How We Managed to Drive the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean
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- Опубліковано 4 лис 2024
- Info, advice, and our experience, while driving the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories.
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Hi Gnometown campers, we drove this route a little while back in a minivan. Average speed 35mph. Coming from Australia we were a bit more used to the isolation and gravel roads. No punctures or even stone chips on the windscreen. We traveled earlier in the year and had to wait for the ice to clear at the mackenzie river ferry before we could get across. It is nice to see that it is still an adventure. It is go advice to go a bit slower and savour the experience. We saw a few vehicles that had run off the road for going to fast. Even saw a couple of grizzleys and caribou along the way. What a great trip. Thanks for the video.
All the best from Aussie Global Travelers
Hi Aussies! Thanks for the great comment. Sounds like you had a fun trip up the Dempster. I wonder how long you had to sit around and wait for the ice to clear?
Lucky you, seeing the wildlife, we struck out.
We hope we get the chance to do it again.
Cheers and thanks for watching!
I've watched dozens of videos about the Dempster, yours had some of the most helpful narration of all. Thank you.
Thank you for the nice comment, we are glad that you found it helpful.
Exactly what i was thinking! Thank you :)
Thanks you so much for watching, we really appreciate it!
Good video. I rode up to Tuktoyaktuk on my motorcycle last summer. It was a challenging ride but one of the best trips of my life. The landscape is like nothing I had ever seen before, it was just stunning
I absolutely agree with you, on of the best trips of my life. I bet it was a quite the adventure on a motorcycle. Thanks for watching!
Great video. I did the drive this summer. I thought I was so adventurous and brave doing it. I was in the third week going up and bragged to a person at the Tuk camp ground, until he told me he was in his 3rd month bicycling from Vancouver.
Exactly, the cyclists were on an adventure of their own, an adventure completely different than what we were doing, that's for sure. Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Probably one of my trips of a lifetime! Hoping to go one day. Thank you for the video
Thanks so much for watching, we really appreciate it! We hope you get to take a trip on the Dempster. We are currently in Newfoundland, after driving across the wild and remote Labrador. This is beautiful country, we have new videos every Thursday, if you're interested. Thanks again and happy travels!
Super informative video. Thanks for taking the time to make it. We leave next week in our 19’ Class C RV. Looking forward to all you have shown.
Glad it was helpful! You're going love it, have a great trip and thanks for watching!
Such a cool video thank you! I have a couple more years before I retire and with the good lord’s blessing I’ll be making that trip!
It was a once in a lifetime trip for us, we loved it! Thanks for watching.
Very nice, Very helpful! Tank you - Safe and Wonderful Journeys!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
This is by far one of the best most helpful videos out there. We're taking our own "Cool Geerage Cargo Trailer Conversion" on the road North in five days and thoroughly enjoyed how informative you've made this. We've like and subscribed!! Keep up the great work friends!!!
Thanks so much for the kind words and subscribing. I hope you have the trip of a lifetime and enjoy yourself thoroughly.
See you on the road!
Excellent format! Direct, and to the Point! I was constantly stopping to write down the details that I considered very important, which is to say, a LOT. In my research of UA-cam for this trip, this is, by far, in the Top 5. You've definitely got a new subscriber!
Thanks so much for watching and especially for the kind comment. We really appreciate it!
Great video and narration. Congratulations on this wonderful trip. When you're 100 years old and near the end, this Dempster trip is one of the things that you'll be thinking about.
So glad that you enjoyed the video, and yes it was the trip of a lifetime!
Thanks for posting this y'all, this is quality content.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind words!
Im just curious how old the driver is here ? I want to do this trip and I just turned 81 years old , I have a pickup truck and maybe a small trailer. would you have the ability to drive it again some day? If I knew your age I might know if I have a chance or not ! I would just go to Deadhorse or maybe to Tuctoyuctuc ! Then Back to Michigan where I live . Any comments about that ! I just found your Videos and am enjoying them very much ! I like your trailer a lot ! Thanks for any reply ......
Hey, thanks for watching. I'm 65. I would love to do that trip again, and hope to do so. Next time I would spend more time on the Dempster, maybe 1 week up, 1 week in Tuk, and one week down. I don't see why you couldn't do it, if you're in decent health. Everybody out there is willing to help if you have a problem.
Thanks again for watching, we really appreciate it!
Congrats on your road trip. A lifetime achievement for sure. I conquered the Dempster in June 2019. Drove the new road to Tuk and had a bathtub splash in the Arctic on the same trip. My dirt coated car was a fun memory. Did you stop at Grandma's Kitchen in Tuk? Husband repaired my flat for free if I purchased food at the wife's food truck. Of course I did: two musk ox burgers and two cokes and an afternoon of wonderful conversation with the husband. Didn't really want to leave either.
Sounds like an awesome trip! Thanks for watching, we appreciate it.
@@TheGnometownCampers as much as yours was. After the Dempster, I conquered the Dalton too.
We unfortunately missed out on Grandma's Kitchen. It was a huge mistake. OMG, we would have loved to try a musk ox burger!
Damn, now we have an excuse to return.
We have a friend from Arizona doing the Dalton on her bicycle, a few weeks from now. Can't wait to get her report.
@@TheGnometownCampers on a bicycle, that's absolute courage especially with inclement weather and no available shelter near by. Best wishes to her. Let me know how she's doing too.
Yeah, she's a bad ass, that's for sure. She is putting us on her GPS track so we can follow her. Looking forward to hearing about her adventure.
I liked your video. The information was presented well, it was informative and very understandable.
Good work folks. Thank you...
Our pleasure, thank you very much for watching, and we're glad that you enjoyed it.
Hope you have a happy holiday!
Watched your video last night and did a double take when you showed the part at the Arctic Circle sign. That is our silver van just left of the sign as you filmed yourselves approaching it. It was 29th of July, we made it to Tuk on the 31st at about 11am, stayed overnight and left the next morning. We boondocked at the Circle sign that evening on the way back and made it to Dawson City the next day. Enjoyed your video. I have a picture of us there, I’ll try to attach it.
Ah Len, it is a small world! Thanks for the nice comment and I am glad we almost met. Maybe next time we'll get to talk. See you on the road!
@@TheGnometownCampers We live on a lake in NH, if you're ever traveling through New England you're welcome to a boon docking spot. Safe travels!
Thanks, that would be great, we love New England!
Gorgeous scenery folks, landscapes are simply breathtaking! 👌
Thanks so much for watching, Ervin!
This is the video to watch if you're planning this trip. I just finished it, and this covers just about everything. One thing I can say is plan AT LEAST 7 days on the road. Maybe 3 up and 2 down + 2 days in Tuk. Also try to spend a good portion of a day or longer in Inuvik. Fort McPherson you can do in a few hours. More is better. I only could only spend 5 days and it wasn't enough. I would have liked to have spend more time in the pretty areas to take photos at different times of the day. During the summer when the sun gets low (like at 2am) the light was AMAZING for photos. I might not be able to do this again for a while, but when I do I plan on sleeping during the "daytime" so I can photograph when the light is better.
Thank you. Great advice, we would love to go back and definitely spend more time. I agree about spending at least 7 days, and maybe longer if you have the time.
Thanks for watching, we really appreciate it!
When else will you get a chance to get in the Arctic Ocean? Personally, in Barrow and on the tour of Prudhoe Bay. I haven’t driven the Dempster since 2003, so only got to Inuvik.
Exactly! It was an opportunity we had to grab, for sure. Thanks for watching!
Nicely done! What month did you drive the Dempster?
Thanks, we drove it at the end of July. We appreciate you watching!
Kudos, what a video. Just love the climax music, where can I get that ? thanks.
Thanks for watching. The music is called "Summer Surfing Upbeat" and it is free with my Filmstock subscription. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the video! What is your mpg with and without your trailer?
My mileage pulling the trailer is 11 to 12mpg. Without the trailer I get 15 to 16.
awesome, thanks for sharing insightful information - what month of year did you travel up?
Thanks for watching. We went in August.
Do you think you need awd or four wheel drive? I am trying to decide on what type of van to purchase.
No, the van we took was rear wheel drive. We saw all types of vehicles up there including minivans.
Thanks for watching, we really appreciate it!
@@TheGnometownCampers Thanks for your comment about not needing 4 wheel drive. I have a 2 wheel drive pickup, and really want to do this. Years ago my father taught me how to drive in ice and snow with only 2 wheel drive. He used to chuckle at all the 4 wheelers who got stuck.
Tons of info and a really resourceful video to keep on file. My question is about vehicle ruggedness and lodging: I saw compact SUV's on the ferry (Honda Pilot, etc), and I know you camped on your trip... but, what would you think of a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander (with upgraded tires) making this trip with scheduled lodging along the way? This trip is years away for us and I know so many variables can change in that time, but did you see more folks lodging along the way or camping? I'm so glad you got to experience it... our turn is coming up sometime soon. Cheers! Pete in Arizona.
Hey Pete, thanks for the nice comment. Yes indeed, a Highlander or Pilot would be more than able to make the trip. Good tires are key. We did talk to people who stayed at the Eagle Plains Lodge, then at the hotel at Inuvik. From there it's just 90 miles to Tuk. They spent the day at Tuk and then back to Inuvik for another night at the hotel. So it is commonly done.
@@TheGnometownCampers Good deal. I like the lodging ideas you mentioned others were doing. I also noted your video link in a vacation file I started for review again when the time comes for making plans. Thank you for showing the way and being so good at explaining everything, and replying so fast to questions.
It's really like a tight little community of travelers as you head up the Dempster. People in all kinds of vehicles, from all over the world heading to the same destination, sharing the same adventure. We had a good time meeting and hanging out with all kinds of folks. We'd do it again in a heartbeat!
As Gnometown said good tires is the key. We punctured a brand new tire on the freshly graded yukon portion of the Dempster100km below EaglePlains. Luckily they're used to patch tires and I could save it for the rest of the trip. I carry myself two complete spares but I'm especially very heavy at 9000 lbs on 4 wheels, plus my wife is in a wheelchair. Having a true full size sparewheel is highly recommended. People and truckers all stopped to check if I had everything for the tire change. Everybody helps everybody on these roads anyway. Stress, theft or crime is inexistant there.
Our 21 years old Chevy van broke down once, luckily I could just crawl next to a road maintenance center about 200 km in the HW and the next morning I could use their satelite phone to call a mechanic from Dawson who came with a float (just in case) and a spare central carrier bearing for the driving shaft. The astute young fellow had me hopping the van on the float (again just in case!) and was finally able to change the bearing on the driving shaft and. I was good again to go back to my trip. A credit card was useful to make a deposit.. Still had to wait 2 days but it was nice scenery and we had plenty of food.
Just being prepared to spend more time on the road is a good idea. Some emergency camping gear, a small water filter can also be used for the numerous rivers and ice cold super fresh mountain spring (Bottled water is 3 times the average price in both YT and NWT). So you can bring an empty container that you can fill here and there. Ask for where you can fill them up. Visitor centers often.
Depending on the time of the year you go there always expect right weather clothing. June and mid july you will find some pesky mosquitoes ( In certain area a net was useful to sleep even inside as they did find a way in the old rusty truck!).
Also expect no darkness because of the midnight sun. I covered my eyes with a sweater rather than blocking all the windows. Plentiful of solar energy if you have a small panel for your gear while camping.
End of august early september is great for the fall colors wich are truelly out of this world.(Bring extra memory cards for magnificient pictures). Also you will have mesmerizing northern lights when it is cold in the upper atmosphere.
As you hit the mountain pass between Yukon and NWT you might even have snow! Usually don't last long and they do maintain the road. Season is short before winter sets in. I promised myself to do it wintertime, end of march, early april in time for the natives jamborees in every villages, right before the icebriges on the McKenzie and peel river closes. Then I would have to wait a couple of weeks before the ferries start back their actions ( they close in late oct and open mid may, except last year beginnig of june, so good for the planet heating! Tuk's harbour was still in ice end of june!). Also winter driving means absolutely no potholes, no dust or mud and no mosquitoes but again a whole new set of magical scenery.
It is truelly one of the best sight in Canada. Remote wildness ( only 42 000 people in the whole of YT with 30k in WhiteHorse the capital, almost more bears than inhabitants!) mountains, vegetation change from taiga to toundra. It is really spectacular. You can find plenty of spots to wildcamp completely alone or go to provincial campsite ( no utilities usually)
One tip is to slow down, enjoy the magical scenery, it will be less hard on the vehicle as the Yukon side can have some potholes sections after rainy wheather. It is also good to really slow down when you pass a truck if you want to prevent possible chip in your windshield as the speeding 18 wheels can project pebbles. The truckers will be thankful, especially on the Yukon side wich have narrower roads. On the NWT side it is way wider and somehow less tortuous so you can speed up.
Do not expect cell phone signal for about 550 km between Dawson and about 40 km before Fort McPherson( where the road widens as an emergency airstrip). There is land line and you can have paying wifi at Eagleplains Lodge (pretty good restaurant,bar , gaz and tire service). You will find cell signal in all the villages as well. Tsigetshik, of course Inuvik and Tuk. On that side the only liquor store is in Inuvik if you fancy a beer ...stock up there or Dawson (a 30$ vodka bottle is worth a 100$ through the bootleggers in Tuk)
Take your time to talk to the natives Gwich'in (along Dempster up to Inuvik) and Inuvialuits (Inuvik and TukToyaktuk). They can be very generous once they find out you show an interest in their way of life and culture. They are as welll really talented artisans( you can find beautiful arts and crafts) and if you can share a smoked tea (maybe with a shot of vodka) they will tell you amazing stories about their hunting and fishing. We were given dried smoked whale meat and fish as well as frozen caribou steacks. Yummy!
If you are humble enough to aknowledge and understand that they know well how we live but we don't know much about them, you will learn a lot discussing with them.
In Watson Lake YT in september 2022 we experienced their annual competition of handgames with clans from all over YT and NWT, 28 teams! We had seen some regional ones in Inuvik. Imagine 2 teams competing (kind of guessing and betting games) with crowd cheering and the beat of 30 to 40 loud hand drums. We were about the only whites there and it was exotic pure magic.
Yeah if you can spare the time, talk to travellers and natives about activities going on, everybody knows everyone.
This roadtrip is really something, starting with the Alaska HW wildlife. Plenty to see and goldrush history all along as well I enjoyed it so much I had to go back the next year to finish the NWT Dempster part to Tuk that was closed the previous year because of CV19.
Happy travel. BTW except the Dempster and Top of the world HW most roads of YT are paved. Enjoy
As long as you have good tires and a reliable vehicle the ruggedness isn’t all that important. Someone did it with a stock VW GTI on stock sized tires.
Outstanding video!
Thanks so much, we appreciate you watching!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to adventure to Alaska with a small a camper?
Thanks for watching!
You should definitely order the Milepost publication, which is printed every March (I believe March). It provides great info about the road options in western Canada and Alaska (not just the Alaska Highway). It also has some history, which was very interesting. None of the roads were as bad as the Milepost and local legend makes them out to be! LOL
We only made reservations for Denali (required) and played the rest of it as we went. We never had trouble finding camping. We were in AK in June and July and just didn't see the crowds that everyone worries about--that made us happy!
We met some wonderful people along the way who become good friends. As you travel up the Alaska Highway, you'll camp with the same folks often--make friends and be open for fun!
I hope this answers some questions and feel free to ask more. Have a wonderful trip!!
Susan
You didnt mention the "pingo's" in Tuk
You are right, but we talked about them in our longer Tuk video: ua-cam.com/video/8tkBMz0U-SQ/v-deo.html
Were the campsites busy in Tuk? Did you book before your arrival or when you got there?
No, just pay at the visitor center. They are very casual about it.
Thanks for watching.
@@TheGnometownCampers Thanks for the info! Been wanting to make the trip up for years and finally have a long enough stretch of vacation
Awesome, hope you have a great trip!
25 feet travel trailer with f150 can make it ?
I would think so. Take her slow and easy.
What dates do you do the drive? We are heading to Alaska this summer, entering Canada June 1st. Thinking about doing the Dempster mid to late June. Six years ago we drove the entire length of the Dalton Highway the last four days of June and had great weather, ua-cam.com/video/jQoumZP39Jk/v-deo.html
We did the drive in late July or early August on our way back from Alaska.We tried to do it on our way up in early June but Ice jams in the rivers still had the ferries closed.
Dead bug right smack dab in middle of windshield
😂
Tuk used to be fly in fly out.
Yes it was, the road opened in 2017. Thanks for watching!
That is the way to roll, smaller rigs.
That's how wee roll! 😊 Thanks watching, we appreciate it!