Crossland Lake
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The Old Trapper of Crossland Lake

Arnold Hardy was a real old time trapper. He lived an exciting but crazy life in the north. When he needed some money, he worked as a diamond driller at remote locations around this area. This is hard work under hard conditions and these men are tough. It is told that Arnold once bought a little airplane. Without instructions or licence he flew around the north and loved the freedom until he crashed one day and just walked away from the plane.
Another time, Arnold persuaded Hugh to sell him an old motorcycle. The following day, Hugh met Arnold walking down main street all bandaged up. Yes the machine was wrecked but boy did it move!
When things got away from him and drinking began to take over, Arnold would head to the bush often alone where he would spend months trapping and exploring. His spot on Crossland was his oasis. When guests met up with him, they found him friendly and happy to talk for awhile. When he was in his 70's and not well, he persuaded Hugh to fly him into Crossland where he intended to revitalize or maybe die. He warned Hugh of this. Later in the winter, when Hugh and Craig flew over and saw no smoke coming from the cabin chimney, they feared the worst. They peaked in the cabin window and saw him on his cot. Arnold had died in his favourite place.
His cabin and trapline was taken over by Andy who trapped for a few years. Across the lake from the outpost, you can find the remains of their little cabin and sheds.

Perhaps Arnold still watches over his lake.

Andy and his Mail Order Bride

Andy came from the south, fed up with a busy life in construction. He took over Arnold's trapline and set up a winter homestead. He tried to use sled dogs to get around and that was a challenge. At first he enjoyed the quiet but after awhile he became lonely and one night he wrote an ad for a mail order bride. Soon he was picking up his new bride and they lived each winter together on Crossland. They had a baby girl and lived a quiet but challenging life in real wilderness. However the price for fur went way down and they could no longer make even a meager living. They moved back to Ear Falls and Andy went back to construction.

Andy dreams of getting back for another winter, so if you visit his place, please leave things be.