We had a very busy weekend! On Friday, we spent most of the day in downtown High Level at Sale-a-brate the Sun! It was an outdoor sidewalk sale and sort of trade show.

Then on Sunday, we participated in the Paddle the Peace event. It was a collaborative effort between several municipalities — the County of Northern Lights, Northern Sunrise County, Lac Cardinal County, City of Peace River, Smoky River Regional Economic Development — GeoTourism Canada and us. We paddled from Strong Creek Park (about 13 km south on Shaftesbury Trail) to the DMI bridge where Hwy 986 crosses the river (about 18 km downstream from the Riverfront Park). It was a great day, beautiful weather, and we had great turnout for our first year! Over 100 people! Next year, it will probably double as word of mouth spreads how much fun we had! What a great way to spend Father’s Day.

We took all our boats, except one, a whitewater canoe, down for the event. This pic is us all loaded up in High Level, ready to leave. More pics to follow — we were so busy with the day, we didn’t get any pictures! But lots of other people did, so I’ll add some later on.

By the way, don’t you love the artwork on our vehicle!?! Keep an eye out for us as we drive around Northern Alberta!

The much-anticipated Try a Kayak Day is this Saturday, June 5th! We’ll be at Footner Lake, located just beside the airport, about 10 km north of High Level on Hwy 35. Come by from noon to 5 pm (if it’s nice, we’ll probably stay until 6pm) and have a chance to learn a bit about kayaks and go for a little paddle on the lake.

The forecast looks a little sketchy, but we are sure that in the end, it will be nice — not raining — in the afternoon. If the weather is terrible, we’ll cancel it, and we’ll post a blog entry here so you know. If the weather is iffy, come out anyway, and we’ll be there. If it’s too cold, no worries, we’ll have another Try a Kayak Day in July. June just seems a little too crazy for people.

We have 3 single kayaks and one double kayak that you’ll have a chance to oogle and then try:
- Current Designs Vision 135 Roto (single) more info | reviews (Vision 140)
- Current Designs Breeze (single) more info | reviews
- Prijon Kodiak (single) more info | reviews
- Current Designs Unity (double) more info | reviews

People often think that kayaks are more tippy and scarier than canoes. Not true! Once you get the hang of it, kayaking is wonderfully freeing… you’re in charge of your own boat, you can maneuver really well, and go wherever you want — into very shallow water and tight little spots. Some people are afraid that if they tip, they will be stuck inside and drown. Also not true! If you should tip, it’s very easy to push the kayak away and just pop out of the cockpit and come to the surface. Some people compare it to doing a somersault. Now you might not have done a somersault since you were a kid, but in the water it’s easy and it all comes back to you! If you have a spraydeck/sprayskirt on, you have to take that off first, but it’s also quite easy. At Try a Kayak Day, you won’t be wearing skirts, just to keep it simple.

Hope to see you there!

This Thursday is the first Full Moon Paddling night! And the forecast looks good! Make sure to call this week to book your spot as spaces are limited. The plan is to meet at the beach at Hutch Lake around 10 pm, paddle around for 2-3 hours, and enjoy a warm drink (coffee, tea, hot chocolate) and a campfire after. If it is too windy, Hutch Lake can get quite wavy, so we’ll change the location to Footner Lake. Although Footner is smaller, it is still quite nice to paddle and explore. If the weather is downright yucky, we’ll postpone it for a night and hope for better weather — but I don’t think that’s going to happen. If you can’t make it Friday night, or if we get rained out both nights, we’ll give you a full refund. The cost is $30/person.

So that’s the plan — call us soon while there are still spots available. See you there!

Go to the Full Moon Paddling page.

We went with some friends to paddle the Ponton River yesterday! It was a perfect day for it, and the water level was perfect too. This isn’t a river we normally promote paddling on, because the water level is often too low to paddle — it is only consistently high enough in spring for a short window, but may also be possible if we’ve had lots of rain.

It’s an interesting river, fairly narrow and winding, and the section we did had some nice little class 1 rapids! Lots of fun, and although we bonked a few boulders, we didn’t have any really scary moments. A few tippy spots, but we stayed on the right side of the water!

Enjoy the photos below! If you want to paddle this river, call us (1-877-926-2649) and we can discuss the water levels and what your options are! The river itself starts from the north part of Margaret Lake, a lake on the top plateau of the Caribou Mountains. It’s not a very nice paddle at the beginning, from what I’ve heard — swampy, full of beaver dams, and then gets steep as it drops down the Caribou Mountain slope — but the lower parts are quite nice.

With spring feeling more and more like it’s here to stay, now’s the time to start planning your paddling trip! If you like the “Choose Your Own Adventure” way of doing things, then you’ve got a bit of work to do! We’ve boiled it down into 6 steps:

Step 1: Figure out how much time you have available. Whether you have only a day or several weeks, there are places you can paddle and experience the wilderness of Northwestern Alberta. Look at your schedule and discuss it with whoever you’re going paddling with, and determine how many days you have altogether.

Step 2: Decide where you’d like to paddle. Always wanted to canoe the historic Peace River? Seeking the remoteness of the Chinchaga? To help you decide, read the Where We Paddle page and the Trip Details page. Call us or email if you have any questions.

Step 3: Consider your travel time. If you’re coming from central or southern Alberta, out-of-province, or from farther away, you’ll need to consider your travel time to get to the water. In general, it takes 8 hours driving from Edmonton to High Level, Flow North’s base (add your pit-stops/break time onto that), or 1.5 hrs flying time. Approximate distances and travel times to some popular paddling put-ins are below.

*The Forestry Truck Road is not a real road. It isn’t necessarily passable.

Step 4: Call us to reserve your boat. You can ask us any questions you might have, and we’ll let you know what types of canoes and kayaks we have available on your dates. Try to call at least 2 weeks before! If you call sooner, you’ll have your pick of the boats. You can also let us know if you’d like to take advantage of any of our other services, such as the drop-off or pick-up services.

Step 5: Plan your supplies. You’ll be backcountry camping, so you’ll need to bring everything you need with you. Don’t forget you have to keep all your garbage. Below is our packing list for overnight trips — if you book a Full-Service trip with us, we’ll pack all this for you (except your clothes and personal items)! [download pdf version]

Comprehensive Trip Packing List

Water Supplies:
- jug filled with good water (at least enough for one day)
- water tablets

Stove:
- burner
- base
- fuel canister(s)
- grate or reflector oven or portable fireplace

Kitchen Supplies:
- pot(s)
- bowls
- cups
- cutlery
- paring knife (or 2)
- small cutting board
- dish rag
- dish towels
- paper towels
- biodegradable soap
- FOOD (make a separate list/menu)

For each kayak/canoe:
- bailer or water pump
- rope
- sponge
- spray skirt (for kayaks)
- spare paddle (for canoes)
- spare paddle in 2 halves (for kayaks)

For each person:
- PFD
- paddle
- paddle leash
- whistle (on PFD)
- water bottle
- pocket knife (in PFD pocket)
- map(s)

Safety and Survival Kit:
- first aid kit
- extra band-aids
- first aid book
- signaling mirror
- matches in waterproof container
- fire starter sticks
- survival rations or protein bars
- extra water purification tablets
- reflective emergency blanket
- packet of salt
- cutting wire (instead of axe)
- multi-tool
- small bug spray bottle

Camping Supplies:
- tent(s) (don’t forget the poles)
- sleeping mats
- sleeping bags
- small folding chairs
- axe
- small saw
- matches
- toilet paper (in waterproof bag)
- bag for garbage
- flashlights (with good batteries)
- bug spray and/or bug hat/jacket
- tarps and/or groundsheet
- spare straps/rope

Additional Equipment/Supplies:
- GPS tracking device
- bear spray or bear bangers
- water-tight bags
- plastic pail (for putting food in tree)
- ammonia spray bottle (to “mark” your territory)
- spare zip lock bags (large)
- repair kit (*see below)

Clothes:
- sun hat
- rain hat (or hood on rain jacket)
- heavy shirt or sweater
- medium-weight long-sleeved shirt
- light long-sleeved shirt
- T-shirt or sleeveless shirt
- underwear
- long underwear
- light pants
- zip-off pants (or shorts)
- fleece pants
- wind/rain pants
- old running shoes, water socks or some other easy-to-dry footwear
- dry shoes/hiking boots
- noeprene socks (if desired)
- 2 pairs warm (woolly) socks
- sport socks (several pairs)
- rain/windproof jacket
- fleece jacket
- bug jacket and/or hat
- sunglasses
- paddling gloves (if possible)

Personal Items:
- sleeping bag
- small pillow (if desired)
- washcloth
- towel (not too big)
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- hair brush
- sunscreen
- shaving supplies (if desired)
- prescription medications
- books, notebook, sketch book, etc. (if desired)
- binoculars/camera (in waterproof container, such as a Pelican case)

You do not need to bring:
- shampoo (you can use the biodegradable soap provided)
- smelly soaps/makeup/perfume/deodorant (they attract bears)
- citronella-based bug spray (there’s some evidence that this attracts bears)
- bottled water (use water purification tablets or filters instead)

*Repair Kit
This list comes from Bill Mason’s book Song of the Paddle. Some items are unnecessary for shorter, less-wilderness trips.
- accessories (various screws, nails, bolts, rivets, and spare flashlight bulb) in a small container
- Five-minute epoxy
- tube of seam sealer
- length of thin copper wire
- seat bolts
- cord or string
- contact cement
- small needle-nosed pliers
- piece of beeswax
- extra matches in waterproof container
- piece of cotton or nylon (for tent repairs)
- piece of soft leather (for repairing shoes, gloves, or packs)
- stitching awl
- whetstone (for sharpening knives or fish hooks)
- axe file (for sharpening an axe)
- needle and thread, safety pins
- duct tape
- swiss army knife (or other multi-tool)
- awl punch

If you are missing something, call us! We have everything and we can rent or lend individual items to you. If you are only going for a day trip, see this packing list. [download pdf version]

Step 6: Pack, pack, pack! Gather all your clothes, personal items, food and supplies and pack it all together. Using watertight bags/dry bags is best for most things, and bear-proof containers for food. If you need to rent some dry bags from us, just pack everything in plastic bags, and we’ll transfer everything into dry bags before you push off. Obviously, fresh food will have to be packed last, and carefully.

That’s all you need to do to prepare for your trip! If this is a little too daunting for you, call to book a trip using our full-service outfitting.

The above info is also available on this page.

So you thought bears were the only wildlife to worry about! Well, there’s more. These are the top 3 animals I suggest you be on the lookout for.

Wolves

Bears don’t bother me, but wolves… wolves come in packs! So unless I am in a “pack” of people, I feel nervous. In Nahanni, by Dick Turner (an excellent read!) there are stories of wolves hunting hunters and trappers (perhaps it was karma?!), and this was quite enough to scare me. Recently, I asked a trapper friend of mine, and he said that they aren’t

really that bad. They generally stay far away from people. A solid bonk on the head, or bridge of the nose, will do them in, if necessary. I don’t carry a gun, and I don’t think having one would be an advantage unless you are really comfortable using it. Aiming and missing just uses up your valuable time and brainpower — one of the few advantages we have over wildlife. (We are noticeably lacking pointy teeth and claws.)
Wolves really don’t like to be around human settlements, which explains why you’ve probably never seen one. Don’t worry — you still probably won’t. You might hear them though… let their cry sink into your soul — it’s pretty amazing. And then try to sleep!

Wolverine

Completely unrelated to wolves, the wolverine is quite legendary for its fierceness. You do not want to meet one of these in the bush. About the size of a medium dog, and looking a bit like a bear with an inferiority complex, they are fast, fearless, and have pointy teeth and claws. They aren’t stupid either — no animal is — read this short webpage or go here or here for a little bit more info. Always keep your eyes out for animals you might be disturbing as you walk on the shores of the waters you paddle.

Mosquitos

Ok, I’m half-serious! You won’t need to worry about keeping an eye out for these… they’ll find you! They are attracted to the carbon dioxide we all exhale, so unless you plan on stopping breathing, these critters are a fact of life. The first ones of the year, in April/May are kind of big and slow, but the ones that emerge later are fast and fierce. Apparently, these two types are different species, and there are in fact about 3500 different species in the world. One good thing about the swarms — You don’t need to worry about catching West Nile here. The species that carries it can’t live this far north. They need a little open water year-round, and there’s no question that all of ours freezes!

So there’s no threat to your life, just your sanity! Seriously, the best way to combat them is with bug-screen hats, jackets, etc. Repellent containing DEET also works, but it’s a chemical and not the only solution. They are always worse in the evening and walking through grass or bush will stir them up.They are attracted to dark colours, so dress light. More on mosquitos another time…

Many people get nervous when they realize they’ll be paddling and camping in bear country. In fact, about 75% of Alberta is Bear country, but it’s the part of the province with the least population. So many people are unfamiliar with bears and what to do to avoid a bear encounter — and what to do if you have one.

The most important thing to do is KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU.

You should always keep your wits about you when you’re in the wilderness, but this comes into play especially when you see a bear. Stay calm, and observe the situation. Look at the bear, and see if it looks agitated, surprised, or angry. Look around for any cubs. See if the bear has an escape route; if it doesn’t appear to have one, try to give it one. Talk quietly so it knows you aren’t an animal. See if you can identify if it’s a Grizzly or Black Bear; refer to this BearSmart booklet for lots of great information about bear identification, bear behaviour, and what to do if you encounter a bear. A few highlights from that booklet include:

Everyone wishing to rent a canoe or kayak — or do any other type of outdoor recreation — in Northwestern Alberta should read the booklet before their trip.

You cannot tell the difference between the bears by colour; both Black bears and Grizzlies range from dark to blond colours.

Grizzly Bear	Black Bear
Notice how the Grizzly has smaller ears, and a “dent” where its nose meets its face. Its head above the nose (where its eyes are) is round-ish, like a basketball. It has a hump on its shoulders, and its rear end appears lower than its shoulders.	The Black Bear has large ears that stick out from its head more, and a continuous slope down its face and nose. It doesn’t have a hump, and its rear end is higher than its shoulders.

The first thing to do is prevent encounters in the first place. You can do this by remembering that bears have a very keen sense of smell. Always think about what smells at your campsite, on your body, or in your tent. Keep your tent a smell-free zone — cook, wash dishes, store smelly clothes and all garbage about 100 m away from your tent. Do not sleep in the clothes you cooked or ate in. Put them in an airtight container or bag, or hang them in a tree (or between trees).

If you are walking on the shore looking for a spot to camp, go to the bathroom, or hang your food in a tree, be sure to make a little noise, so any bears in the bush nearby hear you and have the chance to get out of your way.

If you take these steps, you greatly reduce your chance of an encounter. Bears are not interested in eating you; they prefer other foods, such as plants, roots, insects, small mammals and animal carcasses. If you see wild strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries, devil’s club or wild sarsparilla, be extra-alert as these are some favourite foods.

Improperly managed garbage, compost, dirty barbeques, pet food, fruit trees and berry bushes can attract bears. This leads to “problem bears” — but in reality, human behaviour is the problem. In researching this article, I came across a new strategy for “problem bears.” Rather than killing or relocating the bears, there’s a program that uses Karelian Bear Dogs to scare the bears and “teach” them not to come back. Bears are smart and this program is very successful.

For more about bear behaviour, surf the Bear Smart Society’s pages, in particular, this interesting page.

As mentioned in a previous post, it’s a bundle of fun cruising Google Earth or Google Maps looking at places to paddle. I decided to compile links to the maps for all our main paddling destinations here. When you click on a link, feel free to zoom in or out, or pan around to see more of the river or lake. I tried to position each starting point to be interesting in some way! Make sure you are viewing the maps in “satellite” mode.

Peace River
Hay River
Chinchaga River
Wabasca River
Hay-Zama Lake
Hutch Lake
Footner Lake

A few other interesting spots (somewhat harder to get to for paddling):
Margaret Lake
Bistcho Lake
Steen River

I love how on most of these maps, if you select “map” instead of “satellite” view, there’s nothing to see! No roads!

Also, did you notice you can see the Peace River from the home page for Google Maps? The default zoom level is 4, and you can easily see it’s stretched out “S” in Northern Alberta.

We had the most amazing northern lights a couple of nights ago! All I could say was “wow!” They almost filled the sky, dancing and wriggling… and now I have a new list: 30 words for Northern Lights!

They were the kind of northern lights that if you’re driving, you have to pull over or you’ll hit the ditch trying to look at them. They were life changing!

I really wish I had a picture to show you, but none of mine turned out. I was completely transfixed when they were at their peak, and by the time I got my camera, they were fading. And I was in a hurry, which never makes for good photos… and I kept wishing for a fisheye lens! So, I leave you with this one, found on this webpage, which is similar to what we saw (except the lights we had covered more of the sky).

Blogging about paddling in winter isn’t easy! Luckily, spring is in the air, with temps above zero every day and lots of sunshine! Snow is melting like mad, and melt-water is flowing wherever it can. The snow is wet, sticky, and heavy. I would know; I went snowshoeing the other day, and each foot weighed 10 lbs when even a little snow collected on top! Very heavy snow!

Isn’t it funny how many words for snow we have. I have so many, I wonder if I’m part Inuit or Eskimo! Have you heard the urban myth that Eskimos have hundreds of words for snow? I have, and I decided to investigate this.

Well, I’m not the first one; it seems like many people have commented on the origin of this myth, including linguists and historians. So, let me summarize:

Here is my list of favourite words (adjectives) for snow:

*Snow is hypnotizing when driving while it’s snowing and the snow-tunnel effect partially lulls you to sleep.

I found an online Inuktitut dictionary, and searching “snow” gave me 284 search results, including things like “snow for leaky snow house,” “snow house made from trodden snow,” — I don’t think any of them live in snow houses anymore! — and a more modern one, “aircraft blown snow.” I guess it’s like any language; there are many words in dictionaries we don’t really use, like galeanthropy (the delusion that one has become a cat). A quick look through the dictionary found some great adjectives, like sugar snow, feathery snow, soft snow, first snow, fresh snow, and refrozen snow. I’d love to use some of these, but I doubt I could to pronounce them!

In my research I came across this satirical list by Phil James. Perhaps you’ve seen it too — good for a laugh! I don’t think any of the words are real…

The Eskimos’ Hundred Words for Snow

by Phil James