Day 45: May 17, 2026
No telling how fast it will go, but Will is confirmed that the thaw has begun, with higher temperatures and southern clouds auguring the launch of the next phase of the expedition.
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Yeah, Will here on May 17th, day 45 here in the Horton River. This is my second day of my [...] out camp here. And I mentioned yesterday, a couple days ago, two evenings ago, I made the decision to call it an end to the hauling because it was starting to get questionable. Although yesterday was the usual cold day, and today, the evening, the overnight, it was a little milder, and a south wind picked up, and I had this cold south wind, but this time it was a little bit warm. And then it rapidly warmed up today. I mean, rapidly meaning it got up to probably 42, 43, but with a clear intensity of the sun. A lot of snow was melting. There's still a lot to go. There's a lot of snow on the higher ground. So, you know, this is just the beginning. But it is the beginning of a thaw.
About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, we've had this crystal clear weather for the last six days. I've been waiting for, looking always on the southern horizon for these clouds. And about 2 o'clock, there are these altocumulus clouds, which are a sign of warm weather coming this way. However, I do not trust the weather here. I could, you know, go back, you know, get really cold again tomorrow. But all these have signs of a really ... probably a big thaw. We'll know everything tomorrow. I mean, if this weather does keep up tomorrow, then ... There is water trickling, which is the beginning. And once you get a thaw of any sort like this, that water that thaws is ... gravity's got it. So regardless of what happens, it's coming down and it's going to start collecting on the river. It's not a major ...
There was a type of a cloud that came in in the afternoon. It's called a fractocumulus, which is a different cloud. It's really out of character, a type of cloud you see in warm summer mornings when it predicts a thunderstorm in the afternoon. And, of course, it's not going to be a thunderstorm or anything like that. But on my last expedition in 2023 on the East River—way on the east end of Great Bear Lake between Great Bear and Coppermine River, I had a major thaw that came in and changed everything in 36 hours. Within 36 hours, the river was opening up. That does not mean that this is going to happen here like that. This is a different situation, but it was the same type of cloud. And back in '23, it was unusual that weather came up from Alberta, you know, to the forests is where this weather is coming. And there must have been big fires in Alberta because it brought smoky clouds. This is high in the Arctic, and a red sun. I had a red, you know, premature sunset, red. It was so thick. And that was a very unusual change. And within 48 hours, I actually had rabbits in front of my camp. It went that fast.
But it does show good signs. And, you know, I mentioned yesterday I changed my camp around to more of a real open ground to get more sunshine on my tent so it warms up because it was really cold during this cold spell or any time when the sun's not on it. But I moved it, and also for better reception. I'd literally dug a trench about 2 1⁄2 feet deep, 5 feet wide, by probably 12 to fit the tent. And I knew there could be trouble when the thaw would come because, you know, a trench like that would collect water. And little did I know, less than 24 hours later, this little trench I dug, just dug off the snow, was collecting water. I mean, already it was coming in the tent. It was really happening fast. So I had to pick the tent up, and then I cut a bunch of dead pine boughs, just the base, like an 8-inch, 12-inch base of this dead pine boughs on which I put the tent again. That gave me a little bit of a cushion. I'll have to wait a few days here. When the snow goes, I'll find a proper place for it. But I didn't want to move it a third time around and get a little late here.
And so, things a little bit changed. I'm still really exhausted from the big push, and it's such a relief to be recuperating and resting here. And it's such a good feeling having a great workout and accomplishment. I proved to myself just a number of things, being age 81 and being able to do what I did. I didn't know how this was going to work out, and I'll talk more about that later.
But it's definitely a different ending now. It's spring's coming one way or another, and then the adventure starts again. The river is going to be very challenging, and then I'll most likely be hiking out, which is a major hike in itself. I won't bother ... the details on that yet, but those are the plans. I have a major event, major events for the center, so I do have to be back later in June, which I'll definitely make that arrangement. But I won't be home on the June 5th. I always expected I'd probably be back around probably 14th, 15th of June. That's probably a good timetable. Depending on when the river breaks up, of course. And so this is Will here. I'll move off, and it's May 17th, day 45, over and out.
Will’s position is unchanging as he waits for the thaw to push the Horton river breakup. Visit Will’s interactive map for complete control of magnification and orientation.
Fractocumulus clouds (formally cumulus fractus)—such as Will spies in the southern sky in today’s dispatch—are often likened to cotton candy. Photo source: wikipedia.