George River Solo 2018

Day 21
Start Time: 8/4/2018 0:00 PM
Duration: 0:00
Distance / Total (km): 00 / 258.8

I got up at 9:00am; it was looking a little grey in spite of a forecast calling for clear blue skies. On a lark I decided I would attempt to obtain a trout for breakfast, set up my gear and wandered down the trail towards the bottom end of the gorge. In this middle part of the 565m portage there are a number of parallel game trails, trails that were also used by the occupant(s) of a cabin just downstream. I had visited the cabin in 2010, at that time it was in very rough shape so I did not bother to revisit. As I made my way, the trails faded, the underbrush thickened, it seems much more overgrown that I remember. It’s not much of a surprise really, estimates of the George River caribou herd in the 70’s to early 90’s were around 300,000 – 500,000, by 2010 that number had fallen to about 25,000 with current estimates of perhaps 5,000 animals remaining in a massive land area. The “trail” ends abruptly at a 4m cliff face, there is a small spot where a tent might fit. I started casting into the pool, had a few nibbles and caught a few rocks. After badly bending a few hooks I gave up, at least this time I didn’t lose a lure! I went back to the Pod for tea & oatmeal, so much easier.

While I was confirming my feeble fishing skills, the clouds had started to break up, this continued all day until evening when the last of it faded away. After breakfast, I went to get the canoe, normally for a distance like this I would carry but with the lack of a clear trail to follow and that up/down at the creek it seemed easier to simply drag, the other bonus was that paddles and a few other things could just sit in the boat. It was hot and sweaty work but went faster than expected, past the campsite it is generally downhill.

I went back to the Pod to recover and then out again to take pictures of the gorge. In the later afternoon, I did some gear shuffling so that I could take a load down to the put-in, this would mean less to move in the morning. I lowered the canoe over the cliff and then likewise with Green Monster. Secured the canoe and moved it into position to receive my gear in the morning then back to camp for some hydration. Around 6:30pm I made a bag of Kung Pao Chicken with Rice (Backpackers Pantry), this was my first repeat of the trip and it is a good one, the brown rice does get better with time and a bit if extra water. Desert is the usual oatmeal raisin cookie and chocolate.

It is a very pleasant evening, almost no bugs in the Pod and the stars will be out soon. By 10:00pm I was set up for the morning, I decided to move to the Marmot and call it an early night, if I stayed in the Pod I might get “involved” in things and have one of my crazy late nights. Better to try to get away in good time in the morning, there will be other starry nights ahead to enjoy.