25 Back/Bailey far north (Read 20086 times)
Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #10 - Jul 16th, 2008 at 10:41pm
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Glad I scheduled some time for YK, but 2 days is enough time to see most of it. The local book store had a wall of nothing but arctic and canoe tripping stuff I'd not seen before.

ST, I bought a back up battery. Probably should get an extra memory card too. OTB's were perfect. Used a 2mm NRS wetsock and a NRS Hydroskin liner. There was still some ice floating down the river with us. Solid footing. Slightly tight kneeling in the bow and getting the boots under the seat. But still OK enough to feel safe if I needed to do a wet exit.

Check out outfitters; Black Feather, Wanapitei, and Nahanni River Adventures. I got a list of rivers from the other trippers I need to do. Mountain, Bonnet Plume, Nahanni, etc.

First couple days on the Baillie we were running ~25 sets a day, CII & a couple CIII. All scouted from the boats on the fly, except one CIV. You could see the river falling away. 8 kph with just the current. Decked  canoes, a couple Old Town Discos, knee pads, but no thigh straps. Decks worked great. You could pull the skirt up or down like a wind breaker as the weather changed.
  
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FishTale
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #11 - Jul 17th, 2008 at 6:45am
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JJS, Nice trip!  I paddled the Back four summers ago right in the area you were at - What a trip!  My only complaint was it was too short (10 days).  I would go back in a heart beat but finance/costs have kept me away.  How much was your float plane?  I had to get out my photo album...
  
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Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #12 - Jul 17th, 2008 at 10:23pm
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About 8k for a turbo-beaver, arctic west?? airlines. We needed to stop twice coming back from Hawk Rapids to refuel. Pilot took off from YK at ~ 6 AM and we were back in YK ~ 6 PM. Pilot was cool. Picked us up below Hawk Rapids and flew low through the canyon on the way out. He was having as much fun as we were. Fuel stops are wherever they leave some 55 gal drums. Used a diamond mine for one stop.

I went with Wanapitei. I don't think these outfitters make much on these trips. $$'s add up fast.
  
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FishTale
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #13 - Jul 18th, 2008 at 4:10am
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We (6 crew/3 canoes) flew out from Yellowknife in a Twin Otter using Air Tindi, We didn't have to stop to refuel once.  They dropped us off at Jim Magrum Lake and we were picked up at Hawke Rapids.  I was surprised the Baily had so many rapids, I thought that it was much more mild than the back.  How was the fishing?  I has in absolute heaven - Big Lakers and Arctic Greyling, with that magic hour of dusk almost lasting all night.  I definitely want to go back.
  
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Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #14 - Sep 7th, 2008 at 1:02pm
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I'm been trying to get some pics posted, so I'll try again.
Spent a few days in YK walking around. Lots of shacks in old town, here's a great place to eat.
  
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Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #15 - Sep 7th, 2008 at 1:04pm
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The town was getting ready for Canada Day and repainted these craved into the rock.
  
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Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #16 - Sep 7th, 2008 at 1:06pm
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Here's the view from on top of old town looking to the new town section.
  
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Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #17 - Sep 7th, 2008 at 1:12pm
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Flew out July 1. Here's our fuel stop at the end of Slave Lake, Ft. Reliance. The airlines just stash their fuel barrels where ever, using a nice beach with deep "open" water, no large rocks.
  
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Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #18 - Sep 7th, 2008 at 1:18pm
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That's a trashed plane next to the storage container.

Back in the air we begin to see the end of trees.

In the air we see Artillery Lake is still frozen up.
  
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Jim J Solo
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Re: Back/Bailey far north
Reply #19 - Sep 7th, 2008 at 1:23pm
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Our original lake is still frozen too. So we find place to put down farther up on another tributary. It works out this was a better place to start, no portaging.
  
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