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He continues to make steady progress, is today camped just north of the esker on the east shore of Damant Lake, after being re-supplied yesterday (by Dave Olesen, bush pilot) on Jarvis Lake. No paddling yet, but it is warmer now and maybe he will see some short stretches of open rapids below...

Yes, thanks for the link. I think he is going to be well in advance of break-up for at least the first part of the trip. wjmc

You have received some very good input here, and on myccr as well. I might also suggest the Brazeau River, from above the Forestry Trunk Road to the reservoir as a potential option, and the Wildhay River from near Rock Lake as an alternate approach to the Athabasca. It has been some years...

I have not used a pakboat myself, but have friends who use them and swear by them for simplifying northern logistics. Where I have been travelling lately, the financial benefit from a pakboat would be limited: I would be chartering the same aircraft, and simply avoiding the external load...

Gee Larry, I didn't mean to ruin your day. I'm not going to try and tell you that flying up north is cheap. For example, the Beaver in Points North last summer was going at $11.00 per mile. That is steep. But it seems you are a solo traveler and could get by with a smaller aircraft if one...

I agree with recped on the need for more details and the $10/mile as a reasonable current estimate for a Beaver. Ahmic Air (Yellowknife) has some suggested destinations on their website with the 2016 rates. At that time a Beaver to Eyeberry (309 miles one-way) with 2 passengers, gear and an...

I talked to staff in the local MEC tonight. All the paddle sports gear has been moved out for the winter, and what is left (clearance) is in the warehouse. But he said they are not getting out of paddle sports sales, and will have a full lineup of gear again come spring. wjmc

Regarding the Downes journals: The publisher, McGahern Stewart, on their website, http://www.mcgahernbooks.ca/mcspublishing/index.htm indicates that the first volume is out of print but available as an e-book on Amazon. The second volume is listed for sale. Might be worth contacting them...

Couldn't go wrong with the northern Saskatchewan / Churchill River area. The Hickson - Maribelli pictographs are particularly well known. A link with good information on the site is here: https://albinger.me/2013/07/07/native-pictograph-sites-of-saskatchewan/ a route description passing...

In its 2017 Canadian Retail Price List: http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/f1b4eb_b867f005d37041c9824f3949b3599e3c.pdf Look at the bottom, under "river tripping" canoes, for the T-formex models. Swift lists the 16' Prospector with vinyl trim at 72 lbs in T-formex, at $2295, vs. 60 lbs for the...

Access road conditions for WCPP were recently updated here: http://canoeing.com/forums/topic/backroad-conditions-august-2017-update/

I owned a 15' Penobscot some years ago. From old photos, I see its first trip was in 1995, so it must have been available by the mid-90s. Mine was in Royalite with aluminum gunnels. It listed at 49 lbs, max beam 29", a fairly deep boat at 14" midships. It would carry a good load. It cruised...

Not "all signs" in Canada are required to be bilingual. The Federal government, and one provincial government - can you guess which one? - are officially bilingual and their signage reflects this. If you have managed to drive across western Canada without seeing a unilingual (English) sign...

Patterson's Nahanni journals have also been edited and published, and make a great companion piece to the Dangerous River: as good as Downes' and Patterson's books are, I actually prefer the journals...

I had a pair of water tennies, and used them on an extended trip with rugged portages. I really liked them. Grip was incredible, comfort and drainage were good, sole protection was good, and they were more supportive than I expected given their light weight. The only problem I had with them...

After 1803, the main fur trade route west from Thunder Bay avoided the border lakes. It went via the Kaministikwa, Dog, and Savanne rivers to Lac des MIlle Lacs, then via the Pickerel River to Pickerel Lake, and into Sturgeon Lake and down the Maligne River to Lac la Croix. This information is...

"problematic when seated, due to wind." Good point, Boatstall - thanks for the tip. wjmc

Like Neil, I've found that most pants manufacturers consider my legs to be too short. I've been considering something like this: http://www.ula-equipment.com/product_p/rain-kilt.htm SInce I'm usually wet from the calf down anyway, it would seem to offer advantages of easy on and off in the...

I have a Kluane Summerthought (-5 C) sleeping bag, about 20 years old. Still good for summers in the NWT or fall in northern Saskatchewan, down to freezing (0 C). I also have a Kluane down "inner parka", about 12 years old. It's my second, someone stole the first one. It's my standard winter...

Thanks for posting, a great story. Reminded me of Elliot Merrick's classic book, "True North". -wjmc