Our trip
Our trip on the Dubwant, Taltson, Elk, Thelon, and Mary Frances rivers and lakes in between. From Ivanhoe Lake to Snowdrift. 42 days, approximately 550 miles.
The rivers: Ivanhoe Lake, roughly 100 miles northeast of what was then Uranium City, Saskatchewan, is one of the headwaters of the Dubwant River. It was our first experience with a changing landscape. It is similar to northern Minnesota and the Quetico but less dense. Trees seem shorter with more space between. Portages are easier to follow cause bushwhacking is mor convenient.
Crossing a sandy ridge, what we considered a divide, we found ourselves in the Taltson River. Trees continue to be spaced apart more. Patches of tundra. Whitewater. Over another divide we found ourselves in Rennie Lake, the headwaters of Elk River. We were struck by the breadth of sky and horizon. Few trees and spectacular water falls and rapids. Especially Granite Falls at confluence with the Thelon. Fast, fast water; the river blurred as we sped over it. Mary Frances flows into Thelon so we paddled and portaged over to Ft. Reliance on Great Slave Lake. Then travelled down eastern shore to Snowdrift. Flew from there to Yellowknife, then to Edmonton then a train to Winnipeg where we met Widji van.