09/29/2026
July 10th-16th:
Our first week on the water was as wild as it comes. The pristine, large lakes welcomed us with fierce headwinds, unpredictable temperatures, and plenty of rain. We acclimated quickly and accordingly, opportunistically seeking breaks in the 25+ mph gusts of wind blowing straight from the arctic. We likely have enough stories from this week alone to last a lifetime and then some. A few honorable mentions:
🐟“Low riding” and “gunwale dipping” for the better part of week with our 400 pounds of food, plus other gear. Some say it was like paddling in molasses combined with the winds, four-foot waves, and our numb hands
🐟Abby lost her pants (she found them several days later in the bottom of a food pack)
🐟Clipping our cowtails (tow tethers) to the canoe bows and dragging our boats through waist-deep headwinds on Whitman Lake
🐟Lightning striking the water right in front of Kay and Maddy while they paddled a rapid
🐟Crashing every single campsite and accepting this was our new reality
🐟Annabel found an ancient clay tool that looked like a kitchen mortar
🐟Emmy ripping her NRS dry pants day one (they never recovered)
🐟Katherine caught more trees than fish in learning how to fly fish (she became a pro eventually)
🐟Finding an active ceremonial site, climbing eskers, camping way up in the trees & hills to avoid our tents getting blown away
