THE LURE of MISTASTIN Text and Photos by Herb Pohl
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Summer 2006 Vol. 33 No.2 Quarterly Journal of the Wilderness Canoe Association Our first view of Lake Mistastin, overlayed on top of the earliest map which shows the Mistastin River to which I refer. Probably of little interest to anyone but me. THE LURE OF MISTASTIN Text and photos by Herb Pohl When I returned home from my trip in '96 (see Nastawgan vol. The lake is the site of an impact crater formed some 36 mil- 25, #3, Autumn '98) it was with a sense of regret and resigna- lion years ago and occupies the centre of a huge corrugated tion, thinking that my wanderings in Labrador had reached bowl. A number of small streams enter it from all directions, their inevitable end. The fasciitis, which had caused me to ter- but they appear much too small to offer reasonable access for minate that trip at the halfway point, seemed to take forever to the canoeist. Perhaps, for this reason I could not find any refer- subside and I interpreted it as a sign that I had to limit myself to ence in the literature of recreational travellers ever visiting the journeys of a less demanding nature, at least in terms of portag- region. The exception is William Brooks Cabot [see exerpts] ing. And so, for several years I tried to put Labrador out of my who made a short detour on foot to the northwestern shore of mind. But there remained one unfulfilled ambition, which the lake in 1910 while on his way back from Indian House Lake would not go away: to see Mistastin Lake. to the coast. I was also intrigued by the fact that the earliest Camp that evening was on a bench of gravel which separated two lakes. maps of the region showed Mistastin modern marriages. I suppose the glue Jim Hudson, the owner of TWA and Lake and its outflow to the coast without that cemented the arrangement was shar- pilot of a turbo Beaver agreed to fly us showing the Kogaluk River above its ing the high cost of getting to the pro- into the camp from Churchill Falls, one. junction with the Mistastin River. That posed starting point at the headwaters of boat and passenger at a time, for less would imply a source older than Cabot, the Notakwanon. than half the quote from Tamarlink. This because he clearly showed the Assiwaban It's a long drive from Southern was a very much-appreciated develop- (Cabot's name for the Kogaluk) above the Ontario to Goose Bay and I thought I did ment, particularly since it promised a juncture of the two streams. Where did well to cover the 2,800 kilometres in two quick departure. Time was an important this information come from? Together, and a half days. Patrick managed the element because Patrick had some teach- this question was all the excuse I needed journey from Michigan in 36 hours. It ing commitments that meant we had to to want to visit the area, although years pointed out a significant difference in our be in Nain on August l l th to catch the of staring at the maps had convinced me capabilities and I could only hope this weekly trip of the Northern Ranger for that to get there would require an inor- difference wouldn't continue beyond the the return journey to Goose Bay. This dinate amount of portaging. And so the end of the road. I had made prior gave us three weeks, normally ample issue was put on the back burner time arrangements with Tamarlink Air to fly time for the distance we had to cover, and again. By the time A.D. 2001 rolled us into a small lake not far from where I but as mentioned above, the expectation along I realized that there wasn't a back had crossed the height of land from of much portaging was going to make burner left in this man's kitchen and it Quebec into Labrador in '84. When I this a slow trip. was now or never. pointed out the unnamed lake on the Bad weather delayed our departure For many years Pat Lewtas and I had large wall map to the agent, I was and by the end of the second day, only I traded stories about our various experi- informed that Torngat Wilderness had made it to the camp. It was situated ences and made tentative plans to go on Adventures (TWA) had a hunting camp on the shore of Crystal Lake - not an offi- a trip together, but somehow it never there. cial name - but quite appropriate. Jim worked out. Pat, who has done a num- "They are flying in supplies right now, Hudson had had the good sense not to ber of remarkable solo trips, probably I because the hunting season is not far clear the area of trees but tried to fit the suspect, didn't want to compromise his away," said the good man and then buildings into the existing vegetation. I in- independence. It was therefore a bit of a added with a knowing smile: "They can stantly liked the place and so apparently surprise when our annual discussions probably fly you in for less money than I did the caribou because they moved ended in his joining me on this occasion, can." It pays sometimes to travel with a through in large numbers on their south- with the understanding that we would be slightly threadbare look and old well- ward migration, without taking offense at completely self-sufficient and could go used equipment: people take pity on our presence. Hunting season was still our separate ways at any time, not unlike you. two weeks away and so I was the only 2 NASTAWGAN SUMMER 2006 man "from away" in camp. The staff mem- The wind had picked up and hurried a Several hours later we were standing bers were old Labrador stock - Martin, succession of wispy clouds across the on a little rise of land at the head of a MacLean and Blake, members of an al- sky. The briefest of showers and evanes- rocky groove of a valley - home to a most extinct race, self sufficient and hard cent rainbows alternated; the distant string of small lakes. Originally carved working with a keen sense of humour. dome of bedrock glowed in the orange out by an eastward-moving glacier, it They are wonderful storytellers who use light of the late sun and the silence was now drained westward. It was the begin- hyperbole with great panache and a deafening. It was a scene that elevates the ning of the stream we planned to follow straight face. In the course of the evening I spirit and nurtures the soul. to Mistastin Lake. Camp that evening mentioned that my old acquaintance, An indifferent morning quickly dete- was on a bench of gravel that separated Horace Goudie, claimed he was the best riorated. A strong headwind, at first only two lakes. The tents were tucked into a man in Labrador when it came to poling a bothersome, steadily increased in force small opening where they were well de- canoe. That brought about a wealth of sto- and carried with it a deluge of cold rain. fended on all sides by a thicket of wil- ries of strength and endurance among the Just about the time when progress be- lows and misshapen spruce. A cold wind trappers at competitions many years ago came impossible, we reached a two-story once again carried along the odd brief with Horace as the central hero, who once building, an outpost camp of Torngat shower, but in the end the sun prevailed carried 800 pounds up a steep hillside. Wilderness Adventures. Nobody was and transformed the harsh surroundings. Horace himself told me later it was eight there and the place was all boarded up, At the end of the next day we had sacks of flour of 5,0 pounds each, still a but an unlocked door on the second reached the confluence with the stream staggering weight. floor gave us access and we quickly that I had followed northward in '96. I Pat didn't join me until the evening of moved in. It was an extraordinary stroke had rejected it in the past as a suitable the third day because of continuing bad of good luck because it's doubtful our approach to reach Mistastin Lake for weather in Churchill Falls. This allowed tents would have survived the coming three good reasons: too steep, too rocky, me to explore the region around the blast in this exposed and barren neigh- and too little water. A brief reconnais- camp at leisure, but I was keenly aware bourhood. All day and through the night sance confirmed the assessment and that this delay was eating into our trav- the wind roared around the building like added a fourth too: too many black flies. elling time and so early the next morn- a 747 on take-off and I soon crawled into Wind and cold had confined them so far ing we said our goodbyes and pushed the sleeping bag to stay warm. By morn- but on this sultry evening they were try- off. By mid-afternoon we had covered ing, the cold front had moved through, ing to make up for lost time and suc- about 15 kilometres and climbed a the rain had stopped and I went for a ceeding. From an aesthetic point of view prominent dome of bedrock It was the hike to high ground.