A long trip home

I arrived at the cabin to waning light. Top Boulder Road was in serious condition. Half way down the road I started second guessing my decision to tackle it. The top part of Boulder Road is one of the highest places on my trapline at 4200 feet. At that point, because of a large pipeline, the area is wide open and subject to big snowdrifts when the winds get high. For several weeks now, I had been plowing my way through without too much trouble but still knowing full well things weren't getting any better. I finally made it to Boulder Hill and a better road but couldn't help but think I wasn't getting out without putting on the chains again.

I awoke early Saturday morning to a blizzard, realizing that my worst fears were about to come true. The wind was howling at what had to be 50 mph and small tornado's of snow were whipping up everywhere when I left the cabin.

This photo doesn't do it justice, but it was really snowing hard and very windy.

 By the time I reached the moose kill the sun was out and the snow had quit, but the wind was still howling. I was having trouble staying on my trails as most were now completely invisible. With no success at the moose kill, I carried on to the bait station, again floundering along the trail but still upright. The bait station hadn't seen any visitors but grey jays; obviously my wolf pack haven't returned to the area yet. I added the last of my fish bait (thanks to everybody for collecting it for me, it is much appreciated) to the bait station and re-soaked my hanging rag with wolf urine and carried on. And then I lost my trail and disappeared into waist-high snow. When I opened up the sled to get out the shovel to start digging out and couldn't find it, I cursed myself for forgetting to throw it in the sled. With a lot of foot and handwork, I finally was back on the trail.

Here I'm completely bogged down. When I stepped off my Ski-doo, I sunk up to my waist.

I spent the rest of the day exploring both the north end and east end of my trapline. Lynx tracks are still everywhere and moose are forever abundant. I encountered some wolf tracks on the east end but I'm sure they must be part of the north end pack, maybe not though. At one point while I was on Grizzly Road, I noticed some ermine tracks crossing in front of me. Something caught my eye to my right so I stopped. What I saw was a hole punched through the snowbank created by the grader. This ermine decided it was easier to go through the bank, rather than over it. The hole went directly through and out the other side.

Easier to go through, rather than over?

A big ol' moose chewing on the willows didn't give a care in the world I was watching him.

Sunday morning I was on the road by 10:00 am. I wanted to get back home, shower and catch the Oilers game. I figured I would be home by 1:00 pm if Boulder Road was in good condition... if there is such a thing. I made it to the top of Boulder Hill without problem but then saw a huge snowdrift right at the top corner. Punching it, I slammed the drift hard and then bogged down. Half an hour later, I had the chains on and was once again heading up the road, fighting it hard. Not more than 500 yards from where I was first stuck, I was suddenly stuck once again, this time with chains on! Somehow I managed to get the truck moving backwards but now I had to deal with the trailer and Ski-doo behind me. Luckily, my ruts were so deep the trailer had no choice but to follow them. Now I was faced with the dilemma of trying to turn the truck and trailer around on the narrow road. Remembering where I'd had a marten set that I had snowmobiled down to several times, packing down a trail, I figured I could back the trailer down the trail far enough that I might be able to turn around. Not seeing the trail because of the snowdrifts, I guessed where it was and managed to get it right. Soon I was headed back towards the cabin and heading towards Whitecourt. It took me 5 1/2 hours to get home from the time I left the cabin. Boulder Road is now officially out of commission. It will be a 5-mile snowmobile ride to the cabin from now on.

Until next time!