"North to Athabasca" IS the book you are looking for if you are seeking a canoe-camping escape from the winter doldrums.  This is especially true if you are ready to experiment with river canoe trips way up north.

David Curran & his paddling partner from Massachusetts were seeking a remote northern paddling experience.  They had moderate canoeing experience but, really, the most they had ever done before was the Allagash Waterway in Maine (which he had written his first book about... and which I, myself, paddled 30 years ago).  They settled on the McFarlane River, which dumps into Lake Athabasca in northwestern-most Satchkatchewan.  Only a couple of non-First Nation folks had ever attempted it before so information was sketchy, at best, regarding portages, navigability, etc.  There were some rough canyons to negotiate, several wildlife encounters, some interesting logistics issues, and challenging paddling conditions throughout.  It is a very engaging accounts of their trials, none of which were truly exceptional but all of which will be appreciated by experienced QJ paddlers.

Curran writes in an engaging style.  He has a good sense of humor.  He digresses a lot, wrapping stories from his childhood, etc., into his tale.  Nevertheless, I found myself fairly engrossed in this book.  It was surely what was needed on this, the coldest day of the year (thus far) here in the frozen wastelands of MN.  This is not the best book I have ever recommended in this forum but I certainly rate it as a "very good read".  Those of you like me (& KF & dd & MP & MT & nctry_Ben & others) who find themselves creeping ever northward in their canoe camping ventures will DEFINITELY enjoy this book.  

Now there's not much in this book on the fishing; mostly it's about the exploring & the challenges.  Curran does a good job of putting the reader in his mind as he plans, then paddles this very challenging route.  While it turns out to be a fairly short trip, the account is one of a trip very full of experience & discovery.

Get it from your local library for a winter weekend read.  You will not be disappointed.  This gets a big thumbs up!!

Jimbo  

I'm 3/4 ths of the way through and find it a lively, engaging and entertaining read. Good sense of humor. Just the ticket for a frigid mid winter evening......(Ok, well I did have frost on my windshield one morning and I thought I could almost see my breath the other night.........Brrrr.)

Jimbo wrote on Jan 29^th, 2011 at 1:21pm:


For crying out loud.........figures I'd come along when your used up.....an empty shell.........but a shadow of the man you once were.

Is that a sufficient enough challenge or do I need to taunt you a second time?

Tell you what lets do. We can get a bunch of QJ to put in at Lund at WCPP and travel down the Bloodvein all the way to Winnipeg. Some fun stuff between WCPP and Winnipeg. Just a series of straightforward drops with established portages. We'll go in August when there won't be so much water. Piece of cake.

We will need at least 1 practical joker and at least 2 meek and mild folk who can serve as targets. I fit none of those descriptions so don't get any ideas. That will add the comic relief to the story that you write for BWJ.

Talk with Harlan at Copia about what sort of shuttle and pricing we might expect to get back. The more the merrier. Those interested contact Jimbo after Copia. This will be summer of 2012 so you have plenty of time to save your loose change.

After we get a little backbone back into you we can look at something farther north.

As Jimbo would say, Later

Al

Just call it a "Northern Canadian Wilderness Adventure"...

Jimbo wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2011 at 12:42am:


Not the easiest book to find here in the canoeing capitol of the world, Columbus, Ohio, but my wife got tired of library searches and bought the book from Amazon for me. I enjoyed the book very much and like Curran's style of writing. A very easy read. His style of writing has a way of bringing you into the canoe with him. I would guess the portages around the canyons are much more difficult than what I got from his story. I can empathize with their frame of mind at the end of their journey. Thanks for the heads up on this one.

J