Trapper Paddles and snowshoes

Lately I've been keeping busy in the shop working on another small order of paddles.  These all have the same blade design as well as a modified north woods grip.  The lengths vary from 55 inches to 59 inches.

I've also been working on a pair of Ojibway snowshoes for a client in Fond du lac.  The frames are ready for  the filling.

Wandering in the Nisbet Forest

I took a break from my studies today to take advantage of the fantastic weather.  Taiga and I headed to the Nisbet Forest to spend the day snowshoeing and exploring.  Zoe is in Fond du lac right now so she couldn't join us.  It was a great day for wandering in the forest the sun was warm and there was no wind, the only problem is the lack of snow.  There really wasn't enough to warrant snowshoes but I used them anyway.  For lunch Taiga and I found a nice little sunny spot among a stand of jack pine and made a small fire to boil up some tea.  The lunch menu consisted of cheese biscuits, maple smoked salmon, and cheese.  Taiga had some treats.  While we ate lunch we sat quietly listening the the chickadees, blue jays, gray jays, squirrels, and crows.  Taiga loves to run in the forest and would run as fast and as hard as she could, then she'd dive head first into the snow and plow to a stop.  She's going to sleep well tonight.

 I took this picture to show how little snow there is in the forest

 One of Taiga's favorite things is to chew and sticks.

Boiling water for tea

 Enjoying warm tea by the lunch fire

 Taiga's waiting politely for her lunch

 Taiga doesn't have opposable thumbs so she finds it difficult to operate the camera, so this is a self portrait

She had fun in the snow

Happy People: A year in Taiga

I came across this fantastic film by Werner Herzog a German film maker, producer, screen writer, actor, and opera director.  The film is an excellent portrayal of life in the Siberian Taiga and how traditional craft skills, and perseverance are needed to make a living from the land.

Almost New Year's Eve camping trip

This year we had a small group for our xmas / new years eve camping trip, it was just myself, Zoe, and Jeff and of course Taiga.  Zoe had to be back a bit earlier this year so we moved the trip dates forward a day or two and ended up coming home on the 31st rather than spending New Year's Eve in the woods.

Our destination was the Nipekamew Sand cliffs which I had visited a number of years ago in the summer so I had a rough idea as to what the area was like.   But when we arrived we found the forest to be an immature stand of birch trees.  We had arrived later in the day than we had planned and with the decreasing day light I was beginning to become concerned about finding a suitable camp spot.  After a few km's of pulling the pulks through the deep snow we came to a mature stand of jack pine.  The forest floor was level with lots of firewood available.  This was to be our home for a few days.

We couldn't have asked for better weather.  This year we lucked out with very mild conditions for what seems to becoming an annual New Years Eve camping trip.  I didn't check the thermometer very often but when I did it read -13 degrees C the first night and -5 degrees C during the day.  It seems that in the deep cold, temperatures matter more and I check the thermometer more often and when it's warm, well, it just doesn't matter.  The days were sunny and warm and the nights were star filled and warm next to the fire.

Taiga is our 8 months old Lab and she did very well.  She was very obedient and stayed close to camp.  While on our day hikes she enjoyed running and playing in the deep snow.  Our original destination was the McKay Lake area (same as last year) but with all the mild weather the lake ice was marginal at best so we had to look for an alternative location, preferably one that was on land.  We decided on the Nipekamew Sand Cliffs which are located on the Nipekamew River near where the river crosses highway 165.

The trail winds through thick deciduous forests as well as open coniferous forests.  In some places the trail passes close enough to the Nipekamew River and afforded a great vantage point from high above.  The scale of the forest really makes a person feel small and insignificant.

 Night time comes early at this time of year and we spent many hours sitting around the fire visiting, eating good food, and enjoying warm beverages.  Food is always a highlight of our camping trips and this time was no different.  We enjoyed a tasty sort of stew Jeff made from left over xmas dinner.  Taiga particularly enjoyed the warmth of the fire after a day of hopping through the deep snow.  

During the day the forest was lit up with the warn rays of the sun, it was very impressive.  The sunny days also made for good hiking conditions and we took advantage by exploring in the afternoons.  All the fresh snow made traveling by snowshoe a delight.

The Nipekamew sand cliffs are very picturesque during the summer but there is something special about them in the winter.  Maybe it's that very few people make the effort to visit places like this in the winter.  It takes a lot more work and preparation to make the journey during the winter.  Often the risks are much higher and this trip was no different.  Highway 165 doesn't see very much traffic and hadn't been plowed prior to our arrival or the whole time we were there, there are no residences between highway 2 and the Nipekamew River so if we had run into trouble or got stuck it could have been a long wait for help.  

Finding the first of the three sets of cliffs is no problem, the trail leads right to them.  Finding the second and third cliffs however requires some bushwhacking.  We set off to find the cliffs on the second day and just followed the trail to the first, after a few quick photos we headed off to find the other two.  We had a vague idea as to where they were located, a photo of the crude map on the plaque in the parking lot, a topographic map, and with that we set off in search.  We wandered for and hour or so in the direction we thought they would be.  Trying to match the crude map with the topo was difficult and inaccurate and it was no surprise that we we ran out of day light before we located the cliffs so we headed back to camp to prepare enough firewood to last the evening.  

After we got the maps and our direction sorted out we easily found the third cliffs.  We had brought a lunch and some tea with us so we stopped for a break and enjoyed the view of the cliffs.

The sand cliffs are really quite spectacular, they were deposited 140 million years ago when sediments were laid down by a river that flowed, to what was then a large gulf on the arctic ocean.  From our view across the river, cross bedding could be seen in the cliff walls from when the sediments were deposited.  From these marks the direction of the river can be determined.  We didn't dare venture across the river for a closer look because of the thin ice.  The fresh snow made it looked almost safe but some discoloration of the surface snow gave away the dangerous truth.

Our camp was situated in a mature and open stand of jack pine.  The well spaced trees made finding a tent site easy.  With all the recent mild weather in the area the sphagnum moss on the forest floor was still soft and spongy.  This location had lots of standing dead trees that could be used for firewood.

This was Taiga's first winter camping trip and she did pretty good.  She is very well behaved and listened pretty good, most of the time.  She is only eight months old and is still learning the ropes but always came back when called.  The first day she wasn't really sure about what was going on, she isn't used to spending all day outside and I'm sure she was constantly wandering when we were going to go inside.  By the last day she was fairly content and didn't look disgusted with us all the time.  In addition to the four sleeping bags that we bring for Zoe and I, (we would have been fine with one each due the the mild temps) we brought an old sleeping bag for Taiga to sleep in.  She also had a foam pad and a wool blanket to sit on next to the fire.

During our last night it had started to snow in the evening and continued all night and the following day.  That morning we woke to 5 inches of fresh fluffy snow.  Luckily we had gathered all of our gear the night before and kept it in a central location that made it easy to find even after it had been buried by the snow.  Though we were to travel along the same well packed trail that we made coming in all the fresh snow made the trek out seen almost as difficult as the trek in.

All in all I'd have to say we had a great trip with fantastic weather, which I think we deserved after the last couple of -30 trips.  Everyone seemed to have fun, there was lots of good food, drinks, laughter, and visiting.  I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Varnishing Snowshoes

Ojibway style snowshoes

While the warm weather holds I thought it would be a good time to do some maintenance on my homemade wooden snowshoes. The photo shows my snowshoes (long set) and my mom`s snowshoes (short set) which she just finished building, hanging to dry after a thick coat of varnish was applied. We put down a double layer of poly to keep the mess contained then using a good brush we liberally applied the varnish. We used a good quality spar varnish which should provide an adequate protective coating.

Into the Cold - New Year's Eve in The Woods

If you ask anyone of us about the trip, the first thing they will tell you is that it was cold! Stupid “F-ing” cold! Even I had to admit that the first day and night was a tough one. I’m sure that almost everyone was beginning the wonder what the hell we were doing, heading off over a frozen lake into a head wind that was gusting to over 40 km per hour that dropped the temperature to below -30 C. Though these thoughts were on everyone’s minds, no one wanted to be the person to give in to the cold.

The previous month and a half was spent in anticipation and preparation for this camping trip with the intention of spending New Years Eve in the silence and solitude of the boreal forest in northern Saskatchewan. We were to drive up to our star point on December 29^th and return on January 1^st. Many conversations and emails bounced back and forth between Bryan and I as to the destination. We knew that it had to be in the north, with very little possibility of encountering anyone else; we were looking for peace and quiet. After spending many hours pouring over maps and after changing the destination half of a dozen times it was agreed that we would head to McKay Lake which is 60 km’s north of La Ronge. Actually the deciding factor was some very good local advice from my good friends Mick and Ellen who live at Lamp Lake and a chance internet meeting with the good folks at Paws n Paddles. If you are at all interested in canoeing or dog sledding Miriam and Quincy offer guided canoe tours in the summer and customized dog sled tours in the winter. They proved to be an invaluable source of information about areas to watch for unsafe ice in the McKay Lake area and ultimately inspired us to choose that area.

Like I said it was dam cold pretty well the entire time we were in the woods. The warmest temperature I saw was on the last day when the thermometer read -22 C. The nights were consistently hovering around the -32 C mark. Even with the extreme cold I still feel that we lucked out with the weather. The first day was very windy making it feel much colder than it really was but the wind died down for the duration of our stay and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. If it had remained windy we could have been much worse off. Out of interest, upon returning from the north, Bryan and I tested the accuracy of the thermometer that I had along. It is accurate to within .5 of a degree C.

As it so often does on camping trips, the weather dictates our behaviour and this trip was no different. After traveling the 6 km’s across McKay Lake we came upon Miriam and Quincy with their dogs, they were shuttling supplies to their cabin at the north end of Bartlett Lake. We had no intentions of going further and had started searching for a suitable campsite when Quincy suggested that a clearing only 100 ft along the winter portage would make as suitable place to camp. After a quick scout around we realized that this spot was about the only spot that wasn’t choked with deadfall. Our decision was made easy, by all the readily accessible fire wood; we would be able to keep the fires burning and stay warm. On December 29^th at Latitude 55 degrees 28 minutes, there is only 7 hrs and 46 min of day light and we were running out quickly. Tents were set up in short order and much firewood was brought in and cut to length. The evening was spent around the fire, visiting.

The nights were very comfortable for Zoe and me. Our sleeping bag system worked fantastic, almost too well. We had two -20 degree mummy bags which we zipped together, inside that we each had our own -7 degree bag, and inside that we had a vapour barrier. Being wrapped in 6 inches of down sleeping bags is very warm, so warm in fact that the vapour barriers just made us sweat. Though we were warm, our main concern was the morning; it was going to be very unpleasant emerging from our bags damp to great the extremely cold morning temperatures. We pulled the barriers off and tossed them aside. I’m sure that they would have worked if we hadn’t had the -7 bags.

Day two was spent staying warm, preparing an adequate amount of fire wood that would see us through the day and long evening. It’s amazing how the cold robs you of your desire to do things that you would otherwise think nothing of. Most of us were content with just staying around camp and staying warm. Andrew did a bit of ice fishing but didn’t catch anything; he must have had a bite because his bait was gone. Shortly before supper Bryan and Rob went for a short snowshoe to have a look around while the rest of us stayed back in camp to prepare the evenings meal. For this trip we decided to divide into two groups, each group preparing a group meal. I like this arrangement since it means that I don’t have to cook every night. When our trips are planned as a base camp style trip Bryan and Rob usually bring their hot tent and stove, so after supper when the temperatures began to drop we retreated to the tent to stay warm, share some beverages, and share some good stories.

New Year’s Eve (day three) brought blue skies, calm winds, and a sense of relaxation. I’m not sure about the others but I was starting to become acclimatized to the cold, I wasn’t feeling it as much and I was feeling quite relaxed and content. Everyone else must have been feeling it also because during the day the whole group went out for a snowshoe. Our destination was to have a look at Bartlett Lake. What little energy the sun had in it warmed our faces as we made fresh track in the snow. On days like that there is no better place to be than in the north. Upon arriving back at camp we set about tidying up and preparing for the new year. Miriam had stopped by the day before with a dog sled load of pre-cut wood and a jack pine candle. A jack pine candle is a 5 foot jack pine log which has two cuts, made with a chain saw, running the length forming an “X” in the end. Birch bark is stuffed in the end with the cuts and the whole thing is set in the snow like a candle and the top is lit. We lit it after dark and watched it burn to celebrate the new year. As I wandered in the woods the day before I came across a rabbit trail so before dark Andrew and I set a few snares to see if we could catch anything. The following morning we checked the sets and as luck would have it, we caught two. We quickly field dressed them and cut them up. In addition to the curried dishes that Bryan, Rob, and Valerie provided for supper that night, everyone contributed whatever fixings they could to the pot, and I made rabbit stew. The funniest quote came from Andrew while eating his rabbit, “ah, with every bite I feel more like a man.” Again, the evening was spent sharing beverages and stories in the hot tent. Living out doors takes its Toll and we didn’t make it to midnight to see the new year in. At around 10:30 we figured it was 12 somewhere so we packed it in for the night.

As it often seems to happen, the nicest day is always on the last day and this trip was no different. Clouds had moved in overnight which insolates the earth and made for a fantastic morning sky. The entire eastern sky was painted with amazing reds, yellows, and oranges but soon after the sun had risen the clouds dissipated and it was sunny and calm once again. We would be returning home that day which meant it was a travel day and we needed to get an earlier start. I hate these days, the days when the camp is taken down, I always feel sad to be leaving. The north is where my interests lie and it’s in the north where I am the most comfortable, I feel healthy and strong and my mind is clear. There are no distractions of society and no hoops to jump through, just a pure life and sense of being. I can’t stand to be apart from it.

It’s interesting but when it comes time to pack up camp, nothing seems to fit like it did when you packed at home. It must be all the frost/moisture in the materials that makes most items more bulky, for this reason, Zoe and I purposely loosely pack the gear at the beginning of the trip; that way at the end there will still be enough space to fit it all for the return trip. The return trip was sunny and warm and the group took their time, pausing for breaks and to savour the last few sights along the way. The group was an eclectic mix of people with varying levels of outdoor skill and I enjoyed everyone’s company and the laughter that was shared.

Thanks for making the New Year’s winter camping trip so much fun; Zoe, Bryan, Rob, Valerie, Tara, Andrew, and of course Kaya.

Zoe and Tara staying warm by the jack pine candle

Stirring the rabbit stew

Andrew is cutting potatoes for the stew

The scenery in the narrows of Bartlett Lake was amazing

We made fresh tracks in untouched snow on Bartlett Lake

Bryan is cutting butter for his breakfast

My new ice chisel made quick work of chopping holes through the 20" of ice for fresh drinking water and fishing

I couldn't resist fooling around in the snow with the camera

This was our view from Urton Bay on McKay Lake

We took advantage of the warm sun and dried our sleeping bags

Preparing fire wood was a popular pass time, you warmed up while gathering it, again while cutting the it, and again when it was burned.

Zoe hauling wood back to camp

It got damn cold at night, down to -32 degrees each night

Bryan is preparing tea while supper cooks

Old vs New

The folks at Paws n Paddles stopped by for a visit

Spending time near the fire was a popular pass time

Following a dog sled trail, we made our way across the lake into a 33 km/hr wind

Spirits were high despite the cold

The group is preparing to set out

The sun rise over McKay Lake on January 1st, 2011

First Snowshoeing of the year

Today was my first opportunity of the season to head out side and make tracks in the snow with my new snowshoes. Earlier in the year, actually it was in August, I had made a pair of Ojibway style snowshoes. Read the post here. I had been dying to try them out.

We don't really have a lot of snow on the ground right now but there is enough for snowshoeing. I was very pleased with the way the snowshoes performed. I found they were light under foot, tracked straight, and kept me afloat on what little snow we have. They are much longer than my new style GV's so I was concerned that I was going to have to walk with an extra long stride but that wasn't the case at all. While walking normally the shape of the frames fit together very well and there was no stepping on the sides of one shoe with the other.

There is, however, a bit of a learning curve. My GV's are much shorter in the toe area making it easy to cross step in front of one foot with the other. Not even thinking about it, I had turned to talk to Zoe and stepped on the front of my own snowshoe and down I went. Snow was tossed in all directions and in the end I was covered in the white stuff.

Home made Ojibway style snowshoes

It was very windy -18 degrees C (-28 degrees with the wind)

Saskatoon snowshoe club

The Saskatoon Snowshoe Club is getting geared up for the coming winter and snowshoeing season. If you are looking for a group of people to explore the winter landscapes around Saskatoon, then head over the the SSC's website and check out all the group tours that are planned. A membership to the club is free so be sure to fill out the online membership form in order to receive updates for up coming group tours and be sure to tell all your friends.

Let it snow!

Where's the snow???

I know it's only the begining of September, and as far as I'm concerned summer lasts until November but I just finished building a pair of traditional snowshoes and I'm dying to try them out. My first pair of snowshoes were the new style with aluminum frames and Olefin decking. I like them but the problem is they are very loud. The deck material produces a defening crunch on the snow reducing any chance of seeing wildlife. A number of people that I snowshoe with use the traditional wooden / rawhide style of which are much quieter which is why I've decided to go that route. Another reason I chose to use wood as the material of choice is that I'm trying to, somewhat, revert back to more traditional materials. I'm trying to come up with a blend of new and old, low tech and high tech. Some of the materials of old perform just as well as the new space aged materials so I see no reason to use them.

Using Gilpatricks book Building Snowshoes as a reference, I chose the Ojibway design mainly for its simplicity in the construction. Unlike many Ojibway snowshoes which are symmetrical I've decided to make mine asymmetric with the widest point forward of center. They measure 62" X 12". The filling for the main body is 3/8" nylon webbing. For the toe and heal sections I used 1/8" nylon cord. Three coats of Spar Varnish was applied to seal the wood and filling. As for the bindings, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. For now I'm thinking about just using lamp wick but am concerned that it will not hold my foot secure. I am seriously considering the MM 103-U binding from American Mountain Man. Or may make my own.

The form

Frame strips soaking in water for a couple of days

Frame strips steaming or 2 to 3 hours

Frame bent on the form

Near disaster when one frame strip split (I repaired it with epoxy)

Repaired split

Cross braces

Mortis and tenon joins the cross braces to the frame

Finished snowshoes 62" X 12"