Roadtrips and Porcupines

Salmon Glacier from Above

A little over two weeks ago, my partner and I had a couple weeks free (we're lucky!) and decided to go to go check out Salmon Glacier. It's technically in Alaska, and is likely the easiest border crossing I have ever encountered. You drive over the border, really unaware anything has changed except the speed limit signs go from kilometers to miles. On the way back into Canada, though, CBSA takes your passport and asks the routine questions. Who would have figured getting into Canada was harder than into the States?!

Dragon Lake on Nisga'a land north of Gitlaxt'aamiks

In what has become our style of roadtrip, it took us three days to make the five hour drive. We take the long way, taking my fancy truck into places that it seems very few people get to see...even though you occasionally come across a dock, but rarely any people or cell phone reception. This province is really quite incredible.


Each evening that we sleep outside, I'm grateful for our dogs - they provide an extra layer of security when it comes to being in bear country. One night, just after climbing into the tent, we saw the dogs take off and heard them make noises we hadn't heard from them before. So, we got in the truck and I prepared for the worst. 

The dogs being adorable pre-porcupine

It wasn't a bear, but a porcupine that the dogs almost certainly killed. Whiskey had maybe 30 quills in one of her paws and her face; Rascal, well, he's won the award at the vet's for most quills ever pulled...too many to count! They both looked terrifying, cried out in pain and struggled every time we tried to pull the quills ourselves. So, we embarked on a very long, early morning car ride to the closest emergency vet (fortunately in Kitimat, where we live) to have them dequilled. I sat in the back of the truck with Rascal, and my partner drove with Whiskey on his lap, both being bear-hugged to immobilize and calm them down. The vet was expensive, but worth it...a much more humane experience than them not having any pain killers.

If you've never experienced dogs and porcupines, take a look here.