For the first time in decades, the almost exclusively alaskan Fortymile caribou herd migrated through the Tombstone Territorial Park this Fall. This is great news for the biologists as it is a sign that the conservation strategies adopted in the past years managed to bring the number of caribou in the herd back up.
For us, it was a great opportunity to drive up to the Tombstone and stay at Benson Creek lodge, which is situated 20 kilometers south of the park boundary. This rustic log cabin and the host, Gérard, make this place in the middle of the woods very comfortable and authentic! Those who decide to join us for the trips in the Tombstone (Tombstone and The grand mountains of the North) will get a chance to stay at the lodge!
On the Sunday, we drove up on the Dempster highway to look for the caribou. Shortly after entering the park, we spotted the first groups! Even though most of the herd had moved on beyond the park, a few small groups were still enjoying the wide open spaces of the Tombstone. Overall, we saw approximately 400 caribou in the day!