Colville Lake, NWT

Colville Lake, Northwest Territories.

I just returned from a pretty awesome assignment in the tiny hamlet of Colville Lake, NT, just north of the Arctic Circle. I was invited by ENR and the GNWT to document the annual Christmas “fur run” where wildlife officer, Marti Lys and Francois Rossouw, the head of fur marketing for the territorial government, purchase pelts from local trappers. What made this trip really unique was that we snowmobiled from the town of Norman Wells, an 8 hour excursion in bitterly cold temperatures reaching below minus-40.

The trail was pretty rough so it took us close to 12 hours to reach Colville. Along the way, my sled broke down (not my fault!) and the trail was brutally bumpy which slowed us down a fair bit. But we eventually made it. Over the next few days, Marti met with trappers and purchased furs which will make their way to auctions in Seattle and North Bay, Ontario in January. Some might question the ethics of trapping and harvesting fur but I got to learn some of the ins and outs of the industry: not only is it sustainable and manageable, but the economic and traditional boost it gives to the families in this remote community is essential. Simply put, trapping is a way of life here. An important way of life for adults and kids alike.

Here are some photos from the trip. I’ll be pitching this story to a couple of magazines in the new year – Colville Lake is a community you have to visit if you ever get the chance, and the people I met while I was there are some of the most interesting and good-hearted in the North. I hope to make it back some day.

Flight from Yellowknife to Norman Wells, snowmobile to Fort Good Hope then Colville Lake.

Marti and Francois.

Fort Good Hope.

Modeste, a Colville Lake trapper, scrapes down a wolf hide outside his cabin.

Inside Modeste’s cabin.

An elder rides through town.

Bern Will Brown, founder of Colville Lake. Bern is a former oblate missionary who is a renowned artist, journalist, writer and explorer. He lives with his wife Margaret in the log home he built more than 50 years ago.

Margaret Brown feeding one of her dogs.

Bern’s museum.

Bern’s church.

Adrian

Hockey rink.

Dogs wander freely in town.

Marti counting marten.

Robert Kochon with marten, fox and wolverine pelts.

Mark Kochon.

Modeste with his wolf pelts.

Hauling in 8 wolves.

Inside the cabin.

Wolf carcasses are sent to ENR for sampling.

Marie Kochon.

Sheldon Snow, teacher and head of the Youth Fur Trapping program.

The local B&B – only $260 a night!

Antler tower at the Colville Lake Lodge.

Marti Lys.

Abandoned cabin overlooking lake and mountain.

Northern Lights. Proof that I took an aurora photo for once in my life.