bedding.

It rained and sleeted most of the night.  By morning, however, we were basking in sunlight.  We bundled in more layers, well aware that the temperature had dipped below freezing.  Sheets of ice slid from our neighbor's tent.


We weren’t sure how we would be able to keep Rox from being caked in mud if we let her out of the truck.  In a brilliant moment, however, we decided to drive up to the Tombstone Valley overlook to catch the early morning light for photos.  As a bonus, the overlook is heavily graveled, making it a perfect spot to let Rox out. 

While David made coffee off the back of the Xterra, I took photos.  The valley was at its peak of autumn colors and absolutely breathtaking!  This moment was one I will always treasure.  The Dempster holds its coat of many colors for such a short time, rarely a full week.  Already we could see the reds were turning to rust.  We felt tremendously blessed to witness this spectacular scene.

Tombstone Valley, Dempster Highway

Late that morning, we drove back to Klondike Corner to retrieve Oz.  We filled up with gasoline and returned to Tombstone.  For the next two days, we savored the Dempster. 

We drove back towards Engineer Creek to try to photograph more of the colors.  The mountains almost seemed as if they breathed.  The aspen and poplar golds draped the mountains, weaving a tapestry with the deep greens of spruce and rich veins of reds with clusters of orange alders.  We felt drenched in its beauty.

 

Wildlife experts at the visitor’s center were excited to hear about our mountain lion sighting, a rarity in these parts.  However, because we didn’t have a photo, the sighting remains unconfirmed.  We filled out a special animal sighting form for their files.  They will log our list of other animal sightings to help compile records on the movement of animals along the Dempster.

On our last full day, we hiked the Goldensides trail.  Thankful that we had dressed in multiple layers of our heaviest coats and rain gear, we braved the sleet for one last look at Tombstone Valley.  It snowed at the peak.  

Us on the Goldensides Trail

By evening, it was clear enough to hike the Interpretive Trail near the campground and photograph the lichen and the forest floor littered in gold.

Lichen field

Our new Swiss friends joined us at our campfire each evening.  They confided that they had made the decision to try to immigrate to the Yukon.  Our prayers and best wishes remain with Andi and Carol.

As for David and I, we, too, hope to return to the Dempster soon.  It now holds an even more special place in our hearts.  Last year, the Dempster was an adventure and destination to reach.  This year, we feel as if we know it so much more intimately.  We have grown to love its people.  We have seen the diversity of its magnificent animals.  We have witnessed some of its mysteries.  We have truly relished its coat of many colors.

The Bible tells us of a coat of many colors.  Jacob gave his youngest son, Joseph, the beautiful coat as a special blessing to this beloved son.  As we leave the Dempster for a second time, we feel that God has most certainly given this portion of His world a special blessing.  And we know that we have also received a special blessing just for having witnessed it.