Protect the Peel Watershed

The following is an open letter to the Premier of the Yukon. The Yukon Government announced last week that they intend to open the Peel Watershed for mining even though consultation and recommendation for protection has taken place over that past number of years. The Yukon's Peel River Watershed is one of the largest and most beautiful intact natural areas left in North America and located in the north east corner of the Yukon. I paddled the Bonnet Plume in the early '80s with Cath Constable, Robin Trudel and Mike MacMillian.


Make a difference at www.protectpeel.ca

Open letter to Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski:

I feel compelled to write today after reading news of your government’s position with respect to the Peel watershed. I have followed this issue from afar for some time now.

“From afar” being small town Ontario. I am not a Yukoner anymore but spent a number of years living in Whitehorse and Carcross. I also had the opportunity to paddle the Bonnet Plume in the early ‘80s. We flew into Bonnet Plume Lake, still covered with breaking ice and spent 16 days paddling the swollen river to Fort McPherson. We saw lots of wildlife, stunning peaks and absorbed the beauty of that flowing river. We also saw a whole lot of abandoned 45-gallon drums from previous mining exploration. I know firsthand the beauty of this land, the tranquil and the violent flow of that river and the peace and sense of accomplishment in doing a river trip like this.

I understand your responsibilities as the premier with respect to growing the economy, providing jobs for Yukoners and increasing the level of quality of life for all the people of the Yukon. But at what cost? I understand the mining activity in the Yukon at present is doing fairly well. I am not opposed to mining. In fact, I worked in mining exploration for most of the time I was in the Yukon. You may refer to me as an Outsider, someone from the South, and that not being a Yukoner, I should not have any say in how this land is developed.

My answer to that is that I am a Canadian. I am certain there are lots of Canadians and former Yukoners who recognize the value in protecting land for future generations.

There is a park just south of where I live called Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park. It is less than two hours from Toronto and, as there are no road access points into the land, likely receives fewer visitors than the Peel watershed. It is a piece of land protected. It has been set aside so that future generations can enjoy a space of natural beauty as the surrounding lands become more developed. It also contains the headwaters for various water systems. I have never been there. Whether I ever go see this park is really irrelevant Ð it is the fact that spaces like this exist that is comforting. There is something very Canadian about that.

There will come a time when the value of the protected land will exceed the value of what is in the ground.

I ask that you move cautiously on any decisions on the Peel watershed. Think in terms of investment on the long term. Think how your grandchildren would view action taken today. You now have an opportunity to create a legacy for all Yukoners and all Canadians. Please do not take this responsibility lightly.

David Raithby

Muskoka Falls, Ontario

The Peel River Canyon.

Pooley Canyon, Windy Arm

 Windy Arm of Tagish lake has a long mining history.
Dan Kemble and his son Wes talked Rob Macdonald, Dick Eastmure and myself into a hike to the old mine site in Pooley Canyon. Big hike...a couple of thousand feet up...hands and knees stuff...and a steep drop into the Pooley Canyon and the Vaults mine site.
The mine operated for about 10 years...until the price of silver dropped. At the base of the moutain was a small town named after the mining promoter, John Conrad. The town had about 200 inhabitants, stores, churches, hotels, restaurants, baths and laundry, a post office, a mining recorder's office as well as regular steamboat service from Carcross. There was talk at one time of extending the White Pass line to Conrad.

 One steep climb....even for the goats.

Rest spot half way up.

You can see a tiny waterfall center right of photo. To get there we still need to go up a few hundred feet before we can drop into the Pooley Canyon

Center photo...old tramway tower. Cost $80,000 to build in 1905. It was to run 18,697 feet from a small bay on Windy Arm, just north of the mouth of Montana Creek, to the Mountain Hero claim, 3,464 feet above the level of the lower terminal. Crossing over two canyons, the tramway was designed with the longest span between towers in the world, 2,960 feet. The tram had carts to carry the ore as well as single seats for the miners to ride up to the work site....the first ski lift!

 

Looking down into Pooley and the mine site at the waterfall.

The creek that flows down Pooley Canyon starts behind Montana Mtn.

 Looking out the cabin window down the valley.

The view down to Windy Arm. One steep Canyon....easy to see the only way into the canyon is to get above it and drop in.

Still standing....old tram tower.

Fall Falls...High Falls and Little High Falls

Kirk Wipper

Kirk Albert Walter Wipper

Since I heard the news of Kirk’s passing, I have been thinking a lot of Kandalore and the influences that special place had on my character. It has been over 30 years since I was last there but the memories flowed in like a warm tide. Kirk may most be remembered as a U of T professor or for starting the Canadian Canoe Museum or his devotion to camping life but I most remember him as the guy who ran Camp Kanalore.

I was a little homesick camper in 1968 when I first arrived for a months stay. Looking back, I think that Kirk was the first adult I addressed by his first name…he wasn’t Mr Wipper…he was Kirk.

The focus was always tripping. Even at 9 we went on a three day canoe trip. It was a loop up to Shelborne and Little Hawk Lake and the dreaded Saskatchewan portage. In later years it was the Montreal River with Jim Raffin, the Kipawa with Terry Thomas and Dave Fallis, Maple Mountain, a gruelling trip down the Nipissing in Algonquin Park and a survival trip out of Garden Island with Muldoon.

Other thoughts of camp life have been rolling in my mind. Johnny Cake and Yorgan’s Revenge. Indian Council ring. Being a Voyageur! Dressed in our whites walking single file and silently to Chapel Island. Last night fires. The promise of Free Tuck! Changing the flags as a CIT in the tower at the waterfront. The Ghost!

I also remember campers and staff. Geoff and Dave Moon. The Lyon brothers. Frank Fadore, Dave Coffee. Fellow Muskokan George Anderson. Dave Brown and many, many others.

Kandalore was Kirk’s place. It was his agenda and he set the tone. As a young lad, you couldn’t ask for a better role model or a better place to spend your summers.

I have three boys who have all experience summer camp. My youngest is a LIT this coming summer. The value of summer camp is unquestionable. Learning to live in a group, picking up camping skills or just sitting around a fire telling stories are memories that I, and my kids, will carry forever.

I only saw Kirk once in the last thirty years. I do wish I had told him the impact Kandalore had on my life. I will be forever greatful.

March break get a way

Took a couple of days off work and headed to the cottage.

There is no road access in the winter but the ice is still good and thick so it was an easy walk down the lake.

A couple of days of doing nothing…reading, eating and drinking wine.

Went for a nice walk on Friday. The only thing skidoos are good for is building a good base to walk in the woods. The skidoo trial was as wide as a road. I googled earthed it when I got home and it looks like an old logging road that goes way back into the crown land….looks like a spring mtn bike trip to see where it goes.

Even had a very rare March thunderstorm on Thursday night!

On the way home, we dropped in and had dinner with friends in Parry Sound and we to the Stockey Centre to see Joel Plaskett.

A little scare....

Just a little scare…..We spent a couple of days in Collingwood skiing this month. The house we stayed at was brand new…even had that new car smell. While we were there, I wasn’t feeling all that great. Couldn’t sleep and was having a hard time catching my breath.


When we got back to Bracebridge, I thought I should go to the clinic and see what was wrong. I do have allergies and get shots on a bi-weekly basis so I thought I had a lung or sinus infection. I just couldn’t get a full breath….didn’t feel like I had any capacity in my lungs.

Doctor says…”any stress in your life?”

I say,” Well…I work in a prison so there is always an edge”

He says…and I am not kidding here…”maybe you had a heart attack.”

If that doesn’t raise you stress level, nothing will.

Next thing I am at the hospital all wired up, chest x-rays and blood taken.

A couple of hours later…they find nothing and send me home. But I had a follow up appointment with a heart guy.

A week later I am all wired up again and riding a bike in the doctor’s office. Riding a bike is no big deal for me so I passed with flying colours.

So what caused all this?

The doc thinks (and I agree) that is was caused by all the toxics and other crap that comes with new carpeting. The place we stayed at had brand new carpet throughout so I was having a reaction to that.

Thank goodness we have hardwood floors in our house!

The Frost

Neil's Lunch

It’s Canadian Marathon weekend in Quebec. Steph, Pam and Anne are there kicking butt I am sure. Didn’t go to Quebec so today we skied the Frost.

The Frost Centre has 20 odd km of groomed trails through hardwood bush and cedar lowlands. It was a prefect day for a ski. Minus 8 and the sun was shinning.



Sugar Shack





The Front has a couple of cabins along the way where the very friendly volunteer staff start the fires in the morning. These volunteers are happy to have visitor and are knowledgeable about trails and terrain.

This is also an oppertunity to plan a hot lunch. Neil brought a loaf of bread filled with cheese, raspberry jam and chocolate! We brought along some pulled pork. Each cabin has a wood stove so a perfect place to warm up your lunch and have a rest.

The trails were in great shape thanks to lots of new snow and a good groomer. Sugar Shack and icefalls along the way.

We really have had a good cross country season. The weather is going to turn warm this week with a threat of rain….hopefully that is just weatherman talk.