The North Runner

Monika Rohlmann is an environmental consultant in Victoria, B.C.

R.D. Lawrence is a biologist and internationally recognized naturalist
who wrote 27 books in his lifetime. Originally published in 1979, The
North Runner was reprinted in 2003, just after Lawrence passed away in
his 82nd year.

Immigrating to Canada, Lawrence arrived in north Ontario via Toronto
with few possessions. He soon chose to live far from the city and found
his dream home, a cabin on abandoned acreage. For grocery money,
Lawrence secured a contract to supply pulpwood to a nearby mill.
Realizing a need for further income, he reluctantly established a
trapline for which a strong, co-operative dog team was required. He
established a close relationship with one dog, Yukon, that allowed for
both to acquire intimate knowledge of each other. Lawrence learned to
read Yukon’s moods, decipher particular hunting strategies, and even
interpret his howls and whines. It is a process he describes as a
necessary “animalizing”: the reawakening of ancient instincts.

After an unsuccessful trapping venture, Lawrence worked as a freelance
writer in British Columbia. Soon disillusioned, he headed out for a
14-month stay in the wilds north of New Hazelton, B.C. He met no other
human being during this time and his connection with Yukon is documented
in detail. When supplies ran out, Lawrence paddled to the nearest
community and reluctantly began a drive across the Canadian prairies,
securing a desk job at the Winnipeg Tribune. Weekend camping trips did
little to console Lawrence and Yukon’s need for wilderness. Taking a
leave of absence from his job, he and Yukon returned to their Ontario
cabin. It was a necessary antidote for both, with a peaceful yet
heartbreaking outcome.

Lawrence saw the natural world with clarity and purpose. He recognized
that the wilderness is not just for recreation or spiritual connection.
His time spent with Yukon taught him about our innate need for nature, a
sustenance basic to our animal beginnings. What danger is humankind
courting as it increasingly buries this need in technological advances?

This book will be treasured by dog lovers, naturalists, and fans of the
Canadian wilderness.