Back River
Encyclopedia
The Back River is a river
in the Northwest Territories
and Nunavut
in Canada
. It rises at an unnamed lake in the North Slave Region
of the Northwest Territories and flows more than 974 kilometres (605 mi) mostly through Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, to its mouth at the Arctic Ocean
in the Kitikmeot Region
of Nunavut.
. The river turns northeast, takes in the left tributary Bullen River, and reaches Pelly Lake at an elevation of 155 metres (509 ft). It flows east through, in immediate succession: Upper Garry Lake, where it takes in the right tributary Morse River; Garry Lake
; Lower Garry Lake; Buliard Lake; Upper MacDougall Lake; and Lower MacDougall Lake. The Back River then heads over the Rock Rapids, Sinclair Falls, Escape Rapids, Sandhill Rapids, and Wolf Rapids, and takes in the right tributary Meadowbank River. The river curves around Mount Meadowbank, takes in the right tributary Hermann River and left tributary Montresor River, passes McKay Peak, heads over the Whirlpool Rapids, and reaches Franklin Lake. It continues northeast, takes in the right tributary Mistake River, passes north into Kitikmeot Region, takes in the right tributary Hayes River (Nunavut)
and reaches its mouth at Cockburn Bay on Chantrey Inlet
on the Arctic Ocean.
Like the Coppermine
, Hood, Dubawant or Kazan, which are other large rivers in this part of Canada, it is navigable only by experienced canoeists
because of the numerous and challenging 83 rapid
s.
The entire river is above the tree line.
(or Hanningajurmiut) Copper Inuit
, also referred to as the Ualininmiut by their Caribou Inuit
northern neighbors, the Utkusiksalinmiut. The Kaernermiut
(also Kainermiut) and the southerly Ahiagmiut
of the Copper Inuit also frequented this area. The Back River and Thelon River
were also the northern and northeastern edges of the tribal territories of the enemy Yellowknives
and Chipewyan
to the south.
Its first known exploration by Europe
ans was by George Back
in 1834 and again by James Anderson, a Chief Factor
with the Hudson's Bay Company
, in 1856. After a hiatus of slightly over 100 years, it was again descended in 1962 by two groups. One a British
group of four young men and the other a group of four young Americans
. The British group was led by Robert Cundy who wrote a book about their descent called Beacon Six, and the Americans were led by Austin Hoyt. The Americans started at the source of the River, Sussex Lake, with two Cedar Canvas canoe
s and reached the coast before the British team. Robert Cundy's group started lower down on Beechey Lake and were overtaken by the Americans. The British were paddling three foldup kayak
s, one of which was destroyed on the expedition. Both groups filmed the trip and the British film, Beacon Six, was shown on TV by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
.
, with many fish
in the river, and caribou
, muskoxen, wolves
in the area, with occasional sightings of Brown bear
s, wolverine
s and Arctic hare
s. Polar bear
s are also found as the river nears the Arctic Ocean. The Middle Back River Important Bird Area
, located on the river in the Pelly Lake to Lower Garry Lake segment, is a significant habitat for Canada Geese
, the Lesser Snow Goose
and other waterfowl
.
Like other areas in Northern Canada
, Back River is subject to very cold weather and a persistent Arctic wind that gusts up to gale
force.
often mandatory. Such portages must be conducted on bare rocks and occasionally unstable boulders. The need for portage is generally lower after a set of rapids known as the "Escape Rapids", thereafter very many rapids (but not all) can be run, as the river becomes less rocky and risky. Water level permitting, two further areas of runable rapids are notable: Sandhill rapids generally navigated on the left bank, Wolf rapids on the right.
Bear repellent spray is recommended as a protection against polar bears on stretches of the river near the Arctic Ocean. Cooking fuel must also be brought in, as the river is above the tree line, and all vegetation is low-lying and not suitable for use as fuel.
The source of the river can be reached by floatplane
from Yellowknife, N.W.T. At the end of the trip, a bush plane
can be called in from Baker Lake in Nunavut for a landing in a prearranged spot in the tundra.(One must make sure that a rigid canoe can be attached to the exterior of the bush plane. If not, a foldable canoe should be used instead of a rigid one).
The river can also be travelled to its end, where a boat tow can be arranged to the Inuit community of Gjoa Haven, which has bi-weekly commercial air service back to Yellowknife. If planning a canoeing trip on the river, due to the weather, it is generally recommended to have navigated Garry Lake
by August 8, the mark of the seasonal change to worse weather. It needs to be noted that being windbound can happen at anytime. Due to the proximity to the Arctic Circle
and the associated cold, any capsizing can easily conclude in hypothermia
and death
. A spraydeck
-equipped canoe is strongly recommended both for lakes and rapids.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It rises at an unnamed lake in the North Slave Region
North Slave Region
The North Slave Region is one of five administrative regions in the Northwest Territories. The region consists of eight communities with the regional offices situated in Behchoko and Yellowknife. With the exception of Yellowknife the communities are predominately First Nations.-Communities:The...
of the Northwest Territories and flows more than 974 kilometres (605 mi) mostly through Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, to its mouth at the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
in the Kitikmeot Region
Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut
Kitikmeot Region is an administrative region of Nunavut, Canada. It consists of the southern and eastern parts of Victoria Island with the adjacent part of the mainland as far as the Boothia Peninsula, together with King William Island and the southern portion of Prince of Wales Island...
of Nunavut.
Course
The river begins at the outflow of an unnamed lake at an elevation of 382 metres (1,253 ft) and flows west into Sussex Lake, then north to Muskox Lake, at the border between the Northwest Territories and Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, where it takes in the left tributary Icy River. It flows over the Muskox Rapids, takes in the left tributary Contwoyto River, and heads east through the Heywood Range. The Back River heads over the Malley Rapids, takes in the left tributary Siorak River and enters the long lake-expansion Beechey Lake in a southeast direction. It heads east, takes in the right tributary Baillie River, left tributary Warren River, right tributary Jervoise River, passes over the Hawk Rapids, takes in the right tributary McKinley River and right tributary Consul River. Between the Baillie and Consul Rivers, the Back River forms the northern border of the Thelon Wildlife SanctuaryThelon Wildlife Sanctuary
The Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary, at , over twice the area of Belgium, is the largest wildlife refuge in Canada. It is located in northern Canada's Arctic region, north of the tree line, straddling the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, halfway between Baker Lake and Yellowknife, and bordered on the...
. The river turns northeast, takes in the left tributary Bullen River, and reaches Pelly Lake at an elevation of 155 metres (509 ft). It flows east through, in immediate succession: Upper Garry Lake, where it takes in the right tributary Morse River; Garry Lake
Garry Lake
Garry Lake is a lake in sub-Arctic Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. As a portion of the Back River waterway, Garry Lake originates directly east of Lake Pelly and drains to the east by the Back River. A set of rapids separate Buliard Lake from Garry Lake...
; Lower Garry Lake; Buliard Lake; Upper MacDougall Lake; and Lower MacDougall Lake. The Back River then heads over the Rock Rapids, Sinclair Falls, Escape Rapids, Sandhill Rapids, and Wolf Rapids, and takes in the right tributary Meadowbank River. The river curves around Mount Meadowbank, takes in the right tributary Hermann River and left tributary Montresor River, passes McKay Peak, heads over the Whirlpool Rapids, and reaches Franklin Lake. It continues northeast, takes in the right tributary Mistake River, passes north into Kitikmeot Region, takes in the right tributary Hayes River (Nunavut)
Hayes River (Nunavut)
The Hayes River is a river in the Kitikmeot and Kivalliq Regions of Nunavut, Canada. It is in the Arctic Ocean drainage basin and is a tributary of the Back River.-Course:...
and reaches its mouth at Cockburn Bay on Chantrey Inlet
Chantrey Inlet
The Back River reaches the Arctic Ocean at Chantrey Inlet on the east side of Adelaide Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada. Montreal Island is contained within the Inlet, while King William Island shelters the Inlet. It is long and wide at its mouth...
on the Arctic Ocean.
Watershed
The river has a watershed of 106500 square kilometres (41,120 sq mi) and a mean discharge of 612 cubic metres (21,613 cu ft) per second. The river is 974 kilometres long to the Muskox Lake outlet, though the river continues further upstream to its source.Like the Coppermine
Coppermine River
The Coppermine River is a river in the North Slave and Kitikmeot regions of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in Canada. It is long. It rises in Lac de Gras, a small lake near Great Slave Lake and flows generally north to Coronation Gulf, an arm of the Arctic Ocean...
, Hood, Dubawant or Kazan, which are other large rivers in this part of Canada, it is navigable only by experienced canoeists
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
because of the numerous and challenging 83 rapid
Rapid
A rapid is a section of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. A rapid is a hydrological feature between a run and a cascade. A rapid is characterised by the river becoming shallower and having some rocks exposed above the...
s.
The entire river is above the tree line.
History
The Back River is the historic homeland of the HaningayogmiutHaningayogmiut
Haningayogmiut were a Copper Inuit subgroup located on the Back River . According to Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, the Haningayogmiut were a small tribe. The Kaernermiut were also located on the Back River and may have been the same subgroup....
(or Hanningajurmiut) Copper Inuit
Copper Inuit
Copper Inuit are a Canadian Inuit group who live north of the tree line, in Nunavut's Kitikmeot Region and the Northwest Territories's Inuvik Region. Most historically lived in the area around Coronation Gulf, on Victoria Island, and southern Banks Island.Their western boundary was Wise Point,...
, also referred to as the Ualininmiut by their Caribou Inuit
Caribou Inuit
Caribou Inuit, Barren-ground Caribou hunters, are bands of inland Inuit who lived west of Hudson Bay in northern Canada's Keewatin Region of the Northwest Territories, now the Kivalliq Region of present-day Nunavut between 61° and 65° N and 90° and 102° W...
northern neighbors, the Utkusiksalinmiut. The Kaernermiut
Kaernermiut
Kaernermiut were a Copper Inuit subgroup. They were located on the Back River, and, they frequented the Thelon River. The Kaernermiut remainded inland through all the seasons, coming to the sea only as single families visiting other tribes. For this reason, they did not kill seals, living instead...
(also Kainermiut) and the southerly Ahiagmiut
Ahiagmiut
Ahiagmiut were a geographically defined Copper Inuit subgroup in the northern Canadian territory of Nunavut. They were located near Ogden Bay, on the Queen Maud Gulf, and inland towards Back River, then on towards the Akilinik River....
of the Copper Inuit also frequented this area. The Back River and Thelon River
Thelon River
The Thelon River stretches across northern Canada. Its source is Whitefish Lake in the Northwest Territories, and it flows east to Baker Lake in Nunavut. The Thelon ultimately drains into Hudson Bay at Chesterfield Inlet.-Geography:...
were also the northern and northeastern edges of the tribal territories of the enemy Yellowknives
Yellowknives
The Yellowknives, Yellow Knives, Copper Indians, Red Knives or T'atsaot'ine are Aboriginal peoples of Canada, one of the five main groups of the Dene indigenous people that live in the Northwest Territories of Canada...
and Chipewyan
Chipewyan
The Chipewyan are a Dene Aboriginal people in Canada, whose ancestors were the Taltheilei...
to the south.
Its first known exploration by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans was by George Back
George Back
Admiral Sir George Back FRS was a British naval officer, explorer of the Canadian Arctic , naturalist and artist.-Career:...
in 1834 and again by James Anderson, a Chief Factor
Factor (agent)
A factor, from the Latin "he who does" , is a person who professionally acts as the representative of another individual or other legal entity, historically with his seat at a factory , notably in the following contexts:-Mercantile factor:In a relatively large company, there could be a hierarchy,...
with the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
, in 1856. After a hiatus of slightly over 100 years, it was again descended in 1962 by two groups. One a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
group of four young men and the other a group of four young Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The British group was led by Robert Cundy who wrote a book about their descent called Beacon Six, and the Americans were led by Austin Hoyt. The Americans started at the source of the River, Sussex Lake, with two Cedar Canvas canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s and reached the coast before the British team. Robert Cundy's group started lower down on Beechey Lake and were overtaken by the Americans. The British were paddling three foldup kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
s, one of which was destroyed on the expedition. Both groups filmed the trip and the British film, Beacon Six, was shown on TV by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
.
Natural History
The area around the river is full of wildlifeWildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
, with many fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in the river, and caribou
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, muskoxen, wolves
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
in the area, with occasional sightings of Brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
s, wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
s and Arctic hare
Arctic Hare
The arctic hare , or polar rabbit is a species of hare which is adapted largely to polar and mountainous habitats. The arctic hare survives with a thick coat of fur and usually digs holes under the ground or snow to keep warm and sleep...
s. Polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
s are also found as the river nears the Arctic Ocean. The Middle Back River Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
, located on the river in the Pelly Lake to Lower Garry Lake segment, is a significant habitat for Canada Geese
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
, the Lesser Snow Goose
Snow Goose
The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed...
and other waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
.
Like other areas in Northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
, Back River is subject to very cold weather and a persistent Arctic wind that gusts up to gale
Gale
A gale is a very strong wind. There are conflicting definitions of how strong a wind must be to be considered a gale. The U.S. government's National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots of sustained surface winds. Forecasters typically issue gale warnings when winds of this strength are...
force.
Modern canoeing
The Back River constitutes a long and difficult voyage, taking over a month of hard work by strong and experienced Arctic (duo) canoeists. The Back is much more challenging than the Kazan River. Many rapids end in dense "rock gardens" rendering portagingPortage
Portage or portaging refers to the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land to avoid river obstacles, or between two bodies of water. A place where this carrying occurs is also called a portage; a person doing the carrying is called a porter.The English word portage is derived from the...
often mandatory. Such portages must be conducted on bare rocks and occasionally unstable boulders. The need for portage is generally lower after a set of rapids known as the "Escape Rapids", thereafter very many rapids (but not all) can be run, as the river becomes less rocky and risky. Water level permitting, two further areas of runable rapids are notable: Sandhill rapids generally navigated on the left bank, Wolf rapids on the right.
Bear repellent spray is recommended as a protection against polar bears on stretches of the river near the Arctic Ocean. Cooking fuel must also be brought in, as the river is above the tree line, and all vegetation is low-lying and not suitable for use as fuel.
The source of the river can be reached by floatplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
from Yellowknife, N.W.T. At the end of the trip, a bush plane
Bush plane
A bush airplane is a general aviation aircraft serving remote, undeveloped areas of a country, usually the African bush, Alaskan and Canadian tundra or the Australian Outback...
can be called in from Baker Lake in Nunavut for a landing in a prearranged spot in the tundra.(One must make sure that a rigid canoe can be attached to the exterior of the bush plane. If not, a foldable canoe should be used instead of a rigid one).
The river can also be travelled to its end, where a boat tow can be arranged to the Inuit community of Gjoa Haven, which has bi-weekly commercial air service back to Yellowknife. If planning a canoeing trip on the river, due to the weather, it is generally recommended to have navigated Garry Lake
Garry Lake
Garry Lake is a lake in sub-Arctic Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada. As a portion of the Back River waterway, Garry Lake originates directly east of Lake Pelly and drains to the east by the Back River. A set of rapids separate Buliard Lake from Garry Lake...
by August 8, the mark of the seasonal change to worse weather. It needs to be noted that being windbound can happen at anytime. Due to the proximity to the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
and the associated cold, any capsizing can easily conclude in hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
and death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
. A spraydeck
Spraydeck
A spraydeck is a flexible cover for a boat, in particular for a kayak or a canoe. It is used in whitewater, inclement weather or sport to prevent water from entering the boat while allowing one or more passengers to sit in the boat and propel the boat by paddling or rowing.A spraydeck is a sheet...
-equipped canoe is strongly recommended both for lakes and rapids.
Tributaries
- Hayes River (right)
- Mistake River (right)
- Hermann River (right)
- Meadowbank River (right)
- Bullen River (left)
- Consul River (right)
- McKinley River (right)
- Jervoise River (right)
- Warren River (left)
- Baillie River (right)
- Siorak River (left)
- Contwoyto River (left)
- Icy River (left)