The Eastern Part of the Northwest Territories

A little over a week ago we arrived home from a six week, 9000 mile trip to explore parts of the very far north --- a really great trip. This is just a small part of the first of our trip. Through the US we drove like crazy because it was all familiar territory. Getting north of Edmonton was our goal.

I don't want to say that we were disappointed with Northern Alberta because going places we have never been is always interesting and educational, but it just was not what we expected. We did like the town of Peace River a lot.

This picture just wraps up Northern Alberta for us. After finding only the family type playground campgrounds at Lesser Slave Lake, we headed for the quiet civic campground in High Prairie run by the Elks. Opps, it was rodeo weekend.



We were in search of the boondocks and about 3000 miles from home our vacation began here. We LOVED this remote area where the population is thin and the distances great. We did not visit it all, but what we experienced was great and so different than where we have been before. I have no pictures of maps for this area, but those who are interested, check them out



The Northwest Territories is about 440,000 square miles in area and there are only about 43,000 people. And about 19, 000 live in Yellowknife, the capital that is located in the eastern part at the top of the Great Slave Lake

The distances are far and the campgrounds great. The territorial campgrounds have showers --- the very best one being the Twin Falls Campground. Water falls are a special part of this area.

They are quite different than we are used to because of their color as they run over limestone. The Mackenzie Highway is also known as the Waterfall route --- the Deh Cho route. Just a few pictures.

The Alexandra Falls



The Lady Evelyn Falls that often has a rainbow around them, but the light did not cooperate.




A rock hanging on at the Lady Evelyn Falls



The Sambaa Deh Falls and area. We could have hiked to the bottom of the falls, but the weather was turning really bad. This was the closest we have ever come to being hit by lightning! On the trail, suddenly there was a huge flash of light with monster crash at the same time. Scared the poop out of us and we made a quick hike back to the campground where the camper was on four rubber wheels.





In this area is where we first started to hear about how climate change is very real in that area. The winters are just not the same. Lots of concerns and no deniers there as they are living it.

One of the goals was to see the Great Slave Lake. As a geographer, it as something John always wanted to see. If there was a summer road to the Great Bear Lake, we would have been there.

We were told that at the town of Hay River on the south end of the Great Slave Lake there was a fish fry every Saturday where the families cook up the catch of the morning --- we had to check it out and it was good and a great place to meet the locals.



With a population of around 3,000 it is considered a big town. Because we never saw another USA license plate, people were anxious to talk with us --- a good thing. At the table where we sat we met a man who told us he was a 79 year old member of the Chippewa Nation and he wondered why there were people in the US who supported Trump! He and his companion just could not believe it. It was a common theme up there!

This is just one picture of the Great Slave Lake. It really does look like an ocean and is such an important link to the north. It is a very special place.



We loved that this area was the beginning of the mighty Mackenzie River --- later in the trip, we would be at the ending of the Mackenzie and the Mackenzie Delta in the even further north in the Territories.

At the fish fry we were told that even if we didn't go all the way to Yellowknife, we had to go to the restaurant/truck stop at Fort Providence because the food was really good. Shoot, the girls telling us this had been there for lunch just the other day. Going a 100 plus miles for lunch is just fine. So we had no choice.

The road off of the Mackenzie to Yellowknife is paved --- so to speak. The truck stop at Fort Providence did have a great breakfast buffet out in the middle of nowhere. It is where we learned about all the fuel that is transported to Yellowknife to be stored until the ice roads open up for a couple of months in the winter. Then for two months, there are a mass of trucks taking fuel to the diamond mines in the arctic. For us, it was fun to hear all about how a large tanker truck has to drive the wave in the ice road.

The place is nothing great looking, but hiding some good food and company



As well they should, they are very proud of the fairly new Fort Providence Bridge as it gives 12 month access to the area. So many of the areas are totally isolated during the fall freeze up and spring thaw when the ice road is no good and the ferries can't operate. It it really a beautiful bridge, but then again, we just really like bridges.



When we were crossing the highway patrol told us that we needed to get over quickly and wait for a wide load headed for Yellowknife. Wide it was, and even in the rain, he was driving quite fast.



In the 1960s the Wood Bison were endangered so they were protected in a reserve in this aarea. What a great thing as they are doing quite well and one is well advised to just let them have all the road they want.



And some times, the youngsters just have to roll around feeling their oats.



It is a magical land to which we returned later in the trip --One can not drive straight to the west side of the Northwest Territories, so there were a lot of great things in between ---- to be continued.








[Edited on 9-9-2015 by DianaT]

Thanks much ... kinda makes it go away

Good thing you weren't there in 2011

Diana,
Thank you so much for the pics and story. As a Canadian, I too have yet to explore the northern reaches of my country. The NWT and Yukon are first on my list.....

Yukon has some of that "Alaska" stuff....to see and experience.

The eastern reaches of the NWT opens up the arctic ....Nunavut is what that area is called and encompasses Hudson's Bay area, the Northwestern Passages that connects the Atlantic with the Beaufort Sea....and the Baffin Island archipelago.

The sand on the Great Slave Lake beach looks as inviting as any in Baja....

Again,

muchas gracias

Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert

A huge fore in the area of Lesser Slave Lake nearly sestroyed the town of Slave lake, Alberta and some of my wife's relatives lost their homes. The fire destroyed roughly one-third of Slave Lake; 374 properties were destroyed and 52 damaged in the town, and another 59 were destroyed and 32 damaged in the surrounding Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124, leaving 732 residents homeless. The town hall was completely gutted by the fire, as was the library and radio station. The hospital, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) station and schools remained standing, however. Insurable damage was estimated at C$700 million, making it the second costliest insured disaster in the country's history at the time. A local developer suggested it would be months before the community could even begin to rebuild. An RCMP investigation concluded that the cause of the fire was arson; however, no arrests were made.

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Diana, Thank you so much for the pics and story. As a Canadian, I too have yet to explore the northern reaches of my country. The NWT and Yukon are first on my list..... Yukon has some of that "Alaska" stuff....to see and experience. The eastern reaches of the NWT opens up the arctic ....Nunavut is what that area is called and encompasses Hudson's Bay area, the Northwestern Passages that connects the Atlantic with the Beaufort Sea....and the Baffin Island archipelago. The sand on the Great Slave Lake beach looks as inviting as any in Baja.... Again, muchas gracias

From here, we went west and at one point we ended up going up the Dempster to Inuvik --- pictures will be coming. We had lots of rainy weather and I sure felt for the people on motorcycles and bicyles. But wow, talk about a unique and wonderful area. And I LOVE the Yukon --- as a hotel manager outside of Dawson City told me, it just gets into your heart. I would return to both eagerly!

Whitehorse was a real surprise as we broke down there about 16 years ago and had a bit of difficulty in finding a mechanic. It was quite small. Now there is a Walmart, a Canadian Superstore, Canadian Tire, several car dealerships, and the Golden Arches!

While we have traveled to Eastern Canada --- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, we really want to visit the Hudson Bay area and I want to see all those puffins in Newfoundland.

Oh, the politics of those areas are interesting as we learned from the people. Didn't find any Harper fans. :-)

On edit --- while the Great Slave Lake is the tenth largest lake in the world and the deepest lake in North America, it seems to be a gradual drop off, at least for quite a ways. It is used as a beach for the area and we saw people walk far out and still be only up to their waist.

Tommy --- says it looks just like an ocean, but it is not salty.




[Edited on 9-9-2015 by DianaT]

Quote: Originally posted by bufeo

Thank you, Diana. Most enjoyable. That part of Canada has been on our short list for years. Nice to see your photo-journal of it. Allen R