Rostoætno, canoeing in northern Scandinavia

Again it has been a long time since I last wrote something in this blog. There is so much I could have shared whit you, but time and the ability too use it right is not always there.
In May and June the priority has been water (frozen for skiing and running for canoeing). I have had two open canoeing courses and one for a local school class (grade 8). The plan whit the school class is to go for a one week wilderness canoeing trip in September.

In the end of June/early July me and some friends was on a eight day canoeing trip from Dividalen to Soppero in Sweden. In April we brought the canoes to Dærtahytta by dogs. And on June 23 we were ready for the trip. The first part from Dærta to lake Rosto was easy going on small lakes and some river. The weather was not the best, cold wind and some rain. On lake Rosto we met some problems. There was still some ice! So in stead of one day of easy canoeing we had two days of breaking ice, pulling the canoes over ice and portaging on shore. But we made it to the outlet at last. From here we were looking forward to lots of funny rapids and challenging canoeing. Well, dream on. The water level was high whit the river in full flood. This made for some big rapids and a lot of lining and portaging. The gradient of the river was a little steeper than expected as well. But still it was good fun.
Even at normal water level this river is for experienced canoeist or kayakers only. I lost the count of how many rapids and waterfalls we lined or portaged. But still it is a really nice trip in a beautiful area. The landscape is rolling hills and you are above the tree line for most of the trip.
After three days on the river Rostoaætno we came to the confluence whit Tavaætno, and the two rivers forms the river Lainioætno. From the confluence to Soppero the river is not as wild, but you are still in the wilderness. The river is still moving fast, whit long sections of grade 1 rapids. Here you can really go fast and far in one day. The only thing to look for is Ledakoski, two rapids that can be challenging. The first is grade 2 with some large rocks. Then there is a calm stretch before the next rapid. This is grade 3, but if you take a sneak rout on river right you can come down ok on good water levels. From here its plane old fun to Soppero, whit some big waves and fast moving water.

In Soppero Brit Mari had the coffee ready and soon the sauna was warm. Thank you.

Coppermine River 2007

What is there to be said about it. I don't really know. We paddled a river, intersected by some lakes, we got some fish and we saw some wildlife. How some people are able to write books on their trips I don't know, I find it hard to write some lines about it. But I guess I have to try.
On the 7 of July 2007 (07.07.07 a total coincidence) we flew out from Yellowknife whit a charter plane. After about one and a half hour we landed on Lac de Gras in the late hours of the evening (about 670km from Kugluktuk, our final destination). Although its July, the last remains of the arctic winter can be seen. Most of the lake is cowered whit ice. Its only in the outlet there is some open water. And there we landed (Oh, who are we? Its Arild, on his eleventh canoe trip in Canada, Svein on his first, Robert on his second, Lotta on her first and me on my third. OK, then you know who the crew is). The weather was great, no wind and the late evening sun hanging low in the never ending horizon of the tundra. The bugs were out, and the fish were, by some, reason hiding.
Next morning, before the others had got up I went fishing, and on the third throw a nice 2,5 kg Lake Trout was landed for breakfast. At the same time Robert had gone fishing as well, and got a 7 kg Lake Trout on his firs throw. And that was the largest we got this time. After putting together our folding canoes from Pakboat and Ally, we set of for the first rapids. First rapid was short and fun. But one boat got the line a little wrong, and someone had his first flip over in 11 years, and for his paddling partner, a flip over in his first rapid ever. Perfect start. We were ready for 4 weeks of fun.
The first days saw us through a mix of lakes and fun stretches of river between them. Some nice rapids, most of them we paddled, one portage and some short stretches of lining when it was to shallow to paddle. The Lake Trout fishing continued to be good. If we did not get some in three attempts it was a bad spot for fishing.
On day 6 we came to Obstruction Rapid. This is a long and big rapid. We ran the firs part, nice and easy canoeing. The mid section was to wide and shallow to paddle, so we lined/waded it. The third part was BIG fun, and by far some of the biggest water I have done in a canoe.
After the big fun comes the long silence, or something like that. Anyway, Obstruction Rapid was the beginning of Point Lake, a 120km long lake. This is actually a really nice place on earth. Slabs going down into the lake made good campsites, the fishing was good, and the weather warm and sunny. And the bugs did not bother us to much. Our biggest fear on Point Lake was to get a headwind, but we never saw it. So life was good. After Point Lake we entered Redrock Lake.
On a point, overlooking the lake there was a fish camp or something like that. A float plane indicated that it was someone there, so we went to shore. There we met Max Ward and was invited for coffee and lunch. This was not a regular commercial fish camp, but a private lodge for Max and those he invite. It was like walking into a world we had forgot long ago. We were walking on a soft carpet and washing our hands in warm running water. Eating fresh baked cookies from the kitchen, and being served lunch by a waiter! It was almost a relief to hit the lake again, back in the canoe, a world I new. We turned down the offer to spend the night there, and was happily frying fish in our lavvo in the evening.
After Rocknest Lake it is river for the last 400 km down to Kugluktuk. The first part, about 80km, is some fun rapids, fast moving water and some small lakes. Then there is 130 km whit slow moving water down to Big Bend. From there it is fast river and funny rapids.
The first part is some major rapids and some fast moving river in between. One of these rapids had to be portaged, it was to obstructed to paddle. The rest was just plain fun. The long stretch of slow moving river was a dull and slow part. We had headwind, the fishing was bad and it was cold. There were days whit out fish for dinner, but we lived ok on rice and pasta and a large supply of spices.
After Big Bend the river pick up speed, the Arctic char is plentiful and we saw quite some wildlife, including two wolfs, a lot of Rudolf (caribou) and moose. The Arctic Char is a strange friend. When he is there, we normally got enough to over eat for lunch and diner for a couple of days, and then it would be days we did not meet him.
There is some named rapids on this part of the river (Rocky Defile, Muskox, Sandstone and Escape), and we were eager to see what they looked like. But as everything else, what is written is not what you find in reality. We found some really fun rapids, but not nearly as difficult as described. Never trust what an American write, they use the words different from us.
The last rapid, and a mandatory portage, is Bloody Falls. In 1771 Samuel Hearne and his Indian guides came down the Coppermine and at the last rapid they came over a group of Inuits camped there. The Indians and Inuits were historic enemies, and the Indians massacred the Inuits, hence the name of the falls.
Here at Bloody Falls we spent out last night. One should think that this was a night for thinking back on the trip, contemplating the last moth. I don't know what the others did in their head, but for me it was just an other night. I know its not the last time, I will be back soon, so why think too much?
One last thing. After every one of my trips to Canada people ask me if met many bears. I just have one answer to that: Did Santa come to your house last Christmas? I think there is a bigger chance to meet the real Santa than a real bear. What people think to be bears is in fact someone who has dressed up like a bear, just like some like to dress like Santa i December.

Summer Plans

When looking out the window its not looking much like summer. Clouds hanging low, rain and +8c. Perfect for training dogs, but not for summer activities. I am not complaining, we have had two weeks of warm and sunny days and nights. Its just what its like living up here, its part of the charm.
Hey, what am I doing? Talking about the weather?? That is not the objective of this entry. I was just going to drop some lines about my summer plans. In two weeks its back to Canada again for some weeks of wilderness canoeing. This years trip is going to Coppermine River in Northwest and Nunavut Territorie. Over there, waiting for us is good fishing, big lakes and a wild river, running over the tundra and through the arctic forests. Its four weeks out there on our own, in close contact whit the subarctic nature. I will be back here after the trip whit a report and hopefully some good pictures. Until then have a good summer.
Posting some pictures from an earlier trip to Dubawnt River in 2003.