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CANADA'S NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

© Mary M. Alward

This remote part of Canada is one of the few places in North America where you can still have a true wilderness experience.

The Northwest Territories is located above the 60th parallel. It makes up one third of the total area of Canada. Within its boundaries are thousands of lakes and rivers. This area contains nine percent of the world’s freshwater supply. The population numbers 64,000 Inuit, Metis Dene and non-native. If you wish, you can travel the northern waterways of this vast land for weeks without meeting another human being. They offer solitude as well as a unique wilderness experience.

The Native Peoples of the Northwest Territories have used the waterways as a food and transportation source for hundreds of years. Many areas remain untouched by humans. The picturesque beauty of the land beckons men and women from all parts of the world with its beauty.

Canada’s north can be an adventure for any level of boater. This is a great place to canoe or kayak. The Northwest Territories offer crystal clear lakes in the barrens and wild raging whitewater rapids in the mountains. These offer a wide variety of areas to suit all of those with an adventurous spirit.

There are two climate areas in the Northwest Territories. The sub Arctic is below the treeline while the Arctic is above. There are only six weeks of prime canoeing weather. This runs from July 1st to mid-August. Summers in both areas are sunny and dry. Daylight averages 18 to 24 hours a day. The long days together with calm waters in the evening allows canoeists to cover extra miles if they wish.

Animals and plant life are found in abundance. Bison roam freely in Wood Buffalo National Park. It is also the nesting grounds for whooping cranes. Muskox wander and graze the banks of the Thelon River and caribou migrate by the thousands across hundreds of northern rivers.

Fur-bearing animals such as fox, wolves and bear live in the boreal forest and high tundra. Many rivers, lakes and sloughs make the area a perfect nesting ground for migratory birds. Bald eagles are often seen soaring above the high, rocky bluffs along the many rivers. The peregrine falcon, which is on the Endangered Species List, call this area home. Swans, cranes and hawks are often seen in the bush. Grizzly bears roam the barrens above the treeline as well as the MacKenzie Mountains. Black bears stay along the banks of rivers, lakes and streams but do not bother canoeists as long as they are on the water.

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