Arvind Vashishtha and Woody Elias at the proposed gravel pit.

The Gwich’in Social & Cultural Institute was contracted by the Department of Transportation to conduct an archaeological impact assessment of a proposed gravel pit on the Dempster Highway. The proposed gravel pit is located at Kilometre 34 (KM34, 34 kilometres from the Yukon Border), on the north side of the highway. The proposed pit is approximately ten kilometres west of Midway Lake. It was identified as having an increased potential for buried archaeological remains due to landforms and proximity to a creek.

The work was carried out on June 5th, 2006 by Kristi Benson from the Gwich’in Social & Cultural Institute’s Inuvik office with assistance from Woody Elias, an elder from Fort McPherson, and Arvind Vashishtha, from the Inuvik office of the Department of Transportation, GNWT.

General site shot looking north over small lakes and creek.

The proposed gravel pit, in the Bonnet Plume Flats region, is within the traditional territory of the Teetł’it Gwich’in of Teetł’it Zheh (Fort McPherson). The Teetł’it Gwich’in travel through this area to and from the mountains hunting Porcupine caribou and Dall sheep. Traditionally, the Teetł’it Gwich’in would move to the mountains for caribou hunting in the winter, summer, and fall, and return to the Peel River and its tributaries for fishing in the summers. The proposed gravel pit is about 15 kilometres north of Vitreekwaa viteetshik, or Vittrekwa River, a tributary of the Peel River and an important travel corridor.

The proposed gravel pit is a small area, and was surveyed completely by foot. Two shovel tests were excavated. Approximately 40 disturbances were examined for cultural materials.

No cultural remains were discovered, and no impacts to archaeological materials are anticipated from the development of this gravel pit.