Dubawnt River Carey Lake Exit - Lower Markham Lake
Distance 26km [521km]
Portage 0 [12]
Very Fast Water 3 [29]
Rapids 6 [19]
Great day!
We spent the morning running the numerous rapids between Carey Lake and Markham Lake. This is a beautiful stretch of river with lots of dramatic changes of scenery. Among the wide open tundra there appear large areas of outcrop. The shore, though still boulder strewn, has areas of cobble or mud/sand beach making for lots of good camping spots. The trees now grow in occasional small groves with the odd loan survivor. One lovely section runs through a gorge surrounded by steep rocky hills, real picture postcard country.
View back upstream from the hill above our lunch spot
View downstream from our lunch stop
The rapids offered some challenges and fun. They varied in length from several hundred metres to about a kilometre. They were mostly Class 2 to Class 3 with some large holes and ledges they gave us some fast, but enjoyable runs with very large waves. We took on water despite the spray cover and I was drenched from the waist down several times. Our ability and confidence in handling rapids was improved remarkably by our experiences on the Fond du Lac last year.
We decided on an early stop and were camped in the lower reaches of Markham Lake by 3pm. Plans for a fish dinner didn’t work tonight as the fish were all elsewhere!
Unloading Big Red on a very rocky shore at our campsite, lower Markham Lake
These tundra flowers were everywhere around our campsite
Camp, lower Markham Lake in the evening sun
Kate studies the route maps, evening, Markam Lake