Day 2: A Bigger Footprint but So Much Fun!

After an amazing day of snowshoeing, we rose the next day to a dramatically different landscape; in the night, the wind had blown all the snow off the trees. I think I detected a collective sense of loss with this big shift. Hey, wait a second - that was a bit too fast! It seems we're continually reminded of the impermanent nature of - well - nature!

VIDEO: "ICEFISHING ON FISH LAKE ANYONE?"
In an effort to cram as much 'northern experiences' into 3 days, Katie and I hopped on the snow machine - as many call it in the Yukon - and headed up Fish Lake. (I had to be reassured the ice was very thick and could, for example, handle the big trucks of the Tommy Hilfiger shoot as well as the production activities of the CBC series "Northern Town".) Okay, I was convinced and ready to go! We crossed the 10 km length of Fish Lake and found the trail, that took us deeper into the wilderness of the Subalpine forest, until the trees got more and more scarce. It was an entertaining ride with lots of dips and corners that sent us leaning in the opposite direction in order to stay on track. Most of the time we were successful but the softness of the snow, and my wrong-direction-leaning, resulted in us careening off the path a couple of times. (But isn't that where life is more interesting?) The first time it happened, I was ready to pack 'er in as I had no experience with this heavy mechanical beast but Katie's expertise got us easily back on track and deeper into the mountains.

VIDEO: "BACKSEAT IN THE BACKCOUNTRY"
We had a few stops, during our 4-hr/50 km outing, to stretch and refuel with a yummy lunch and ginger tea. And we gave the right-of-way to a group of 4 dog mushing teams from a local ranch that offers tourists guided trips.


VIDEO: "DOG MUSHERS"

Our snowmobile trip took us to the height of land between the Fish Lake and Ibex watersheds.
We then had to hightail it back as we were losing the light. Funny, on the way there we were chasing the light and witnessed many sunsets as we rode from mountain to valley to mountain again.
"LOOKING BACK ACROSS FISH LAKE"
On our return trip we chased the sunset, with a handy back-up in the snow machine's headlight, which helped us navigate across the lake past the - now defunct - fox farm. During that final leg, I took the helm and noticed my inner redneck surfacing, the one who wanted to go faster and faster and faster! Then it was home to a nice warm house and a chili dinner prepared by Dennis. Nice. "HELMET HAIR"

The next morning I took off back to Vancouver, brimming with wonderful memories of my time in the Yukon, and one sore arse! But I'd do it all again as this was an amazing way to wrap up the cross-Canada tour of my film, "The U.S. and Us"!