02-Jan-2008 -- Visit to Degree Confluence 58N 118W by Ian Meyer on January 2, 2008.

Time: 12:15 pm

GPS Error: 5 meters

Altitude: 400 meters

This degree confluence lies on the eastern bank of the Chinchaga river. The Chinchaga river runs north and at this point there is a small flat of perhaps 5 or 10 hectares, which has been logged about 10 years past. The flat is rough with deadfall and logging debris among 3 meter high regrowth. The river bank on the eastern side of the flat is about 20 meters high with fairly large trees on a steep slope. The surrounding topography is generally flat with aspen and willow bush.

I had been interested in the Degree Confluence Project for some time, so when I discovered that I was going to be very near this degree confluence I had to take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of it. I accessed the location from a winter ice road that runs parallel to the Chinchaga river about a kilometer to the east. A smaller winter access to a gas well location runs west from the winter road to the top of the river bank and from there I had to hike two or three hundred meters down the bank and across the flat. At the time of my visit the temperature was about -13c, there was approximately 30cm of snow on the ground, and the river was frozen. The remains of a cow and calf moose lying on the edge of the river indicated that hunters had also visited this spot recently.