OTHERSIDE RIVER

by Dave Bober

Otherside River - a strange name for a small pristine river that sings for joy in northern Saskatchewan. The Otherside is so remote and unheard of that you probably need directions to find it. Grab a provincial highway map and move your hand to the top to the great inland sea - Lake Athabasca. Now scan the north shore until your finger finds the Dene settlement of Fond du Lac and then glance directly across to the south shore, and there it is, the mouth of the Otherside River. Now you can see that if you live in Fond du Lac the name "Otherside" is descriptive of its location and not so strange after all. This tiny river rises on the Athabasca Sand Basin and flows generally northwards for about 105 miles.

	- Photo of Dave Bober by John Bober

Of all the rivers we have paddled in northern Saskatchewan, the Otherside seemed to charm us most. Perhaps it was the ideal weather and the opportunity to canoe with my favorite tripping partner, my son John. Perhaps it was the river itself, hardly more than a creek where it started at Parisian Lake.

This small river has a variety of faces from easy class I rapids to a few difficult class III rapids, picturesque falls and gorge, and a major canyon. But for the most part it is gentle current and pine covered banks that offer an almost unlimited choice of ideal campsites. Forest fire has touched most of the river in the last 50 or 60 years, but in a checkerboard pattern that is restful to the eye, offering a panorama of healthy forest in varying stages of growth. In this country, sand is king, the Precambrian shield covered with a thick layer of sand, which is washed down to the bedrock in the shallow whitewater sections. The long shallow gradient rapids are generally easy to run and the main challenge is finding the chute or channel with the deepest flow.

For eight days we enjoyed the rhythm of the river, soaking up its remoteness and solitude. This is untouched wilderness with nary a sign of human passage or encroachment. At none of our campsites did we find a campfire ring from previous travelers and the thrill of exploration was ever our constant companion.

It always amazes me what you can observe from the seat of a canoe if you are quiet and watchful. On Squirrel Lake three otters entertained us for 15 minutes with their characteristic hisses and long necks popping up like periscopes. At the only trapping cabin site on the entire river system, on Mercredi Lake, a lone moose was approached quite closely and she ambled off with no apparent concern. Another wildlife encounter was not so benign. The breakfast dishes had just been packed when a thin bear ran into camp, tempted by the lingering aroma of pancakes. This situation looked grim for several long prolonged minutes but we managed to discourage him long enough to beat a hasty departure downriver. Having your food pack commandeered by a hungry bruin would be no laughing matter in such a remote location!

- John Bober

Running rapids in a canoe is a thrill that is hard to describe - it's a free adrenalin ride as the river comes to life, demanding your total attention. Long ago we learned to cooperate with the currents, overcoming obstacles not with power and speed, but with back paddling and ferry maneuvers, which provide a much safer passage down the turbulence. But sometimes a portage is mandatory, as it was at a magnificent classic falls, the short portage trail graced with the fresh pink bloom of wild ladyslippers. Below the falls, a small gorge, cut through sheer rock gave the Otherside a new face and much excitement as we bounced down the shallows, prying and drawing sharply to avoid rocks and to locate the deeper water. In the next 2 km the river gradually slackened, as did our energy level that now left us fatigued and ready for a lunch break.

The pickerel fishing on the Otherside was fabulous and my John is never happier than when battling with a feisty walleye. Strange to say the best fishing was found in the 20 km long switchback section - where the river meanders and often almost comes back on itself, as the bends are so tight. Even in the switchbacks the current was strong and the big pickerel lay on the bottom of the inside of the bends, where any prospective feed would drift by. Catch, fillet, and fry them up fresh on a cast iron skillet - all in 20 minutes - now that's living!!!

The detail provided by 50,000-scale topographic maps is impressive. A very long rapid and four closely spaced contour lines intersecting the river was a 'heads up'. The map did not lie: the Otherside constricted abruptly and dropped over 150 feet in less than 2 km, plunging over a series of falls and class IV and V rapids that are out of bounds for an open canoe. The thundering voice of whitewater could be heard well in advance and we hugged the south shoreline, eddying out just above the point of no return. The long portage wound up a semi-open jackpine ridge, intersecting a high sand esker that afforded a convenient approach back to the river. The faint 2 km trail was more used by wild creatures than canoeists; nevertheless, it was much easier than we had anticipated. With no real trail to follow in many spots, it was easier to rig a harness and drag the canoe, John in front with a rope around his waist pulling, and me in back, jerking a short rope in the odd place to maneuver around a pine tree or windfall stump. Returning for our second load along the river, we gazed in awe at the cascades where huge chunks of granite had broken loose and appeared to be strewn haphazardly about by the power of a giant hand, much like a boy throwing a handful of marbles up in the air just to see where they would land. The remaining rapids, where we put back in, were challenging enough and we glided into a sandy cove at the bottom with relief, ready to call it a day. Camping on a spacious esker provided a mountain like view and a slow relaxed supper was in order. The showers that moved over did us no harm as we were snuggly battened down under the rain tarp, enjoying immensely the solitude of this special place. The whitewater sounds from the big canyon above lulled us to a deep sleep and we drifted off with thoughts of thankfulness for the privilege of experiencing first hand the wonders of the river.

Although canoeists anticipate the thrill of whitewater, much can be appreciated in the quieter sections of the river, where the silence of the land can, at times, be almost overwhelming. On the Otherside, an almost endless vista of sand covered hills and the breeze in the pines was a constant reminder that these special places should be preserved in their natural state for future generations.

However, the final drop to Athabasca was anything but peaceful as the river makes a riotous haste to join the inland sea. For five km there are continuous rapids calling for skill and alertness. At the water level we experienced, we were able to run everything - talk about an adrenalin rush!!! A river wide ledge was scouted from shore and a narrow chute just wide enough for the canoe was conveniently located a few yards from the south bank. At lower water levels, this long section of rapids could, for the most part, be waded down, but for us it was a grand finale to a perfect canoe trip.

A few hundred yards below the last rapids, the Otherside pours abruptly into Lake Athabasca - the huge expanse of open lake, a marked contrast to the intimate river. Cliff Blackmur's "Otherside Bay Fishing Lodge" is located here and we enjoyed swapping stories with some of his guides. Cliff runs a friendly camp and can provide ecotourism services into the Athabasca San Dunes Wilderness Park, one of Saskatchewan's most remarkable scenic wonders. The Otherside River remains one of our favorite canoe trips, leaving us with many pleasant memories and thoughts of returning someday for another round.

(This article represents the personal opinions of the author)

READ STORIES:

Churchill River Narrative about a mighty river that flows west to east across north-central Saskatchewan.

MacFarlane River Narrative about a river on the Athabasca Plain that flows north from Cree Lake to Lake Athabasca.

Nipekamew River Narrative about a beautiful river flowing north on the Boreal Plain into the south end of Lac La Ronge.

Athabasca Sand Dunes Narrative about the vast expanses of rolling sand on Saskatchewan's Boreal Shield.

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