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ExplorertrekstoworldslargestbeaverdamNewJerseymanrstknownpersontomakelonghaultoWBNPwonder6TuesdaySeptember302014ENVIRONMENTWETLANDSMissStacheisasophisticatedandcutelittlelady.IsntshejustpreciousIfyoubroughtherhomeshedbesohappyandgiveyoucuddles.Pleaseleaveamessageat872-5543fordetails.WESCLEANNORTHERNSALESLTD.FemaleAdultBlackandwhitemixLookingforanewhomeFortSmithDentalClinic867872-2887orTollFree1-866-535-2887SombaKFamilyDental867873-2027YellowknifeWalk-inandnewpatientsarealwayswelcomeThisyearsucceedwithasmile.Dr.KobaisyDentalClinicsHappyBirthdayFortSmithFortSm867872-2887orToSombaK867ebmlinicseaByDALICARMICHAELWoodBuffaloNationalParkWBNPdrewinternationalattentionearlierthismonthwhenaninternationalexplorermadethetreacherousjourneytothelargestbeaverdamintheworldnestledintheheartofthepark.WhenRobMarkofNewJerseymadethesolotrekinmid-Julyhebecametherstknownpersontoreachthenaturalfeature.TheysaiditwasincrediblyremoteandvirtuallyinaccessibleandthosetwothingssparkedmyinterestsoIstarteddoingre-searchMarksaidinaninterviewwithTheJournal.Herststartedlearningaboutthedamin2010shortlyafteritsdiscoverywasannouncedontheworldstage.Afterdeterminingthathecouldactuallyreachthesiteinasafemannerhesetouttocom-pletehisgoal.ItalkedtoseveralofthelocalsandsomeofthelocaltrappersandthroughmyresearchIfoundoutwhatthefoliagewouldbelikewhatthewildlifeisliketheweatherallthattypeofstuffMarksaid.Whatsinterestingaboutthatareaisthetrapperswillgoabout3kmtotheeastofitand3kmtothewestofitbutthatstripofbeaverdamtheydontgoin.Allthelocalssaidnoonegoesinthereforareasonbecausetheycantrapanimalsaloteasierelsewhere.MarksetoutonhisadventurefromhislandingpadinFortChipewyanonJuly15.Overthecourseoffivedayshemadeittothedamtrudgingthroughwetlandsandpungentmuskegswampsinthehopesofleadingthewayforotherexpeditionersandresearcherstostudytheovergrownstructure.Thebeaverdamstretches850metreslongagood350metresbiggerthantheav-eragebeaverhome.TheentiremasssitsatthesouthwestcornerofLakeClaireontheAlbertasideofWBNP.ForsomeofitIcouldmoveamileinhalfanhouroranhouroralittlemoreoralit-tlelessMarksaid.Thatlastmiletookvehours.Thatshowbaditwasbecauseyoureinaswampwherethewaterscompletelycov-eredinvegetationsoyouretryingtostepontheplantsbutyousinkinthenyourfootgetsstuck.Itsverynerve-wrackingtakingeachstepsoIwasmakingsureIwasholdingontowillowssoincaseIgotstuckIcouldpullmyselfout.Whilesloshingthroughtheboot-suckingmarshlandMarkalsogottoexperiencethejoyofkeepinghimselfentirelycoveredatthesteamingheightofsummertoavoidthenotoriousmosquitoesoftheNorth.Ivebeenotherplaces.IvebeentoAlaskaandIvebeentoCanadabeforebutthatarea-Iveneverhadmosquitosattackmethewaytheydidhesaid.TheywereworsethantheAmazon.ButwhenhenallymadeittothebeaverdamMarksaidtherigoursofhisexcursionweretotallyworthit.MyrstfeelingwasreliefthatIdidnthavetogoanyfurtherMarksaid.Seconditwasrelief-andthiswasallgoingthroughmyheadreallyquickly-thatIactuallymappeditoutandIwasabletonditbecauseIwasworried.AndthenIfeltthegreatsenseofaccomplishmentthatIwasabletomapthisoutforfurtherexplorationforotherpeople.AdrawforresearchersThedamwasrstdiscoveredbyenvironmen-talsurveyorJeanThiewhoafteralmostfourdecadesofexaminingnaturalfeaturesthroughsatelliteimageryandaerialphotographydevel-opedanappreciationfordamsadmiringhowtheyenhancethebeautyofnaturalscenery.Hesetouttondthelargestdamhecouldandin2007withthehelpofGoogleMapssatel-litephotographyfoundtheLakeClairelodge.SowhatdidthesurveyorthinkofMarksexpeditionIthinkitsneatbecauseobviouslytogettherebylandisreallyhardThiesaid.Ithinkmostpeoplewouldnotreallywanttodothatsoitsaneatchallenge.ItisalongslogsoIthinkitsquiteafeatbecauseyouhavetocrossanumberofwetlands.Itwouldbequiteexhaustingaswell.Iusedtodomuchofthatstuffmyselfmanymanyyearsagobutusuallynotwhathedidabout17kmorso.Thiebelievesthedamwasbuiltoverthecourseof20to25yearsandisonlyusedbyabout10beaverscurrently.Henotedthatsomeoftheslipperymammalshavestartedbuildingsat-ellitedamsaroundtheoriginalprobablytohouseoffspringofthecurrentresidents.MyrstfeelingwasreliefthatIdidnthavetogoanyfurther.Seconditwasrelief...thatIactuallymappeditoutandIwasabletonditbecauseIwasworried.AndthenIfeltthegreatsenseofaccomplishmentthatIwasabletomapthisoutforfurtherexplorationforotherpeople.RobMarkExplorerPhotoRobMarkRobMarkistherstknownpersontomakeitouttotheroughly850metre-longbeaverdamonLakeClairethoughttobethebiggestdamintheworld.TheinternationalexplorercannowcheckthisnaturalwonderoffhislistwhichalreadyincludeslocationseverywherefromAfricatotheAmazontoAlaska.