The canol trail

The canol trail

This article is about the Canol road and pipeline, the largest construction feat of its time. Rivaling the concurrent Alaska Highway. The main idea of this article is about experiencing and exploring the north.

          The pipeline only ran for a couple years before being shut down amidst overspending scandals that nearly brought down a US president. The workers turned off the taps and pulled out, leaving the structure to the mercies of the elements. Jump ahead to present day. The abandoned running 355km from the Yukon border at MacMillan Pass to the Mackenzie River at the town of Norman Wells.

A challenging hike across the grizzly country in extreme remoteness not for the faint of heart. With two or three air drops of food. It is one of the most challenging hikes in North America.  It is also an amazing experience. As you carefully creep through seemingly unnatural silence of empty pumping stations, the only human remains. As the northern winds howl.  You’ll be astonished as you wetness the aurora while it sources through the sky, as if it dances.

          “You’ll come back changed, because no one who touches the north returns as they left.”

                                                                   By, Connor Heffernan