July 4, 2023: Starting Down the River

First river day!

We packed up camp in the morning (a long process) and then portaged everything down (an even longer process). Mark, Miles, and I made an extra portage trip to help carry down gear (doing a mere fraction of the work already carried out). I was very glad to have our hiking poles on the switch back section for extra support and steadiness. I was also glad that it was about 10 degrees cooler at the base, with cool mist and a strong wind blowing off the falls.

Miles carried this pack (one of our three dry bags)... for about two minutes

Heading down the easy stretch of the portage trail

We had lunch and a couple hours to explore at the base of the falls while the guides packed the rafts. It's amazing that 15 people and all the gear fit into just three rafts. We found fossilized ammonites in some of the rocks, and Kendra found a large bone (perhaps a femur of a caribou?). At one point a floatplane made a daring low swoop over the falls.

Mark is hungry?

Ammonite fossil

Floatplane over the falls

We didn't walk as close to the falls as we could have, but close enough that the rocks had a permanently damp mistward side, even in the strong sun. Fraser told us a story about his partner's father, who went on a Nahanni trip many years ago on which one of their guides disappeared - it is thought he got too close to the falls and slipped to his death. So, we were cautious.


The mistward sides of the rocks stay wet, even in full sun



Finally, mid-afternoon, we were ready to embark on the South Nahanni River. We would wear wetsuits (so as not to get too cold when doused) and helmets for this stretch of the river; these would be our biggest rapids. Mark, Miles, and I were in a boat with Fraser and Lauren. We quickly rounded two corners of Fourth (Painted) Canyon, and then encountered the first rapids. They were huge! I couldn't believe we were going to make it through them. Miles and Mark were at the front, with maximum swamping by waves, Miles exclaiming all the while with glee. The rafts were amazingly stable, and as much as it was a bit of a white-knuckle experience, it was also exhilarating. 

As we pulled out of the rapids, Fraser pointed out his favourite tree, growing near the riverside, sheltered in an overhang of the cliff.

Suited up, with wetsuits, helmets, splash jackets, life jackets, and quick-dry pants.

Fraser expertly leads the group downriver. Fourth Canyon has beautifully coloured walls, thus its name of Painted Canyon. The walls seemed tall (150 m), but that was just a foretaste of what was to come.

Miles, after the deluge of the rapids, looking a bit relieved, even though he said he wanted more (note the completely soaked pants)

Fraser's favourite tree

We were out of the canyon all too soon, and then the views opened up wider, although still with sloping, rocky mountains on both sides. After about an hour we pulled to shore to a campsite known as "Ant." It lives up to its name. None of us, including the guides, have ever seen so many ants. They bite. And climb. Fast.

Ants swarm a fly carcass

Although "anty," the campsite had a lovely beach...

...and also a beautiful view from the Groover (the portable toilet) - all human waste has to be packed out of the park, so it is sealed up in one of several portable containers that were part of our gear.




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