Eliguk Outpost

Pack of 5 I'm sure most of you will be happy to learn that Forrest is still here. It wasn't that he redeemed himself in anyway, but the fact that there is no easy way to get him out of the bush; without using a vehicle like one of the Jeeps. For now he has a few months grace. To say this Winter has been busy is an understatement! Usually we are getting accustomed to hibernation with periods of outdoor activities. This year, I can barely catch up between the surges. I still can't talk about what were up to this Winter, but time will tell. Just know that we…

New Years hit with a bang! Several bangs! The Hoy's (party of 5) traveled from Fort St. James once again, to ring in the New Year with us over a weekend. Brining oodles of food from homemade preserves, to farm raised organic protein and halibut. I was also able to piggy back a grocery order in as well! They arrived on New Years Eve around 8pm. I lit the outdoor grill the moment all the snow machines came down the lake towards the resort. From then on it was nothing but a plethora of food, and good company. They also brought their blue merle Aussie named, Rip. Brook and the…

Christmas arrived with the exit of the arctic outflow, that swept across the country. By Christmas Eve we were experiencing above zero temperatures, with a little snow dusting here and there. We got a visit from the Carnegie neighbor's who snow machined over for Christmas Eve lunch, and pie. It was good to have company for an afternoon. On the 25th, we opted for a roast chicken dinner, tamed down with only a few sides. The chicken was stuffed beyond recognition, through both ends and then under the skin on the breasts. That way the chicken stays really tender and when the skin crisps up on the outside, you can…

"BOOM!!" The small cabin shook as the temperature dropped below 40 degrees. The notched, stacked log walls that absorbed moisture all through the warmer seasons, are now freezing. Moisture freezes, expands and then sounds quite like explosions ring out! It usually happens at night or early morning before the sun rises; while you're sleeping! You never get used to it. I still jump almost a foot off the bed, even in the deepest of sleeps. I've often wondered how every window in the cabin hasn't shattered each time the logs snap under pressure. Plywood cabin roof at -40. Frost seeping through. All the nail tips are frosted. We stay up…

Embracing the darkness Outside the wind whipped the skiff of light snow that fell overnight; periodically sweeping it against the cabin's logs. You could hear the audible sprinkling of the tiny ice fragments each time the gusts came. The icicles hung down past the bedroom window, they had a vibrational chime-like ring; with a soft flicker of hymns as the blowing snow played them. The dogs were taking turns awakening, stretching and yawning in the pitch black cabin. There are no visible clocks, and one doesn’t know if it’s 3am or 7am; you just hope for the latter. My nose was cold, which instinct tells me it's likely been around…

The world: "Why can't you blog more often? I mean, your time is different when you live in the bush with no schedule? There's nothing to do but stare at sunrises through frosty windows, right?" Me: Yeah, right... Here I thought I was blogging all the time; at least it feels that way? Don't ask me where nine days just went to. My only 'down time' was spent in my tub, and it's a carefully orchestrated event just to do that. We don't call it work, so much as the reward of it all doesn't make it seem that way. It's now a new way of Winter life, but only…

The trail home... Mountain Man had left Vanderhoof after 8am. By 2pm, (six hours later) I started calling on the VHF radio every half hour, in anticipation to hear his vocal response. Three hours on the Kluskus, an hour to unload/load, chat with Walt and two hours for a good start on the trail home when towing a load. "He'll be home any minute", I told the dogs. They ran up to the top of the property and sat, eagerly awaiting any sound of a trailer making a metal clang; ringing out through the forest. One hour passed, then two...two turned into four. There was nothing to do but pace…

Mountain Man arrived home later that day, without his loaded trailer. It made it just over Cottonwood Creek before the unpredictable happened. Slowly maneuvering along the trail, over a slight little canter side hill (that he's taken all his heavy loads on), bringing him to an instant stop. The heavy load shifted under the tight straps and both leaf springs under the trailer snapped, bringing the tires on the trailer to a halt! Usually, he's calmed down some before he gets home to me after these things happen. As much as I wish I could help him, I'm fortunate to not be the sounding board to all that is said…

Dad's home! The husband returned yet again, thankfully without incident along the fresh laden snow packed roads and slippery sections of highway. Leaving the big, loaded trailer behind at Walt's and packing in all the perishables in the small trailer. The dogs (now referred to as the 'pack'), were ecstatic to see their master and as a bonus, the female to their pack. Spayed and all now, apparently, she still smells good to them. Grocery items were not all available for stocking up on, a lettuce shortage and other high demand items were missing from store shelves. Dog food has doubled in price over a very short time. We're definitely…

Dark mornings by the wood stove. Of course, as usual Eliguk Lake has its own time zone, and we don't fall back with the rest of the country. We're not alone in that by any means; certain parts of British Columbia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan do not observe daylight savings time. It just makes no sense, and since I am my own township, and no one is here to tell me I can't - I do. Dark mornings are just a part of this time of year, and as usual; I embrace it. My world is quiet without interruption - usually. There's nothing like sitting by the wood stove…