As promised, there will be a Baker Lake fishing update but first a public safety message about the hazards of Permyscus Maniculatus or the misleadingly tame sounding deer mouse:
The morning's fishing trip went off as planned but on returning for breakfast, we discovered that a much bigger operation had targeted the car. The Subaru is basically a vehicle designed to stash and transport snacks and the buggers had sampled them all. They hit the side panels for granola bars, my brand new backpack for trail mix, the center console for their veggies, the glove box for candied ginger, and the cup holders for a peach dessert. It wasn't until we got home and started in with the shop vac and bleach that we found they even had time to start a nest in the spare tire storage. Having camped in this exact spot the year prior its troubling to think how quickly this clan developed this particular set of talents. After talking with neighboring campers, we actually got off pretty easy. One fifth wheel was hit up for an entire pound of sunflower seeds which were consumed all over the trailer and interspersed with the digested version. Since the hantavirus incubation period has passed, there is a good chance the blog will continue!
Perched by his lonesome on a log, in the light of day, he looks harmless enough but at night on the shores of Baker Lake his cousins operate a brazen smuggling business. As a masterful sleeper, I was ignorant of the first raid until the most worthless of guard dogs squeezed between me and the tent's door. The wife was wide awake and looking a little wild eyed as she tried to illuminate the tent with her phone but the damage had been done. They had chewed through the tent, moseyed down to the camelbak that was within a foot of the dog's nose, and chewed/wiggled down to some forgotten trail mix. Its amazing they can walk at all when dragging such big cojones...
The morning's fishing trip went off as planned but on returning for breakfast, we discovered that a much bigger operation had targeted the car. The Subaru is basically a vehicle designed to stash and transport snacks and the buggers had sampled them all. They hit the side panels for granola bars, my brand new backpack for trail mix, the center console for their veggies, the glove box for candied ginger, and the cup holders for a peach dessert. It wasn't until we got home and started in with the shop vac and bleach that we found they even had time to start a nest in the spare tire storage. Having camped in this exact spot the year prior its troubling to think how quickly this clan developed this particular set of talents. After talking with neighboring campers, we actually got off pretty easy. One fifth wheel was hit up for an entire pound of sunflower seeds which were consumed all over the trailer and interspersed with the digested version. Since the hantavirus incubation period has passed, there is a good chance the blog will continue!
No shots of snow covered peaks and volcanoes at Baker Lake this year. Wildfires in BC were blotting out the sun and dropping the high temperatures 15-20 degrees below the forecasts. Which is a trade my frail constitution will take every time despite the PM2.5 wreaking havoc on our lungs. After paddling around futilely for Friday evening and Saturday morning it was looking like lightening would not strike for the third straight year. But then came that beautiful rod dance and it was fish on!
A big thanks to Professor Orange who has faithfully paddled alongside every year with the camera equipment to capture the action. Although this year we made progress towards both having success as I finally shared some gear that wouldn't instantly tangle... so we were both fishing (most of the time)!
Ran out of Bailey's to fuel the narrative but here are a few more pictures. If you haven't read any previous Baker Lake posts, just trust me that the valley is beautiful:
Ran out of Bailey's to fuel the narrative but here are a few more pictures. If you haven't read any previous Baker Lake posts, just trust me that the valley is beautiful:
