Day Two on the Dempster Highway

We woke up to absolute calm and the buzz of mosquitoes massing between the tent and the rain fly.

The insects were enraged by the invisible barrier keeping them from biting the animals that they could sense inside the tent.

These calm mornings in wet places have been the only time the bugs are unbearable. We have been very lucky with biting insects and, honestly, the bugs here have been no worse than the bugs in Northern Wisconsin or Minnesota.

We decided to drive to an overlook to make breakfast, so we broke camp and drove to the Ogilvie Ridge overlook. Unfortunately, the fire haze was bad here and the views were shrouded in fire haze from some distant wild fire.

Fortunately for us, the haze didn’t stop some local Ravens from coming close to see if we would feed them. Clearly others have given these Ravens food and they were wary but hopeful. We don’t feed wild animals, but the Ravens, ever optimistic, stuck around.

Our morning oatmeal, coffee for Sarah and hot cocoa for the girls & I came with the entertainment of having three Ravens hanging around in close proximity making all sorts of vocalizations and engaging in some funny antics.

As the day wore on we drove up to the Eagle Plain, which is a high plateau, but due to local effects, has tree cover. There is a large service station, gas station, hotel and restaurant at Eagle Plains.

We stopped to look at a gallery of historical photographs they have on display and use the WiFi, but then continued on our way.

Shortly after Eagle Plains on the Northward trek, we came to 66.5 Degrees North Latitude, which is the Arctic Circle.

We stopped for lunch and while we were there, met an older couple from Medford, Wisconsin who were driving their camper up the Dempster.

The girls found blueberries and a local berry known as blackberries (Note: These blackberries are different from the black raspberries we have in the Midwest) in abundance at the Arctic Circle and busied themselves with filling a quart ziplock bag.

After the berry picking extravaganza, we continued on and next found ourselves at the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territory border.

It was a steep climb to pass into the NWT, and the entire landscape changed from trees and rolling hills to bare tundra with sweeping mountain vistas. It was a very cool transition.

After the NWT border, we continued for about 14 miles to James Creek, which was noted in some guidebooks as having good grayling fishing.

James Creek had a small pull-off for camping, but, just like our first night, it was a boondocking site and was not an official campground.

The water of James Creek was crystal clear and I was excited to fish. Unfortunately, as we started fishing, we realized that the water was very low.

There was not a grayling to be seen anywhere in the creek. It was heartbreaking. The girls hung in there for a fairly long search for fish up the creek from our campsite, but after we hadn’t caught anything for a while, they decided to go back to camp and hang out with mom.

I walked the road downstream and then got back on the creek, still looking for a deep hole that may hold fish. I started fishing upstream back toward our campsite.

I never did find a deep hole, nor any grayling, but shortly after starting to fish upstream toward camp, I noticed that there were many Ravens hanging out just downstream from our campsite.

I immediately became concerned, since that large a group of Ravens could only mean one thing…a dead animal, carrion, food for the scavengers.

As I got within 200 yards of our camp, around a bend in the creek, I came across a dead caribou in the middle of the creek.

Some Ravens were perched on the antlers, still in velvet. Most of the entrails had been eaten away, but I was concerned that this was a Grizzly kill and the bear might be dozing in the thick willow scrub nearby. You don’t want to be anywhere near a Grizzly and it’s kill.

Luckily, there was no Grizzly and the cold water of the creek seemed to chill the carcass and kept it from decomposing or smelling. So, I went back to camp and told Sarah about the Caribou.

We debated moving camp, but we were tired from a long day of driving, plus we had bear spray and bear bangers, so we decided to stay.

We stayed and didn’t have any issues for the night. I’m glad we knew about the Caribou, but, it turned out it wasn’t an issue.

Stay tuned for more updates.

~ Umingmaq