High Level in November

Albertadiver · #1 10-30-2024, 05:28 PM

Looks like I'll be up to High Level next month and about 9 other locations in between Athabasca and Beaverlodge. Looks like I'll be about 2hrs from the border with the territories which I've never been past before. Till now, about the furthest North I've been is Fort Chip, but that was always fly-in.

Won't have a ton of time to explore, but anything worth checking out in the area? It's for work, so won't be able to carry a boomstick with me...

I did do a thread search and didn't come up with a ton. Not really looking forward to the 2500km of driving, but it is what it is. Hopefully the weather holds out for a few more weeks....

Desert Eagle · #2 10-30-2024, 08:11 PM

If you have time in the daylight, might be worth a cruise up to Zama and see if you see any buffalo. The country is pretty mush the same once you are about an hour past peace river, lots of bush and a few farms here and there.

Twisted Canuck · #3 10-30-2024, 08:18 PM

If you're in GP on a day off and want to sit in a stand with a rifle, I'll set you up.

DiabeticKripple · #4 10-30-2024, 08:28 PM

ill be up in good 'ol Rainbow Lake next week for work. Havent been up there in over 10 years.

Albertadiver · #5 10-31-2024, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

If you're in GP on a day off and want to sit in a stand with a rifle, I'll set you up.

May take you up on that sir!

Once the trip is over I'll post up the route I took. Madness to be taking this sort of a road trip in November, but hey, folks out of province did the trip planning and they have no concept of what it's like in Northern Alberta other than what google says....

I told them about what I take with me for emergency supplies if I hit the ditch in a cell dead zone and they were completely befuddled.

Grizzly Adams1 · #6 10-31-2024, 10:43 AM

Alexandra Falls on the NWT border ?

nast70 · #7 10-31-2024, 11:34 AM

Too bad you aren't going up in the spring. A couple years ago i had to drive to Hay River, i swear i saw more bears along the highway than cars!
Alexandra Falls would be worth a drive, especially if it gets colder and there's a bit of ice and fog! Check out the NWT visitors centre if its open. There's a stuffed Polar Bear in there.

Albertadiver · #8 11-06-2024, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Alexandra Falls on the NWT border ?

I was going to head up there today as I was only 2hrs away, but it was late in the day and the roads were a bit greasy from recent snow.

It's pretty amazing country up here, and I wish I had more time to explore.

I did sneak over to the East to check out the Peace River from here (almost to Fort Vermillion) and it got my thinking cap going. I'm wondering if people have done a long canoe trip from Peace River to somewhere around here? I'll have to do some digging, but this seems like a bucket list trip that would take a long time, but would be really neat.

Will post a bit more details on my trip when I'm back. So far though I could have filled my deer tags many times over, plus a couple moose. Two foxes and lots of coyotes along the way.

In the words of Arnie "I'll be BACK!"

Talking moose · #9 11-06-2024, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

I was going to head up there today as I was only 2hrs away, but it was late in the day and the roads were a bit greasy from recent snow.

It's pretty amazing country up here, and I wish I had more time to explore.

I did sneak over to the East to check out the Peace River from here (almost to Fort Vermillion) and it got my thinking cap going. I'm wondering if people have done a long canoe trip from Peace River to somewhere around here? I'll have to do some digging, but this seems like a bucket list trip that would take a long time, but would be really neat.

Will post a bit more details on my trip when I'm back. So far though I could have filled my deer tags many times over, plus a couple moose. Two foxes and lots of coyotes along the way.

In the words of Arnie "I'll be BACK!"

I don’t think they would get through the Vermillion chutes. Maybe with a portage. I can’t remember.

Talking moose · #10 11-06-2024, 08:11 PM

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Talking moose · #11 11-06-2024, 08:12 PM

They don’t look too long I’d imagine there’s a portage

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Albertadiver · #12 11-06-2024, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I don’t think they would get through the Vermillion chutes. Maybe with a portage. I can’t remember.

Hadn't heard of these before - thanks for mentioning! I was thinking about a trip where we'd put in at Peace River, and pull out before the rapids.

https://www.fortvermilionheritage.com/rapids.htm (I love the early internet 1990's era website)

Some really neat history regardless. I stopped at some roadside history signs and then did some searching on the internet. Some of the places up here were settled in the 1780's! Fort Chip is the only other place in Alberta settled in the same time period.

I can't imagine what it would have been like to be up here back then, completely on your own, with the River as the only means of transportation. The vast expanse of forest, muskeg, and beaver ponds would have been mind blowing. Other than the river valleys, it is incredibly flat here. Nothing like being in the foothills where you could have a vantage point to see new areas.

lmtada · #13 11-07-2024, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Alexandra Falls on the NWT border ?

That is a pretty spot. Hard to believe kayakers went over the falls, survived. Quite a drop.

Okotok · #14 11-07-2024, 01:03 PM

The Vermillion rapids are a couple of miles above the chutes. I've only canoed from Peace River to Fort Vermillion many years ago but was told the portage around the rapids and falls is about 8 km if I recall correctly. Smooth sailing to the Slave River after the chutes. Edit: Just looked at Albertadivers link. Much better info there.

Okotok · #15 11-07-2024, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

I was going to head up there today as I was only 2hrs away, but it was late in the day and the roads were a bit greasy from recent snow.

It's pretty amazing country up here, and I wish I had more time to explore.

I did sneak over to the East to check out the Peace River from here (almost to Fort Vermillion) and it got my thinking cap going. I'm wondering if people have done a long canoe trip from Peace River to somewhere around here? I'll have to do some digging, but this seems like a bucket list trip that would take a long time, but would be really neat.

Will post a bit more details on my trip when I'm back. So far though I could have filled my deer tags many times over, plus a couple moose. Two foxes and lots of coyotes along the way.

In the words of Arnie "I'll be BACK!"

This site gives some good info about paddling from Hudson Hope to Fort Vermillion as well as places along the way. We did the trip in 7 days in July from Peace River way back when with fishing stops along the way. Definitely dependent on flow and river levels. https://peacerivercanada.com/userfil...%20Version.pdf

Albertadiver · #16 11-07-2024, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okotok

This site gives some good info about paddling from Hudson Hope to Fort Vermillion as well as places along the way. We did the trip in 7 days in July from Peace River way back when with fishing stops along the way. Definitely dependent on flow and river levels. https://peacerivercanada.com/userfil...%20Version.pdf

Very cool! Thanks!

Had freezing rain overnight in High Level, made things quite greasy till South of Keg River today. Tap the brakes and just kept sailing in the rental car....

Made it to Beaverlodge to see the big beaver statue and crashing in GP for the night.... Long day of driving today....