12-Jan-2000 -- Much of northern Alberta is covered in bush or muskeg (bog). This winter, we had a prolonged cold spell and not much snow. With some mild temperatures, this was nearly ideal weather for venturing into the wilderness. I had never been to Ft.McMurray before, so this was a chance to see the area. I drove up the night of the 11th (listening to the resignation of the separatist Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard on the radio), and then drove the 1 hour trip south to the nearest (I thought) approach to 56N-111W. According to some 5 year old resource maps, a road would take me within about 5km of the confluence where it approached a rail line. At the point where the road met the rail line, there was a logging camp, which was where I parked my truck (picture included - little blue Ford Ranger).

On foot, I crossed the rail line and started west on a cutline (which was on the map). Not too far into the hike, I happened across a road which wasn't on my map. I continued to follow the road until I got further north of 56 degrees then I wanted, and took a cutline to the west. I then met up with a cleared area, served again by road. The confluence is probably only a 2km hike from this area. I followed a cutline heading west from this cleared area towards the confluence. I came upon the Kettle River valley, and proceeded to walk down to the river (now frozen and looked to have been dammed by a beaver). The hill on the west side was quite steep and was on the order of 35m of elevation change (I was getting soaked from exertion). I continued on the cutline until I reached 111W, and then headed south into the bush to get to 56N. Just before I reached 56N, the brush opened up into muskeg. This would be a difficult site to get to in the summer.

I arrived at the confluence at about 11:44 am (500000E and 6206081N 603m Elevation according to my Garmin 12), took some picture of the GPS unit laying on a map at the confluence, a picture to magnetic N, E, W and S and then a picture of the pack I was wearing.

After taking the pictures, I continued to go south to meet up with another cutline I knew to be there, where I turned east. The confluence is approximately half way between the two cutlines. I descended down to the Kettle River again, just below a beaver dam, and the hill on the other side was even steeper than the first one was. Shortly before I met up with the road again, I happened across a place where it looked like a pack of wolves had attacked a moose, there was bright red stains on the snow and lots of tracks. No sign of the animals (or carcass).