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| Beyond the Trees |
Deemed by some to be “one of Canada’s greatest living
explorers”, Adam Shoalts does what most of us would never dare to do – explore
Canada’s wild places for months on end, alone.
Shoalts clearly loves the wilderness and feels comfortable with
solitude. But four months alone in the
arctic is more than even the most seasoned outdoor enthusiasts would normally
attempt.
Nevertheless, Adam Shoalts has experience with exploration
and takes readers on a journey through the planning and execution of his arctic
endeavour. His plan is to cross the
Canadian arctic from west to east by canoe.
He is aware of many other canoeists who would consider tackling at least
some of this journey, but none who would brave these wilds alone.
Shoalts starts his journey in the small village of Eagle
Plains in the Yukon, paddling east towards Hudson Bay. Amazingly, for more than half the trip he is
paddling upriver – that is, against
the current. (This, along with his lack
of companion, is widely considered a crazy thing to do.) Readers are privy to his tales of hard
paddling, as well as wading and towing his canoe with a rope. There are also countless portages through
unknown territory, oftentimes over boulder-strewn terrain and through swampy,
densely-treed areas.
Despite the hardships, Adam Shoalts is totally enamoured
with the beauty and magic of the north.
He regularly describes breathtaking vistas as well as close encounters
with curious wildlife. Although he does
endure a harrowing ordeal involving a muskox, most of his encounters with
wolves, bears, and smaller wildlife are completely benign; these animals are totally
unaccustomed to humans, and are neither fearful nor aggressive.
Beyond
the Trees is a very readable homage to the wilds of the
Canadian North. Shoalts bemoans our
culture’s “24/7 connectivity” and maintains that “immersed in nature, one feels
alive,” (p. 72). If you love an outdoor
adventure, Beyond the Trees is for you.
