 Come
to a land beyond the reach of all roads, to
a land that throbs with life during the
brief northern summer. As your aircraft
circles to a landing 30 miles north of the
Arctic Circle at Bathurst Inlet, the
immensity of this land becomes reality.
Man is dwarfed by this landscape. Huge
diabase sills tower over the Inlet's dark
waters; the deep gorges hold in their depths
the mystery of prehistory, and the tundra
stretches a thin green cape across the rocky
skeleton of the land. In the midst of all
this alien beauty, there is a warm welcome
from the Warner family and the Inuit of the
Inlet.
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You'll be lodged in a historic Hudson's
Bay Trading Post and Oblate mission
which have been transformed into a haven for
naturalists. Bathurst Inlet Lodge was
established in 1969, by Glenn and Trish
Warner, longtime northerners with 20 years
experience in the North with the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police. The local Inuit,
known as the Kingaunmiut or "people of
the 'Nose Mountain'" (after a local
landmark), are co-owners in the Lodge and
proudly involved in its operation.
Bathurst Inlet Lodge provides comfortable
accommodations, in a variety of buildings.
You may be housed in the small church (3
rooms), in new cabins overlooking the
Burnside Delta, in a 2 bedroom house called
Taipana House, in a historic building that
served as a warehouse in the trading post
days, but now provides comfortable lodging,
or in a building that was used to house
radio operators during the building of the
DEW-Line.
The Warners' love and care of the
facilities is apparent throughout. Each room
is carefully outfitted for comfort,
decorated with photos or northern art. Beds
are comfortable, and bedding is supplied;
you do not have to use sleeping bags at
Bathurst Inlet. Bathrooms in some facilities
are shared; some cabins have their own. Most
facilities have showers, but the new cabins
share a heated shower house.
 Breakfast is served from 8 AM to 8:30 AM;
you can order your choice of eggs, and
breakfast meat. Cereals, including porridge,
and a special home-made Hoarfrost River
granola, are also available. Lunches are
eaten in the field, in some beautiful
settings. You make your own lunch from a
variety of ingredients set out during
breakfast, so you can have as many
sandwiches as you wish. Dinners are served
cafeteria-style with all hot foods kept hot
in a steam table. After a day in the open
air, appetites are usually healthy, and our
food is tasty and plentiful. We usually
serve arctic char twice during the week
because it is such a treat for our guests.
Other entrees include prime rib, roast
turkey, ham, steak, and a chicken dish, plus
potatoes or pasta and vegetables.
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to Do at Bathurst Inlet Lodge |
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Sport Fishing:
At many of Bathurst's camps, the fishing is
pristine.....superb, and an incredible
experience. At Tundra Camp/Burnside Lodge,
for example, there are unforgettable
fly-fishing opportunities for
surface-feeding lake trout, arctic char, and
large arctic grayling. Other camps are just
as good, and you will be supplied with maps
and information about the fishing "hot
spots" and the correct tackle to bring.
Esker Lodge at Pellatt Lake, located on a
long esker system, offers insulated cabins
with oil heaters, a larger kitchen tent,
generator building, boats/motors, canoes,
and all you will need. This lake is
definitely under-fished, and offers huge
lake trout and streams with large grayling.
At Lac du Rocher, less than 100 air miles
from Yellowknife, there is a comfortable,
fully-equipped tent-frame camp on this
beautiful lake system. Here, are several
aluminum boats with outboard motors, and a
couple canoes. Bathurst can easily
accommodate groups of up to 8 at Lac du
Rocher. This area also features large esker
systems bordering the lake, beautiful
hiking, and excellent opportunities for
birdwatching. This lake has seldom been
fished, and offers large lake trout, arctic
grayling, and some northern pike.
Several additional camps are also
available for sport fishing. All camps
are available as do-it-yourself experiences,
as full-service camps, or anything in
between.
 Canoeing & Kayaking:
Rafting trips on the Burnside River are
run in partnership and cooperation with Neil
Hartling's Nahanni River Adventures, and
allow you to participate in a genuine arctic
wilderness experience, even though you may
not have the time, equipment, or the skills
to set up and manage a trip on your own.
Equipment for sea-kayaking is available,
and can be transported to the lake or river
of your choice, or to Bathurst Inlet, which
is one of the best sea-kayaking destinations
in the North.
Wilderness Camping:
Camps vary in size, from two to six cabins.
Your group does not have to crowd into a
small cabin. The Tundra Camp/Burnside Lodge
near Kathawachaga Lake has five insulated
cabins: a kitchen and four sleeping cabins,
with beds, not bunks. It's ideal for the
do-it-yourselfers who want the comfort of a
secure base camp and the total isolation of
being by themselves or in a small group. You
do your own cooking and guiding and supply
your own food. Bathurst supplies staples and
fuel. Canoes and small power boats are
available on site. For larger groups,
Bathurst can even supply a camp manager/cook
to assist you. And, as a honeymoon for those
who love the wilderness and want a little
more comfort then a tent, this is beyond
compare!
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