Aulavik National Park: Aulavik means: Place Where People Travel

12,275 square km on the north end of Banks Island

Timeline:

55 million years ago: Sharks in the Park! Alligators and lizards lived in what is now Aulavik National Park; trees grew there; and sharks swam around offshore.

1500 BC: People travelling in Aulavik after this time left tent rings, artifacts, and the bones of hundreds of muskoxen.

800 B.C to 1000 A.D: People seldom visited the northern half of Banks Island during this time.

1000 -1450 A.D.: Thule peoples travelled on Banks Island. They hunted whales and seals along the coast, and muskoxen inland.

1850: the H.M.S. Investigator, in search of the lost Franklin expedition under the command of Captain Robert M’Clure, became trapped in the ice at Mercy Bay and was abandoned in 1853.

1855 to 1890: Copper Inuit from Victoria Island travelled along the Thomsen River valley to salvage wood and metals from the site of the Investigator. As they travelled they hunted, leaving kill sites such as Head Hill.

The Head Hill site contains over 500 muskox skulls, 29 food caches, and 17 tent rings.

2001: Aulavik National Park was established through an agreement with the Inuvialuit and the community of Sachs Harbour.

We jigged the night away!

A perfect sundog with five rainbows!

It was cold weather, but a great time!

Jean says healthy food is country food!