Robert Putnam's Trips

Edmonton to Yellow Knife

• Flew into Red Rock Lake

• Paddled in 107 mile

• 2 1 # togue - Cleaver caught 3-4 lb on daredevil.

• One mild rapid - very heavy current

• Visit to Y.K. "Giant" Mine Ore samples from dump

• Cleaver Bags last

• I did not sleep well. Sun woke me at 3:00 am in N.E. (set in N.W.)

Lake Trout Day (Cleaver)

Forest Fire in NW on way in

I am not sure about the statement "Cleaver Bags last". Bags is my best guess. Cleaver was one of the other people on the trip. Maybe someone can come up with a better transcription, so I'll add images of each of the pages to the blog.

July 30th

• 10 miles-Dead tired

• Terrific L.T. fishing in AM. Many on surface on 9-3

• Stopped for lunch on esker

• Caribou horns. Cleaver found quartz sample

• Stopped at "rock vent"- Whats in bedsbine sturn - Brad H. says olivine -gabbo Found tuff and basalt scorin (big boulders). Also quartz- vein in glacial erratic.

• Camped on river well above first big rapids.

Lake Trout Day

Rock Nest Day

I did the best I could on this one but there are a number of words I couldn't identify. Given the context, they are likely minerals or other geologic terms (which I should be able to get, but am not able to). Maybe some of the other geologists in the family can do better.

• 10 Miles

• Big rapids!!!

• Lined first part of 1st rapid Then all Ok.

• 2nd rapid 400 yds ~30 m c/s. Big-Big holes-ran entire rapid on tug __ left. - Then big hole in last drop.

• Carried 3rd rapid - big Culgey huge waves (5-7') ~ 1 mile

• 4th rapid broad, long + easy

• camp on point

• Grayling on hairy mary (one 2 3/4 lbs) and dry muddler

• Moose tracks, wolf tracks

• forest fire smoke

Grayling Day

Rapids Day

There is a word in the description of the second rapids that I could not make out at all. The word "Culgey" in the description of the third rapids is very likely wrong.

Also, I have a question for those of you who are real fly fisherman, is "hairy mary" a real fly name?

Sailing Day

• 23 miles

• More rapid-big but not difficult-5 major ones

• Very fast between lakes-on 5-6 mph

• sailed across 2nd big lake

• Big carry at esker - dragged canoes -1 mile wide!

• Camped on barren island to avoid bugs. - Tern island

• Grayling in evening on Hairy Mary

• Brad Hager got 7 lb Togue

• 1.5-2.0#

There is a drawing in the middle of this page that I believe depicts the setup of the canoes and kayak for sailing. Check out the image for details. Also, I believe Togue is another name for Lake Trout.

Char + Moose Day

• Saw Moose on lake into which Big Sandy R. flows

• Lots of rapids-none tough

• Grayling at camp before breakfast

• Lunch at Fairy Lake R. Grayling immediately (5)

• Brad Hager caught 5# char

• Char + Grayling (#?) in Fairy Lake R. REP got 5# F. lost 7-8#. Cleaver anf B Hager got 2 x _lb and 1 x 12 lb. High wind on lake-paddled mile down "lake" at 5:00 pm. Camped in feldspar glacial flow.

• 10 Miles (9 before lunch)

Gordon Lightfoot Day

• Deja Vu stay at campground (sandy beach, point, Roger + Grizzly bear)

• Wind in our face. Cold!

• Saw Golden Eagle + golden marmot

• G. Lightfoot + friends for lunch. He'd lost his main camera

• Explored stream on right draining next lakes to fairy lake system.

• Grayling + char in stream

• Camp on pt. 1 mile above "narrows"

• <46 degrees at 7:00 pm

• 1715 m.

• Climbed 1000 ft mt after dinner-Beautiful!

Yes, they ran into the singer Gordon Lightfoot in the middle of nowhere. This is a bit of a family history that we all remember. My understanding is that Lightfoot's group had lost some of their gear, including a camera and my father's group helped them out. The story goes that Gordon dedicated a show to the group he met in the arctic.

Wolf Call-Arctic Circle Day

• Wolf calls at 9:15 in camp Weird + Wonderful

• Family canyons ("narrow spots")

• Lunch 1' north of arctic circle/lines

• Walked up to big alpine lake

• Lots of ptarmigan

• Saw DC to Coppermine at lunch

• Brad H caught lots of Grayling in exit stream of lake

• Lovely weather-cool, clear no bugs!

• Golden Marmot at lunch

• lots of bear, wolf, moose, caribou tracks

• Robins!

• Togue in evening at camp - Sandy beach

• 12 miles

Ptarmigan Hunt Day

Foggy at 7:00. then clear

Strong wind at our backs all day

Ate lunch at top of mtn. Then climbed father to beatiful mtn. tarn

View magnificent-oxbows

Sailed 8 m after lunch, then paddled 4. For total of 20.

Camped at Franklin site-Under lofty mtnn.

Hunted Ptarmigan after dinner by throwing sticks.

2 flew clear across river.

No fish! What gives?

Wolf female and cub walked up beach to camp during night.

The Franklin he mentioned was John Franklin, the arctic explorer. This was likely from his Coppermine exploration of 1819-1822.

4 peregrine falcons hovered over us as I made breakfast fire.

• Stopped to look at ducks

• Stopped for lunch on Point-"hunted" ptarmigan

• Stopped at Hook's camp-found some chert chips. B.B. saw caribou

• Camped at point on right

• One mile below Hook's camp

• Went up stream. Cleaver saw cow moose. B.H. caught 7# togue in stream

• Wind at back all day. Cloudy, cool. No bugs till evening Midges terrible.

• 11 miles

• Trip half over in miles.

Putnam Port Cord Day (Cabin) 12.5 miles

Another beautiful day-practically windless. Midges terrible at breakfast and again at supper.

• Lunch uneventful

• Finally through sandy flat section

• Stopped at cabin in beautiful "pond in river" Marmot very close.

• Dinner at narrow split L River. Fishing fabulous. I caught 4# Female "bright" char on #8 Hairy Mary + lots of Grayling. Also on N. Pike on spinner reel. Many Togue (biggest 10#) and northern by others.

• I got grayling, taken by togue+hooked. Broke line

Char attacked by big Walten 4" wand.

I am not sure about the title transcription on this one.

Caribou/Ptarmigan Day

• On water at 8:30

• Stopped at relatively new cabin

• Indian camp+artifacts across river.

• B.H. killed ptarmigan stick at Indian camp

• Beautiful artifacts 1/2 mile upstream from Hook R.

• I found rock of artifacts below Hook R. (Glassy quartz-bright red)-continued all along river for miles

• 4 caribou around Hook R.

• Cleaver caught two char (5 1/4 5 3/4) at Hook R.

• Dinner + camp at first significant rapids in days!

• Rich moon/char/ptarmigan

• Heavy smoke from forest fire-obscured river completely 1/2 mile on each side. Big fire-wind from west.

11 Miles

Rocky Difils Rapids Day

Very cloudy + wet; north wind

Stopped at Franklin's "3 Copper Indian" site (below big island)

Lots of chips + artifacts.

"My Indian God"

Oar, canoe pile.

Lunch at northern rapid.

Ran to Rocky Difils Rapids.

Carried all gear. C.C. carried his canoe (1 mile, up 300')

R.N. ran; P.H/B.H. ran; BH/BB ran. Camped at downstream end.

Big falcons on cliff.

16.5 miles

ferry above Difils-Dogs!

Need some help on this one, the word "Difils" that appears three times does make any sense and I sure I have it wrong, but can't come up with a better option. Also, the "northern" and "Dogs" are probably not right either. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Day of Rest

Everyone up late. Beautiful weather - cool, sunny, just enough wind to keep bugs reasonable.

Up hill to photo. "Falcons" Mottle talon. lovely wings-2-3' wing spread. Thinks gros-grown on top.

Hike on hills.

Bath + repacking in sun.

Washed clothes.

Ran to Kendall's R. Camped 1/2 mile up river on top of 25' canyon of spectacular layer shale. Caught togue (up to 8#) and many Grayling in river.

Found big blocks of shale with ripple marks.

Rain in PM. Cleared at 9:30 a beautiful rainbow.

6 miles

Stayed entire day at Kendall R.

Snow, rain, strong N. wind.

Temp 40-45 degrees F.

Caught 5 lb L.T. on #6 Hairy May.

R.N. saw caribou

I saw gray "Falcon" on ground 10' away when he landed to watch me. Tail fan on take-off had mottled gray top. Flew with feathers close spread.

B.B./C.C found dead caribou.

Tremendous fish chowder for lunch. 7.5 lb. togue/Rich Moose mashed potatoes, corn dried milk

Sun finally showed at 8:00 P.M.

0 Miles

Very Cold, Below freezing at 7:00 am

Cloudy. Strong north wind in our face all day. Eagle.

Stopped at stony creek for lunch

Found two mining claim stakes.

Copper ore _______.

Camped at 1st of two creeks along stony. Hiked up creek - much copper ore at campsite and along creek. Two canoeists from Vancouver caught us here. Left dog at Red Rocks Lake.

Ferried across river and hiked up to crest after dinner.

Mixed clouds but pleasant in evening.

12 miles

Beautiful, clear day. Foggy before 7:00 am. Slow start ~ on water at 11:00 am! Saw eagle in nest - lots of pictures. Mama left for parts unknown.

Stopped at Copper creek for lunch. 3 lb pike by __ ant Dot. RH saw "short-furred dog"

P.H. saw 3 bears. No copper. ate dinner including fried ptarmigan at same spot.

Canoed down to Melaile R. 7-9 pm. Lovely evening.

Caught Grayling in Melaile R. before bed(9-10 PM.) Sun still up at 10:00 but less a _______.

16 miles

( below freezing last night-lie in tent and in camp.)

Chuck caught 9 lb char and 11 lb togue at 11:00 p, in Melaile entry to C.R.

I had a bit of trouble reading this one and may of gotten some of the words wrong. I had a really hard time toward the end of the page and couldn't even figure out one of the words.

Beautiful Day-no clouds-wind gradually building to strong from south.

After Dot caught Char/togue/grayling in am in Melaile; I find char below outfall in main river. An orgy ensued. I caught 4, 2 female, 2 male. caught male 10 lb. caught female 14 lbs, 35" all but one on #8 gray shut, 4th on Dare Devil. Others caught many char. Started paddling at 12am

Lunch above Mailbox rapids, then on to rapids. Many bald eagles, 3 above Mailbox. Ran all of Mailbox except last short drop. R.H. and B.H./D.H. ran all.

Copper in Mailbox rock walls. Orgy of rock hounding.

12 miles.

Camped at Williams Creeks.

Another beautiful day. C.C. up at 6:00 - wadded to canyon - got many clear photos of caribou. Off at 10:00. saw caribou again - many photos. C.C. reported muskox - unconfirmed.

Lunch on island in first drop of sandstone R. then downstream thru more or less continuous rapids. Ran 2nd long section of sandstone about 2' off left cliff face.

Stopped at eagles nest with 2 golden eagles. Saw several other eagles.

Camped at last big level of 25'/mile section. Dot + Chuck upset.

Canyons all day!

11 miles.

Very hazy in north; otherwise brilliant.

Off at 10:30. Stopped at two lakes at 11:30. Hiked + climbed. Back to boats at 3:30. Ran down to Bloody Falls. (Windmills Huge)

(also rapids most of the way to stop)

Portaged around falls - 1/2-3/4 mile.

3 major drops- last is worst.

Eskimos + Amer__ sports gigging char at falls. To bed at 11:30.

Tired!

10 miles

Not sure what the word after Eskimos is meant to be, if anyone has any guesses let me know.

Extremely hazy(___________) till 10:00 then brilliant.

Chuck up early- caught char ___ _____ in heavy water. Can see small char running falls. Char for breakfast. Obviously just not ____; very z____. small eggs. (upstream brilliant char had fully developed eggs.

Brad H. played in main falls. Lots of good movies.

Had a lot of trouble with some of the writing on this one. Did the best I could but couldn't identify some of the words.

Sluggish AM. Char for B.F. Lunch at Falls. Brad H. played in Rapids. Paddled 10 m to Coppermine in 3 hrs

Largest Eskimo village in N. America.

250 kids, 200 adults, 50 whites, 1 Indian.

Camped next to H. Bay Store. Visited school teachers for tea and mgr. of H.B.C. for coffee.

Beautiful dogs

Persistent kids

Saw Masdon et al

Mr. & Mrs. Maeue

Hudson Bay Co.

Coppermine, M.W.T.

Beautiful view of polar sea-islands mirages-big blocks and pack ice. Ice on Coppermine ___ s____ ago.