Dear Madeline, (Passed on from Madeline to Ski Friends) - Pass on to friends interested in Cree Indian culture or gorgeous skiing: RE: SPECIAL OFFER: Ski-with-the-Cree cross-country ski trip March 1 - 9, 2001. We are looking for 2 or more people to join 8 of us for this cross-country ski - cultural experience with the Cree Indians near James Bay in Ontario. We will be joined by journalist, Bill Heavey and photographer, Chris Anderson, representing National Geographic Traveller Magazine who will be doing a photographic essay about our experience. Although the Cree won't likely be skiing, they will provide all the support on this trip. On some nights we will be staying at their hunting and fishing camps and others will be spent in prospector style tents and/or tepees heated by wood stoves - one tent for sleeping and one for cooking. Some may also want to build a quinchee or snow hut to sleep in. Food will be both traditional Cree and regular white man. Expect goose, rabbit, caribou, moose, lake trout, grayling and bannock bread. The trail is packed by snowmobile and is partly in the woods and partly on the Moose River. We will ski less than 20 km (12 miles) per day with daypacks for 5 days down the Moose River to Moose Factory. The Cree will spend time explaining their history, culture, hunting and fishing methods, and will also transport our gear (maximum 12 kg or 25 lbs per person) so we only have to carry daypacks on the trail. The skiing is on relatively easy, mostly flat terrain, the distances not overly long, and the interaction with the Cree is tops. This is a real cultural/cross-country ski experience that you will remember for a long time. Philip Sutherland, our Cree cook, Clarence Trapper and Billy Isaac will entertain us in the evenings with stories, legends, traditions, history and culture. They are a real fun people to be with. Bring your teenagers. They will enjoy the cultural exchange. The trip includes a visit to the Parc d'Aiguebelle where we will ski on some beautiful track set trails near the height-of-land between James Bay and the Ottawa River. This park contains the oldest exposed rock in the world - basalt from an ancient volcano before the ice age. The trip also includes rides on the Polar Bear Express train *Little Bear* from Cochrane to mile 131. From here we will ski to Moose Factory, a distance of about 88 km (55 miles). We will spend the last night in the Cree cultural centre in Moose Factory with a special dinner and return by train from Moosonee to Cochrane on Day 8. You will need light touring skis, boots and bindings. You will also need an arctic parka and sleeping bag both rated for temperatures to -30°C (-22°F) and colder. A complete list of clothing and equipment will be furnished. Skiers should be in good physical condition. If you are interested or have any questions please reply to this e-mail as soon as possible. First-come-first served. Regular price CDN $1,486 (US $1,143) Special price CDN $1,336 (US $1,028). Save CDN $150 (US $115) Best regards Bill Pollock, forester Tuckamor Trips Inc. 7123 Lac Noir Road, Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Qc. Canada J8C 2Z8 Phone: (819) 326-3602 Fax: (819) 326-8617 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit our web site at www.tuckamor.com
