One Last Post

Crow Mountain

To help a friend out where you live,  you might help them move into a new house. Or help them move furniture or maybe even a boat. In Old Crow, you help a friend by bringing 15 sled dogs and 13 sled dog pups down a mountain to a new dogyard. I got to do this a few nights ago and it was so much fun! We took 3 trips down with several dogs each (I only got one or two at a time depending on how strong they were). And were they ever strong! I fell once and they pulled so hard. We were wishing it was winter so that we could be in sleds and have the dogs do the work and pull us down.

The last job was to bring the two mother dogs and two litters of pups down. We did this with the help of a quad, a trailer and two tupperware bins. My friend took care of the mother dogs while I collected the tiny few-day old pups and put them into two separate tupperware bins. We quaded down the mountain with one mother dog in a crate on the trailer and the other running beside us (this is a popular way to keep sled dogs exercised in summer time--run them beside quads). All dogs and pups were returned to their summer dog yard and the pups were safely put into dog houses that my friend had set up with straw. This entire process was so exciting and fun and I feel really luck to have been able to experience it.

Dogs taking a drink from the river after coming down from the mountain

I am writing this post on June 12th. It was a blowing snowstorm when I woke up this morning. My first thought was "At least I don't have to tree plant in this." I dressed warmly, walked my dog in it and made a big pot of tea to have with breakfast. I guess this is pretty normal for living in the Arctic, and one year it snowed on July 1st. When I walked into the staff room today, written on the white board said: 'Only two more days until Christmas Holidays' (instead of summer holidays).

Add caption



Second litter of pups

This might be my last post before leaving Old Crow as I fly out in a few days. I have enjoyed my time here and think I might be a bit taken by the Yukon so much that I'll be back here somewhere in September. Thank you all, for reading my posts and following my stories I have put here. I will leave you with a few close-up shots of the spring growth on the path beside the airport that I often walk.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley



A Nest of Puppies

Such a proud Momma dog with her 8 pups

Last night I had quite the adventurous walk up the mountain. I will tell about it in this post. My friend and I often walk up the mountain to chat and get some exercise. There are several dog teams tied up partway up there right now, because of the danger of flooding that was present when the river was breaking up. Normally the dog teams are tied up beside the river and in the case of a flood, they would quickly drown, being tied up and having no way to escape.

When we walk by the dogs, they start barking and running around in the area they can reach. Often we comment that we hope one doesn't get loose. Well yesterday I was without my friend and one was loose. It ran up to me and luckly was friendly. I tried to get him tied back up the best I could when the action happened. My dog went over to one dog's area and the next thing I know, they are fighting, scrapping it out. I yell at my dog to get away, while simultaneously looking down and realizing the reason for the fight. A nest of puppies lies near the spot where they were fight. The fighting dog was a Mom and was protecting her pups.

A nest of 8 pups in a little hole in the Earth

At closer look, there were 8 puppies--3 black, two brown, one blonde and two white. Their eyes were closed and they could fit into the palm of your hand. The Mom looked so proud of her pups and you could tell she would do anything to keep them safe.

Spring has turned to summer so rapidly here. With it being near 24 hour daylight, it seems like the buds coming out on trees and the greening of the land is fast forwarded compared to places further South. The photo below is taken on the road up the mountain where I have taken many photos from. The view is equally stunning in all seasons. I feel so lucky to have been here to see the change in seasons. It is comforting to know that whatever is going on in your life, good or bad, that the seasons change just the same. Time passes through good times and not so good times.

Old Crow from the road up the mountain

We had a CO2 car race at the school today. It was great to see the cars that my class made (with the help of a community member) raced in front of their parents and peers. Thanks for reading my blog and more photos to come in the upcoming days.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley

Upriver in a Locally Built Boat

A week and a bit ago this was filled with icebergs coming from the Crow River.

Before moving to the Yukon, a long time Yukoner was giving me some tips on what to bring, Yukon weather and Yukon way of life. He told me of the viscously cold winter and the warmest of the warm items of clothing that I should be sure to pack. He went on to say that in May it would be an almost immediate switch to summer. As hard as this was to believe, after the snowstorm on May 1st this advice couldn't have rang more true. The snow melted almost immediately and I went from sporting layers and a coat to wearing a t-shirt.

Twelve Mile Bluffs (cliffs seen in distance) with sun reflecting off them

Spring in Old Crow is beautiful. I once again again felt lucky and honoured to get asked to go on a trip with a family here. We went in a boat that the Father built last spring. It took him 2 weeks of on and off work to build it. The daughters helped paint it, and it is truly a useful and practical work of art. We traveled about 57km up river in the boat and saw many amazing things. I'll truly never forget this day.

The photos in this post are not from the trip upriver. I was just recently able to borrow a cable to charge my camera, so I didn't have a camera for the river trip. I will describe it the best I can. Lacking my camera on this day got me thinking about the act of taking photos on a trip and an incredible experience. Does it take away from the present moment? Is an amazing experience better without a camera lens between you and it? Are memories less potent when you experienced them from behind a lens? Or do they fade sooner if we don't have a camera to remember them by?

3 cranes flying above my house

We packed the boat with food, blankets (including a caribou hide blanket) and guns and set out. I definitely did not dress warm enough. On the river it was winter again. My amazing hosts lent me a parka and I was toasty warm for the rest of the day. We saw black ducks, mallards, swans, cranes, geese and a muskrat. They were hoping to see a caribou and shoot it, but there were no caribou crossing the river when we were out. I have been told the caribou cross at night more often than in the day.

I have seen more ravens in Old Crow than anywhere else

We stopped a few hours upriver for lunch. The girls and I explored the camp up from the river and found a caribou antler that I brought for my dog to chew (apparently great to clean their teeth and definitely gives her something to do) and so much ledie muskiit (laborador tea). The girls collected a bunch to bring home with them. We climbed to the top of the hill where we were afforded an amazing view of a lake called Fish lake and a few others. Near where we had lunch was a cabin where a woman raised 17 children and expertly lived off the land for many years.

Old Crow Airport

Swallows swooping and darting; Arena in the background

We continued up river for another few hours and stopped at a place where the cliffs were steep and towered over the river. We skipped so many stones into the river and I learned so much about the land and the history of Old Crow. We saw a section of river that chunked off in a landslide so massive that it could apparently be heard from Old Crow. The girls and I learned how to use my new GPS and followed our trip on there. The trip back to Old Crow was incredibly windy and my face looked and felt like I had been outside for much longer than one day. I wished I could have been, as this day was one of my favourited ones in Old Crow yet.

My class made lunch for their parents and some Elders of the community yesterday. They picked ledie muskiit and made a tea to serve to the Elders. It was a wonderful experience to experience and I am very proud of them for their hard work.

My apologies for the lack of posts in the past little while. It has been a hectic few weeks and my motivation is not as great when I don't have photographs to include with my writing. Maybe that comes with being a very visual person, learner and thinker. I hope you are all well. I am so excited  to see those of you in Vancouver in a few weeks, and to see those of you in Ontario in August. We will have many stories to share and catch up on.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley

Caribou Days and River Break Up

It has been a very exciting few days in Old Crow. The caribou have arrived and are migrating through Old Crow on their way from their winter grounds to their summer calving grounds in Alaska. I was walking up the mountain on Monday evening when my friend all of a sudden said, "Caribou!" And there was a caribou on the road in front of us. We saw another one on the road and several in the forest later on the walk. We have since changed our walk route, because there are many hunters up there now.

People are hunting caribou and peoples' freezers are filling up with caribou meat. For thousands of year, the Vuntut Gwitch'in have relied on the caribou for food and survival, and it is amazing that the caribou are still such a vital part of life for the Vuntut Gwitch'in.

Swimming Caribou (not my photograph)

The return of the caribou is just in time for Caribou Days, the festival that happens here in Old Crow on May long weekend. It has been a fun filled three days. So much local, traditional food, demonstrations (caribou skinning, muskrat skinning) and games and races.

A funny thing happened to me during a race called the Gwitch'in Man and Woman Race. The race is an individual one, where one person goes at a time and you are timed. The race is simulating a day out at Crow Flats living traditionally and involves the following:

-Running out of a wall tent
-Hauling a fell tree into the tent
-Pouring tea
-Sawing a log of wood
-Running with a pack filled with rocks
-Portaging a canoe around community hall (still wearing the pack)
-Setting a muskrat trap
-Skinning a caribou leg
-Saying a phrase in Gwitch'in to an Elder
-Running back into the tent and lying down

So I entered the race. It was all going well. I was pretty speedy during the canoe portaging portion and people were even cheering a bit. The trap setting went well. The trouble came when I unsheathed the knife I was going to skin the caribou leg with. I somehow managed to slice my finger while unsheathing the knife. Thinking nobody would notice my blood among the caribou blood, I finished skinning the leg, said my Gwitch'in phrase to the Elders. Drin Gwinzee. Dini Choo? which means, 'Good Day. How are you?' And I finished the race. I then had to go to the nursing station because the nurse thought I might need stitches for my quite deeply cut finger. Moral of the story: Southern Canadian teacher does not make a very good Gwitch'in Woman. Lots of fun, being in the race though.

The other exciting thing that happened recently is the break up of the ice on the Porcupine River. A sure sign of spring, and a very exciting even in the year, it happened on Friday. I lay on a beach beside the River, enjoying the sun. When I lay down I was 15 feet from the river's edge. When I opened my eyes, the river was at my feet. It had risen so much in the half an hour I was lying there! Very exciting and a very beautiful fleeting moment. The beach was long gone when I walked by the next day.

There are massive chunks of ice floating down the river. Yesterday there were caribou on the ice. I also spotted a mouse on an ice chunk. He was running back and forth, and to the top of the ice chunk trying to get off it somehow. Poor little guy was doomed, but did he ever look cute on that floating ice berg!

Hope everyone is enjoying spring. I am excited to see everyone this summer, whether it be in Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Muskoka, or Golden Beach Road. Thanks again for reading.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley

Second Mountain

Moss campion (I think) partway up Second Mountain

Despite it being a bizzardy and blowing snowstorm on May 1, it was warm enough yesterday that I was able to cross country in a t-shirt. A party of four of us hiked and skiied to the summit of Second Mountain, which is part of the Old Crow mountain range. This is the mountain that could most easily be seen from atop Crow Mountain, as it is right beside it. It is higher than Crow Mountain and afforded an even better 360 degree mountain view of the surrounding mountains, rivers and lakes that make up Crow Flats. I must note that these aren't my photographs, but a friend of mine's who was on the trip. She was kind enough to send me her photos as I am still waiting on a camera cord that I ordered.

Cross country skis took us to the base of Second Mountain

We hiked to the gravel pit, then skiied to the base of the mountain. From there we were able to hike again, because we were hiking up the South face which had only patches of snow left. The hike to the top was enjoyable and uneventful (except for almost losing some sunglasses) and we passed the time by telling stories of past trips and exchanging knowledge about the history of the area. One of the researchers I hiked Second Mountain with recently did a canoe voyage from Ottawa, Ontario to Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The route they took was one of the most popular furtrading routes (the Northwest Route) and it was done partly through CPAWS to raise awareness about watershed conservation. He had many stories to tell about the trip. My favourite answer he had for my many questions about the trip was what he said when I asked what he did when he got back. "Barracaded myself in the house alone and watched movies and sat on the couch for 10 days," was what he said. I would have needed my alone time too, after five and a half months of being around the same 7 people 24-7.



Caribou antlers partway up Second Mountain

The view from the top was amazing. The other peaks of Second Mountain could be seen. The way down was when we found the best discoveries of the day trip. We found ground squirrel homes on the mountain side, on spots where it was dirt only. There were many beside each other--a village of ground squirrel dwellings.

Caribou antlers atop Second Mountain

The winding Porcupine River from atop Second Mountain

On the way down we also came across a half a caribou leg, hoof and all. Being eaten by a wolf was our best guess, as nobody from town has shot any caribou yet. It reminds me to mention that next weekend (the long weekend) is Caribou Days in Old Crow. This is a weekend celebration to mark the migration of the caribou past Old Crow on their way to their calving grounds. It is apparently a really exciting time and there will be many activities and feasts and community events to celebrate this important time.

Caribou leg, hoof and all that we came across on the way down

Ground squirrel holes

Skiing back to the gravel pit

Another great day with great company and stunning views of the land around Old Crow, Yukon. According to the GPS we traveled 12km each way on our trip.

The Porcupine River should break in the next few days. The rivers south of us have broken already and so the Porcupine should be the next one to break up. I am really looking forward to seeing this happen.

On Friday afternoon my friend who took me to Crow Flats by skidoo, drove me by quad up to the gravel pit. The binoculars he had were powerful enough to see every tree and to see the spot on the river that the school cabin is on. Many people are quadding up the mountain road now that it is clear, to get a view of the land around the town.

There are all kinds of birds around, and I hear them from the moment I step out of my house in the morning to when I get home from walking my dog in the evening. There are geese out on the river and I have heard and seen cranes (sandhill cranes I think). There are also robins this far north, which surprised me a bit.

Thanks for reading, and hope everyone is well wherever you are!

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley

Golden Eagle and a Special Feast

Skiing down Crow Mountain a few weekends ago

Hi Friends and Family! Things in Old Crow are going generally well. I had a really neat day today and so I will discuss it here.

The school year is winding down. We had our last "Hot Lunch" today, which is a lunch program put on by the Vuntut Gwitch'in Government (VGG) every Monday and Friday for the students at the school I work at. Often the meal is locally sourced food. It will be caribou soup with bannock bread. Sometimes it is salmon from the Porcupine River with rice and veggies. Community members often come to have lunch with their son/daughter/neice/nephew/grandchild.

After school I was walking my dog on the road behind my house and I saw the most gorgeous bird I have ever seen. I am pretty sure it was a golden eagle, and it was absolutely massive and very different (more brown/gold and bigger) than the bald eagles I am used to seeing on Vancouver Island and Northern BC. It appeared to be being chased by two ravens who must have been protecting a nest or some area from the golden eagle. It was a moment that truly stopped time and had me completely and fully present in the moment.



Second Mountain viewed from Crow Mountain

After the golden eagle encounter I attended a feast at Old Crow Community Hall. The occasion for the feast was the 90th birthday of one of the Elders of Old Crow. I'm not sure if I have mentioned much about feasts in Old Crow, but they have been one of the highlights of living here for me. Everyone brings their own dishes to the feast and there is always a huge array of food and dessert. Caribou has been a staple food of all the feasts I have been at and it is always so delicious. The Elders get served first at the feasts and younger people serve them so they can stay in their seats. People chat in line, get their food and sit along the walls of the community hall to eat. Fiddle players might be playing during dinner. Laughter can be heard and stories are always being told around the large round room.

Today we sang Happy Birthday to the Elder who turned 90. She is a truly remarkable woman who is still sharp and alert and who has had 17 children and raised 6 Grandchildren. It amazes me to imagine the changes to her town and the world that this woman has witnessed throughout her lifetime. It makes me wonder the changes I'll see throughout my life. After dinner she gave a speech (in Gwitch'in, that was transalated to English) expressing her thanks for everyone coming out to celebrate her birthday. She expressed sadness for seeing so many of her close friends pass away, but was mostly smiling and so thankful for what she has done and had in her life. We played a few group games (for prizes) after her speech and it was a really enjoyable feast.



Old Crow malamute sled dog pup

My day finished with a walk above tree line with a few friends in Old Crow. This malamute pup came along after we untied him from his tree partway up mountain. Some people are starting to tie their dogs up to trees partway up the mountain in case of a  flood. The Porcupine River is thought to break up in the next week or two, and whenever the river breaks there is a risk of a flood. Dogs (who are tied up) are especially at risk for dying in the case of a flood which is why people move their dogs partway up the mountain before break up.

I am really excited to see the river break up. It will be quite powerful I think, and a very exciting time for the town. Thanks for reading my blog and for all the emails, texts and skype dates. I miss you all and can't wait to see you next.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley

Ski Touring Day on Crow Mountain

I could lie and say I'm a dog whisperer, but the truth is that I'm holding a bag of raw meat

The descent down Crow Mountain

Today I did something I have wanted to do since arriving in Old Crow. I skiied up (and down) Crow Mountain. Four humans and four dogs made the trek, two people on skis and two on snowshoes. Two of us were teachers and the other two were researchers, one doing a phD on muskrats and the other conducting research on H. pylori (a bacteria that causes ulcers and potentially stomach cancer and is common is Old Crow).

Ayla, (far left) with her husky friends

Huskies in their element on the mountain

The first point of interest we got to was a gravel pit quarry that has been mined for gravel to be used for roads in town. Again, I was amazed by the massive machinery in a place that brings everything in by plane. We then saw that exact plane land and take off, which was quite neat. When watching it land or take off from town it is quite huge and impressive. From part way up a mountain it looked small and insignificant.



Gravel pit machinery

Gravel pit part way up Crow Mountain

The next impressive view was of Second Mountain. Most of the snow on Second Mountain was gone and it gave us an impressive view our entire way to the top. There were patchy spots on Crow Mountain. It was quite neat to step over beautiful lichen with my cross country skis. At the end of April too!

The crew for the day, with Second Mountain in the background

Kiss from a malamute pup

Never thought my Sudbury skis would see Yukon lichen :)

The view from the top of the mountain was beyond stunning. Picture a 360 degree view of mountains, with oxbowed rivers, river banks, and lakes in front of the mountains. The sky is massive and surreal. A few white ptarmigans flew down the mountain beside us. A massive raven sails on the thermals above us. Is he hunting, or do they do this for fun?

The Porcupine River from partway up Crow Mountain

Two researchers and a teacher eating lunch on top of Crow Mountain

Caribou antlers at the summit of Crow Mountain

Skiing down was unreal fun. Although on cross country skis, I was able to make some incredibly fun turns. The snow was lightly powder on top and just soft enough to not fall through but to be able to carve. I could have played up there all day--hiking up and skiing down time after time. At one point I couldn't resist trying to take a little jump with my cross country skis. It went well until I hit soft snow and my skis dug in and I literally fell face first into (luckily soft) snow. Lots of laughing.

Nonstop play fighting for the dogs

Just seconds before the most epic faceplant of my life

Tired pups resting at lunch

Old Crow and the Porcupine River from atop Crow Mountain

Crow Mountain gave an incredibly veiw of the town of Old Crow and gave a good idea of why the put the town where. I was able to see where Culture Camp happened, and where I had gone skidooing and skiing on the Porcuipine River. I found a few caribou antlers sticking out of the snow on my ski down. Absolutely breathtaking. I am so thankful for good company, good conversation, sunshine and a summit.

Thanks for reading.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley

Skidoo Trip to Crow Flats

I was asked by a well regarded Elder in the community to go to Crow Flats. This is very much an honour, as this is the area that the Vuntut Gwitch'in (People of the Lakes) have been trapping and hunting at for thousands of years. Crow Flats is to Old Crow as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. It is the place to go and see while in Old Crow. We went by skidoo on Saturday and it was one of my favourite days here yet.

Panoramic View of Crow Flats taken from King Edward Mountain

Crow Flats is a 6172km squared wetland surrounded by mountains. It is one of the oldest archaeological sites of human inhabitation in North America and consists of over 2000 ponds and marshes. It is considered an Important Bird Area in Yukon because it is a breeding area for peregrine falcons and allows a habitat for water fowl and other species of birds. Southern Crow Flats is a Special Management Area and the Northern part is a part of Vuntut National Park.

Crow Flats from King Edward Mountain

Crow Flats is a very important breeding area for aquatic mammals. Muskrats are the most commonly trapped mammal here. There is a guy from Montreal doing his Masters on muskrats in Crow Flats. He spends a lot of time in Crow Flats with local trappers doing his research. He is known in Old Crow as "Rat boy" (muskrat boy) or "That rat bastard."

As we stood beside the skidoo and overlooked Crow Flats, my friend who took me to Crow Flats told me they call Crow Flats "Old Crow Bank" because of how much money people used to make selling muskrat furs to the Hudson Bay Company during the fur trade. My friend has been going to Crow Flats since he was a kid. They used to use dog teams to take their equipment and they would walk. The trip would take 2 or 3 days. We got there in a few hours by skidoo.

Stunning mountain views amazed me the entire trip

Three skidoos and 5 people were on our trip to Crow Flats

Highlights of my trip to Crow Flats include:

-Seeing a gorgeous and healthy looking red fox run across a lake beside us.
-Making a snow angel on a lake in Crow Flats
-The Mountains we rode beside to get to Crow Flats
-Eating roasted corn on the cob at the fire we made in Crow Flats over lunch
-Being outside all day in the bright sunshine

Snow angels on a lake at Crow Flats

A friend of mine asked in an email about fruit availability in Old Crow. I eat mostly frozen fruit that comes in my food order from Whitehorse. I buy fresh bananas and apples from the Northern Store. When I was in Dawson I brought back as many fresh fruit as I could.

While I'm on the topic of fruit, I might as well mention my birthday. My birthday was a few weeks ago and a friend of mine here had a BBQ to celebrate. He BBQed steaks for people, we had prawns and I brought the ingredients for a sundae bar. If I couldn't have wine on my birthday, (Old Crow is a dry community if I haven't mentioned that yet) I was going to have to have ice cream with chocolate candy and fresh fruit as toppings. It was a really fun night and I felt lucky to have friends here to help me celebrate my birthday.

I'll post about caribou fences tomorrow. My class is doing an English Language Arts writing piece about them and they are quite fascinating to learn about.

Thanks for reading. Hope everyone is well and happy.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley

Duck Soup



On a walk up Crow Mountain Road Today

In my last post I described the plucking, singing and gutting process of preparing a duck to eat. This was done on Tuesday. On Wednesday afternoon, the students in my class made the duck into soup. The ducks were kept in the fridge over night. When we pulled them out, the educational support worker taught the students how to slice the duck to be put into the soup. Now that the duck was gutted, the entire duck (head included) was put into the soup. It was boiled with soup base, rice, cauliflower and broccoli.

We ate the soup at the end of the school day that we made it. The Elder who shot them came to eat with our class which was really special. It was my first time having duck soup and it was quite rich and thick. There weren't big chunks of duck, but the broth was thick. I prefer caribou soup and caribou meat to duck (caribou is so tasty!) but I was am really happy to know how to make duck soup and to have had the chance to try it.

Old Crow and the Porcupine River seen from Crow Mountain Road

I organized a pizza dough cooking class for my class this past week. When I opened the fridge to put perishable pizza making supplies in, I found four muskrats almost staring back out at me. Quite a unique experience that I enjoyed. During the pizza making time there was a moose head (yes, a massive and real moose head) in a box at the end of the kitchen. I think it is made into a soup as well and it was put here before being made into a moose head stew. It is so wonderful to have so many traditional foods in the school these days. It is one of the very exciting things about spring time here in Old Crow.

Bannock is a popular traditional food of Old Crow

Bannock is a bread like bun made from flour, butter, milk and salt. One of the events over Easter weekend was a bannock making competition. This is where the above photo was taken. Bannock goes deliciously well with caribou stew or duck stew.

I am honored to have been asked by a local of Old Crow to go to Crow Flats by skidoo tomorrow. Crow Flats is the area North of Old Crow that has been used as a hunting, fishing and trapping grounds of the Vuntut Gwitch'in peoples for thousands of years. The Vuntut Gwitch'in are "People of the Lakes" because of Crow Flats. I am going by skidoo tomorrow and could not be more excited. It apparently takes two hours to get there.

I am really enjoying my time in Old Crow. The light is amazing. The people are amazing. The melting of the snow has people using skidoos, bikes, and four wheelers for transportation. There is enough snow in some places to ski still, but it won't be for long. It has been in the pluses for temperature and has been sunny every day since I can remember.

The land is stunningly beautiful here. I hope my photos are doing it justice. It is so vast, open, wild and free. I will take photos tomorrow on my trip to Crow Flats and do a post about Crow Flats as soon as I can.

Mahsi Choo (thank you) for reading my blog. Hope you are enjoying spring wherever it is that you are.

Warm Regards from Old Crow,

Haley