East Central Saskatchewan 2017 Camp 26 (Jul 31-Aug 1)

Early morning sunrise 5:32 am before I leave camp 25.




A small cabin about the same size as my 8' x 10' canvas tent.


The missing piece of the canoe at my previous camp.  What the ...?


The first portage 650 metres long.  The trail looks good at the start.


But soon I need to get out my bow saw to cut some fallen trees in several spots over a period of at least one hour.

At the upper end of the portage, getting my gear to the canoe is a challenge.  There is an old beaver canal but it proves to shallow for even the empty canoe.  I manage to pole and drag the canoe to the lake and walk back over and through the branches of a large fallen spruce tree, getting wet feet in the process.  In order to carry gear to the canoe I saw off the spruce branches and use them to build a corduroy road to the canoe, taking another hour to complete.


Dewberry, a tasty raspberry-like fruit, typically only growing sparsely so I eat them as I walk back empty on the portage.


Agoseris ("false dandelion"), the leaves and flowers edible raw.  The flowers add colour to a salad.


Camp 26, eight km from the last camp, on the small unnamed lake of the portage after checking another spot.  This was a very good site, which I always give thanks for when I leave, saying out loud "You've been a good campsite.  Don't know when I'll see you again."  I cannot remember ever having a bad site, some better than others, it is as good as you make it.















On August 1, I check the next portage.  There are many very large poplar, cottonwood and spruce trees down across the trail.  Except for each end of the portage, I have to cut a brand new 230 metre trail to the side, taking two hours of work.  I wear my hat scarf because blackflies and mosquitoes are bothersome.  Thankfully the temperature has cooled significantly.  I have a late lunch in the bug tent back at camp.  Thank goodness I checked the portage today, after considering leaving it until tomorrow when I move on.  It is interesting that recycling of trees is going to occur, whether by fire, wind, disease or aging.