#2: [13-May-03]

02-Feb-2003 -- During a day off from working in the High Level area I visited a couple of confluence points, the first one is located on the NWT/Alberta Border. From High Level I traveled north on Highway 35 to the NWT border, hoping to pick up a cut line along the border to make the 1 km hike to the confluence site straightforward.

Located at the border is the 60th parallel visitor center and campground. I parked my truck here and bundled up for the hike to the confluence. I left the comfort of the truck to hike in –18 degree and overcast weather. Although I was prepared to bushwack my way to the site, it was nice to find a trail that left from the visitor center, heading west, then south and turning west again along the NWT/Alberta border.

From here it was an easy hike to a spot located 33 m south of the actual confluence. With a turn to the north and a little bushwhacking and lots of circling I was able to find a spot where the GPS’r showed me: 60.00.000 north and 117.00.000 west.

I pulled out the camera and took a picture, too foggy. I tried again, missed, the co-ordinates were drifting. I walked around trying to get the perfect co-ordinates picture but ended up in the same spot and too slow to get a picture of the GPS’s showing the perfect reading. Oh well, I am close.

I headed back to the cut line and snapped a few pictures, one east, west, south and north. Ahh, time to lift the flaps from my hat and enjoy the quiet before heading back to the truck. I listened to a wolf or two howling, which surprised me as well as a few birds whistling and the thumping of what I think was a grouse. The total round trip from the parking lot is only 2.5 km.

After I got back to the truck I walked around the visitor center and the campground before heading back south to High Level. It would be a great spot to do some camping! I do recall a road heading south toward another confluence point of the Zama road. Maybe I have time to try another one…

The Northwest Territories/Alberta demarcation line is passing exactly through the Confluence.