First Foot Patrol

Matthew Nakashuk in the Rock Garden, Thor in background



An injured patroller awaiting heli-evacuation



The Two Matthews, Nakashuk and Nauyuk



Evening light on Thor Peak



There are a number of stream crossings on the south end, like this one across Turnweather Creek



Matthew working on the suspension bridge



Crossing the Windy Lake Suspension Bridge



Matthew and Nathan on first day



Looking at the Forkbeard Glacier and Thor to the right



Matthew on an unclimbed boulder problem. Now climbed at V0, The Arctic Cowboy



The Little Sculpin...I felt sorry for him but a photo was needed!



Taking another smoke break...



The real prize, delicious Arctic char



Arctic hare



Getting into the park by boat



Asgard, as seen from a ridge north of Northumbria Peak

Finally got out on my first patrol on foot. The land looks much bigger from the ground than it does in a helicopter. That being said, from the heli is pretty cool as well. We managed to complete a bunch of tasks at Windy Lake Warden Cabin and at the Thor Emergency shelter. The temp's went to 22 degrees Celsius in the shade, 28 in the sun, while we at Thor. That may be my only warm blast of summer...

I managed to do a sidetrip after work one day, and ran up a ridge in the Northumbria drainage. It got me higher than Thor, which was across the valley, and allowed views out to Asgard in the north, Odin to the south, and everything fine in between.

Saw a couple of okaliks (Arctic hares), had a great bouldering session one evening with the patrollers, and even had a heli evac of a patroller who sprained his ankle near Summit Lake. We were lucky that a heli was in Qikiqtarjuaq and could respond. I was envisioning camping out for several days, waiting for some air support.

Before coming in, I managed to go midnight fishing with my park manager, Dave, and others. The informal competition between the parkies resulted in a tie, two Arctic char apiece. However, I did manage to bring in a sculpin, so technically I won that night. Of course, the little guy was tossed back into the ocean for another day!