The Force in the North

The Daily Grind

While travel and weather were exciting variables in the lives of the Mounties in the North, most of the time, work was filled with mundane daily chores. In the early days, all the buildings were heated with wood and simply keeping the woodpile stocked and the temperature up took hours each day. The attached photos illustrate some of the daily chores needed just to survive; chopping wood, hauling ice and water, and hunting for food to accompany rations.

In order to present the appropriate image, Mounties had to devote a great deal of time and attention to their complex uniforms. Art Deer explains some of the tools needed to keep that 'spit and polish' look.

In many cases, the Mounties arrived in areas where no detachment existed and had to build their own homes. This is particularly true in the Yukon, from Fort Constantine to Tagish, to remote one-man detachments. If you had a detachment or a home, much of your time was spent repairing and maintaining it.

And all of this was in addition to any police or government work. Reporting and documenting was an onerous task. The fortunate outcome of it all is the detailed history available in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Quarterly and the Annual Publications, which were essential sources in putting together this website.