Photos & Field Notes from 2021 Great Northern Peninsula Expedition

Photos & field notes from this summer’s Great Northern Peninsula expedition:

Mode of travel: backpacking

Total days: 27

Total campsites: 16

Total km as crow flies between start & endpoint: 72

Total km on ground: 215

Extra km scouting: 15

Total outfit weight to begin (no resupplies, tough terrain):

Me: 98lbs

Saku: 22lbs

Consecutive days w/o seeing humans: 24

Moose: 25

Caribou: 3

Black Bear: 2

Geese: 24

Ducks: 71 (variety of species)

Ptarmigan/Partridge: 31

Spruce Grouse: 27

Brook trout caught/eaten: 46

Birds of prey: 6

Beaver sign: 3 signs but no sightings

Lowest elevation: sea level

Highest elevation: 1800 feet

Crossings of rivers & larger brooks: 4

Days with rain: 14

Highest single rainfall: 60-70mm (Post-Tropical storm Elsa)

Highest wind gust: 70km/h

Hottest temperature: 26°C

Coldest temperature: 7°C

Furthest distance from civilization as crow flies: 35km

Pairs of underwear sacrificed: 2

Total weight loss me: 12.5lbs

Total weight loss Saku: very little dogs are tougher than us.

Wild berries eaten: 100’s of bakeapples, some strawberries, crowberries, early partridge & blueberries

Brooks discovered which are not marked on topo map: 2

Km travelled in trackless country: 160

Km travelled on woods trails: 55

Percent of route off-trail: 66%

Most km walked in a day: 30

Thunder & lightning storms: 2

Damaged gear:

– Saku’s bag torn

– my bag torn

– broken tripod leg

– moisture damage in camera mic

– broken buckles on both gaiters

– heels worn through in socks

– burn holes in rain coat

– 1 spinner lost

Documentary of this trip will come to YouTube in due time!

www.youtube.com/nlexplorerjustinbarbour

Take care,

Justin

#lifeisbetteroutdoors