Return to the Peel Journal - Day 7 RCGS Expedition. 2018

Hungry Creek at the lower Wind River with Mt Deception in background.

July 23. Hot. Hot. Hot. 30C or more.

We’re camped right at the mouth of Hungry Creek. The place Charles Camsell was sent to in 1905 on the rumor that a “stampede” of prospectors were coming here from Dawson to stake claims. Turns out that stampede was most likely just two men named Waugh and Warren who started

prospecting for gold on the lower Wind in 1905. They never had luck and faced problems getting supplies. In 1910 a Mountie patrol found them near starvation in their cabin. Waugh killed himself the next year.

It’s too bad they didn’t bump into Camsell as he came down the Wind. He could have saved them grief. From his 1905 survey notes:

“Coarse gold is supposed to have been found in the grace of Hungry Creek by the prospectors in 1898 ... very little indication placer gold was found on the bars within 5 miles of its mouth. As the stream rises in a large lake 12 miles up and flows through a low muskeg country to join the Wind River...it appears an unpromising place for the occurrence of gold.”

And Camsell concluded, “The Wind River does not flow through a markedly mineralized belt of rocks.”

Camsell’s mention of muskeg up Hungry Creek explains why the river is a murky, reddish-brown. It’s the first water we’ve seen since the trip began that isn’t crystal clear.

From the cliff face opposite our campsite, the aptly named Mt. Deception, we’ve seen Peregrine falcon swooping down from their nests clinging high up the cliff face. At the base, is a set of rapids we’re eyeing closely. It roars hard along the cliff face, with several large boulders visibile and from our position on the river, we have no option but to run them, given how strong the current is.

Sweepers.

Rapids are one thing, and then there are the sweepers. If you’re going to dump paddling down the Wind it’s probably going to be because of sweepers, trees that cave into the river and cling to the shore. As the current rounds the river’s corners, it draws you into the banks and you need to paddle furiously to avoid getting sucked into the wake of the sweeper which will flip you sideways and swamp your canoe in a heartbeat.

Terry and David looking out for sweepers.

Today we experienced a different kind of sweeper threat: decapitation.

Terry and I got drawn towards shore in a particularly sharp bend in the river. The river is moving swiftly, probably 15 to 20 km/h. We brushed through some branches and came out fine. We then saw a firm, gray 3-inch bare branch coming right at our heads. Paddling hard, it missed Terry by inches on his left. Our stern pulling towards shore, it was coming right at my throat as the current pushed us forward and fast. I dropped my paddle and threw up my hands thinking the branch would give. It didn’t. I dropped onto my back as the branch flew inches overhead.

I then popped back up, grabbed my paddle, now floating in the river beside me, paddled hard to the middle of the channel and yelled out a loud, “JESUS!” All well in the end. Wrists a bit sore from trying to grab the branch. Note to self: Don’t do that.

The water if fast on this stretch of the Wind.

It’s hot up here. I’m sitting in the shade at our campsite where an arctic river meets an arctic stream and I’m pouring with sweat. Yesterday it hit 31c (almost 90F) at Fort McPherson, 250km to the north and well north of the Arctic circle. For the record, that’s not normal.

“Now all you gotta do is fill it with gold nuggets.”

Today we panned for gold on Hungry Creek, lots of swishing of gravel but no joy, not even a few shining flecks in the bottom of our pan, so we took Charles Camsell’s advice and moved on.

On the upside, our gold pan has been one of our best investments. We bought it at the Canadian Tire in Whitehorse for $12. We found it on a shelf by the cashier. As I looked it over in the parking lot, a guy walks past and says, “Now all you gotta do is fill it with gold nuggets.” I laughed.

No gold nuggets in this pan, but here is what we have done with it: when our canoe dumped, the gold pan was our best bailer, it is also an excellent rinse pan for dishes, an excellent cutting board and water bucket for putting out the campfire. Twelve dollars well spent!