Northwest Territories

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Entry posted by korver · July 24, 2021

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Today, our journey takes us to Canada for a trip to one of the country's most unique and beautiful regions - the Northwest Territories. This vast forest and tundra landscape made up nearly a third of Canada's total land mass for most of the 20th century - and even with the creation of Nunavut in 1999 which cut it's area by more than half, it's still home to all sorts of incredible wonders that showcase some of the most amazing sights from across the entire Arctic. With remote lakes, pristine rivers, towering mountains, waterfalls, forests, and much more - the natural beauty of this territory is breathtaking.

Our journey gets underway in the Mackenzie River Delta - located in the northwestern corner of the Northwest Territories, it's one of the world's largest deltas and home to one of Canada's most biologically diverse ecosystems. It's also home to the the Pingo - a truly unique natural wonder. These large dome-shaped hills are formed in permafrost areas when the pressure of freezing groundwater pushes up a layer of frozen ground - and can reach heights of nearly 180 feet tall.

An aerial view of the impressive Mackenzie River Delta - this vast fan of low-lying alluvial islands is known for it's distinctive, maze-like pattern of braided rivers and pothole lakes.

Nearby is another one of the Northwest Territories' most recognizable natural features - the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula. During the last Ice Age, nearly all of the Northwest Territories was covered by massive ice sheets - and thousands of years later, the landscape here still shows the scars of that icy earth mover. Surfaces that were scoured by retreating ice and then flooded by Arctic seas are now dotted with countless lakes, ponds, and streams all across the peninsula - making for an amazing sight from the sky.

We catch a plane out of the area and land some 350 miles southeast - the site of one of the Northwest Territories' most legendary destinations, Great Bear Lake. We spend a few days on the lake, fishing and taking in the sights from above.

In the past however, some of these shores weren't so pristine. Heavily polluting mining towns like Port Radium started popping up in the 1930s and radioactive waste from radium and uranium mining were dumped right into these waters. Despite the entire site being closed and demolished in the 1980s, these areas are still tested regularly for radioactive contamination and the cleanup effort will likely continue on for decades.

And now a look at Great Bear Lake from above - it's the largest lake located entirely in Canada and the world's 8th largest lake overall.

Another one of the Northwest Territory's most amazing natural wonders is Great Slave Lake. Known traditionally as Tıdeè in the local Tłı̨chǫ language, it's the second largest lake located entirely in Canada, the world's 10th largest lake overall, and also North America's deepest lake. For eons, Great Slave Lake has been at the heart of history, culture and recreation in the Northwest Territories - it's a place you'll definitely want to check out on any visit here.

On the north shore of Great Slave Lake is where you'll find the capital of the Northwest Territories - Yellowknife. Wintertime can be especially brutal here - the YK Centre sign has been an icon in the city for decades, tracking the frigid temperatures. With temps reaching as low as -51 C - make sure you dress warmly!

Our trip finally takes us to the foothills of the Mackenzie Mountains - home of another one of the territory's most celebrated natural wonders, Virginia Falls. Located in the famed Nahanni National Park Reserve, these falls plunge 315 feet along the South Nahanni River - making it nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls and one of the Northwest Territories' true must-see destinations.