#10 - Spring 2010
Dear Friends and Guests
I
guess we are atypical Yukoners. In spring, unlike most others, we don’t
travel south, to Mexico or the Caribbean, but drive another 1500 km
north to the end of the road. Tuktoyaktuk, the northernmost road
accessible point of Canada was our destination. And that is only
possible in winter, for the last 200 km are on “Ice Roads” over frozen
rivers and finally over the Arctic Ocean. The ice is up to 2 m thick
and is allowed for trucks of up to 64 metric tonnes. Hence, we have
reached the estuary where the water flows from Frances Lake after a
long journey of over 2000 km via the Liard and Mackenzie Rivers. Had we
kept sitting in the canoe on our first paddling trip of the season this
April on Frances River, we would have ended up here too sometime in
fall!
  
During
our spring journey all across the Yukon and into the neighbouring
Northwest Territories, we mostly had the roads for us alone or only had
to share them with wildlife. Along the Dempster we were fortunate to
observe several groups of caribous and also the first bears were
roaming around. Migratory birds started their annual journey north and
in Tuktoyaktuk we saw an Arctic ground squirrel posing in front of an
igloo! Further south, while hiking in the Kluane National Park we met
Dall sheep, coyotes and elk. Finally, a side trip to Pacific tidewaters
in Southeast Alaska brought us encounters with various marine animals,
seabirds and seals.
  
By mid May we returned to our lodge. Whereas most of the lake was still
covered with ice, in our sheltered bay there was open water already,
attracting lots of waterfowl. Hesitatingly, the first birch buds
sprouted in the warm spring sun, but towards the end of the month
nature literally exploded! Within one week everything was green, all
trees and shrubs came into leaf and the grass mushroomed from the
ground. What a brilliant spring awakening!
  
The
nice and sunny weather we used for various maintenance works. Because
most of our buildings sit on permafrost or else on instable ground, we
had to rise and newly level some of our cabins including the main
lodge. Furthermore, we renewed stairs and bridges, built benches and
flower boxes, dug drainage channels, rooted out trails and freshly
gravelled them, cut back trees and shrubs, did interior renovations and
paintings and of course nicely cleaned up everything for the upcoming
summer season.
  
Also
office work keeps us constantly busy, particularly the maintenance of
our website. For your convenience, we have uploaded new equipment lists
for lodge
stay and tours,
as well as detailed directions how to get to
Frances Lake. Also our link
page is completely revised offering various
useful and interesting references. Please have a look!
And
now, dear guests, we are ready for you and will be pleased to show you
the incredible nature at Frances Lake. Scenic landscapes, historic
visitations, surprising wildlife encounters, ample plant diversity,
fascinating weather phenomena ─ and simply the very special atmosphere
and spirit of Frances Lake!
Kind regards and see you soon,
Andrea & Martin Laternser
|