The Athabasca Country

For years I have read all I can find about Canada's north. Ever since we lived in Fort Smith on the Slave River in the early 70's, I have been particularly interested in the "water route" that took explorers, traders, clergy, trappers and others from the put in at Waterways down the Athabasca River to Lake Athabasca and then either west up the Peace River into British Columbia, east along the length of Lake Athabasca or north down the Slave River which flows into Great Slave Lake at Fort Resolution. Along the way there is an impassable section of rapids necessitating a 16 mile portage from Fort Fitzgerald to Fort Smith. When we lived in Fort Smith I had the opportunity to travel south through Wood Buffalo National Park, along the winter road to Fort Chipewyan....Fort Chip was established as a trading post by Peter Pond working for the Northwest Company in the 1790's.

Now, a great opportunity seems to have just fallen into my lap. My friend and neighbour, Warren Palfrey has entered a team in a new sled dog race that is being run from Fort MacMurray to Fort Chipewyan....called the Three Forts race (it also runs through Fort Mackay), it is a stage event running over four days. I am going to be the handler and the truck driver, the route apparently follows the Athabasca River as well as the winter road that runs north to Fort Chip.....I have always wanted to see this country...I'm not too excited about seeing Fort MacMurray...but I do want to see the river and to put myself into the same place where so many people that I have read about must have stood.....John Franklin, George Simpson, John Hornby, J.B. Tyrell, George Douglas, the list is endless.

I remember that in the 1970's, there was a race from Fort Chipewyan to Fort MacMurray...this is in fact a well-established sled dog route...it is also an old mail run route. I hope to be able to comment on my experiences in future posts.