The Dene Tha’ were constantly on the move, searching for food. However, this nomadic lifestyle was not random; the seasonal migration of people followed very specific patterns. People’s survival depended upon successful hunting patterns.
The Dene Tha’ elders described traveling in a “circular motion,” from Tu Lonh (End of the Water), to Long Lake (Rainbow Lake), to Tamarack Hill, to Tsa Zaghe (Beaver Creek tributary), and back to Tu Lonh on their seasonal searches for game.
Many present day roads and highways were once the Dene Tha’ pack, wagon and horse trails. For example, the Habay Road was once a wagon road used by the Dene Tha’. Today, it is the main route for industry to travel to the Zama oil fields and beyond. The original wagon trail from the Chinchaga River to High Level is also still visible today.
Long ago, people used dog teams or pack dogs to travel from place to place. A team of four to six dogs were used to pull supplies and move equipment. Taking care of the dogs was very important to the survival of the hunter or trapper. Dogs were usually fed before the trapper ate his meal. Today, skidoos are used to travel to places in the winter that are inaccessible by roads. However, dog travel still holds a sentimental place in the hearts of many Dene Tha’ elders.