The 2023 Ice road trip from Fort McMurray to Yellowknife NWT will take place from Thursday Jan 26th (You will need to be here the night before to facilitate early morning departure) and return evening of Tuesday Jan 31st 2023. Convoy leaves the North side of Fort Mac at 8 AM sharp. No stragglers and no late comers as we have some serious miles to cover each day and won’t be waiting for you. I hate to sound like your dad on a family vacation, but seriously...
Show up fed and watered with groceries as there are no services for the entire first day. We will fuel up one hr north of Fort McMurray at the last possible chance for fuel before leaving the pavement
Day 1 (Thursday) will see us to Fort Smith NWT. Trail side lunch, I will have firewood, and will supply Smitty's firehouse chilli (has won multiple awards). Fort Smith has one restaurant for supper, and one gas station. Diesel available at the cardlock
Day 2 (Friday) travel to Yellowknife. Another trailside lunch mid day, looking for another attendee to supply this meal. Supper will be at the Black Knight irish pub in Yellowknife
Day 3 (Saturday) possible tour of Buffalo airways (pending availability) general touristy stuff. Aim for Pilots monument at high noon. Shopping at Weaver and Devore (In operation since 1937) see if they have started building the ice castles yet, Dinner at the greatest restaurant in the world “Bullocks Bistro” specialize in Arctic Char, Musk ox and other regional dishes
Day 4 Sunday. More touristy stuff in Yellowknife. Looking into a short jaunt up the Dettah Iceroad and the other ice roads the truckers use on the TV show on Discovery network.Working on a dog sled trip that we have taken in the past. Depending on enthusiasm of attendees, probably hit Bullocks for supper again. Also open to other suggestions from confirmed attendees
Day 5 (Monday) Travel back to Fort Smith, trail lunch again, (bring your doggy bag from Bullocks!)
Day 6 (Tuesday) Travel the remainder of the way back to Fort McMurray. Some folks have driven as far as Edmonton on this day, but that's a long ride. We usually roll into ft mac shortly after supper time
Wednesday- travel back to your home town
Your requirements….
A Toyota 4WD vehicle in GOOD repair. There are few services along the way, parts stores are rare and extremely expensive and poorly stocked. Don’t bring a vehicle with known problems. The extreme weather will find any weak links and halt any forward progress real quick. Synthetic fluids, block heater, healthy battery, significant tread on your tires, and no fluid or oil leaks are favorable. It has been my experience that air and oil leaks get much worse when exposed to some extreme cold. Stock vehicles are fine, this trip does not require lift kits, lockers or linked suspensions, just decent clearance, decent winter tires (3 peak mountains with snowflake rated) One vehicle with a winch would be nice. Working block heater is a must
Additional lighting is an extremely good idea and borderline mandatory. I had a very close call a few years back, narrowly missing a Buffalo. My auxiliary lighting is what saved my life (and my passengers life) without a doubt. Besides, with only 5 or so hours of daylight, you will love having extra lighting
One Gerry can of fuel for most vehicles has proven sufficient in the past. (diesels included) If your vehicle is particularly hard on fuel, and you have the room, bring 2
The usual supply of personal tools, shovels, spare parts, booster cables, tug straps, Wiener sticks, spare tire (full size) extra fluids oil, coolant etc
Warm clothes. No exceptions. I will personally guarantee the temperatures will be in the -40C area without a doubt. Don’t try to dress fashionable, you will get laughed at. Dress warm, like everyone else in Yellowknife
Camera. Soooooo much cool stuff to see on this trip from spectacular bridges, to Monuments, unique wildlife, Northern lights, Artwork, stuck or flipped over trucks etc
recommend 2 drivers per vehicle. You will spend A LOT of time behind the wheel and its nice to have someone help keep you awake or take over for a bit, even if its only half an hour
Bring a great attitude and a friendly disposition. You will be travelling with the same 8 or 10 people for a week. Lets all get along
All hotel rooms have been booked already and based on double occupancy. This is a very couples friendly trip, and is not like a typical 4 wheeling off road adventure. Your wife/girlfriend/life partner will enjoy this better than wheeling. No scary steep hills or off camber trails, Its more like a really slow, long road trip on a s***ty road with some nice stretches. I am bringing my girlfriend from Germany to ride with me and have the culture shock of her lifetime!! I guarantee you will feel more Canadian after this trip. Not sure kids would be a good idea since we will spend as much as 10 hrs a day on the road and evenings in pubs and bars.
Radio communication is important and you will require a VHF radio. Hand helds are fine, but you will need and external antenna . I don't care if you have a HAM licence or not, but CB's and FRS are useless as we will be travelling far apart for reasons
Due to the nature of the trip, the high miles required to cover each day, and the limited hotel rooms available in certain places I will have to limit this trip to the first 5 vehicles that sign up. 4 vehicles would be ideal. If you sign up, I expect you to be serious about this and commit fully
Costs involved are as follows, and subject to change without notice and are in no way a guarantee….
Ft smith Hotel $219 each night (x2 once on the way there, and once on the way back)
Yellowknife Hotel $350 for 3 consecutive nights
Each travel day will use approx one tank of fuel (plus a bit) x4… Gas prices are significantly higher in remote northern communities
Groceries and restaurants are a little more expensive than what you are used to down south, but its reasonable
Same goes for alcohol and of course, depends how much you drink
This is a Toyota only event due to reliability issues of other brands and also because there may be an article submitted to a Toyota-only magazine and they dislike pictures with Jeeps, chevys and dodges, but mostly they hate jeeps! This is not a commercially guided tour of the north. I’m just a dude that has done it before a few times and knows the way and I’m letting you follow me, I’m not doing your laundry, I’m not cleaning up your mess and I’m not fixing your junk (but I will help when I can)
if you have any questions you can post them up here, or e-mail me direct for privacy at sucker4pigtails@gmail.com
hope to see a good turn out, but will limit the trip to 4 vehicles due to miles needed to cover in a day, hotel availability, and restaurant capacities.. Bryan
Show up fed and watered with groceries as there are no services for the entire first day. We will fuel up one hr north of Fort McMurray at the last possible chance for fuel before leaving the pavement
Day 1 (Thursday) will see us to Fort Smith NWT. Trail side lunch, I will have firewood, and will supply Smitty's firehouse chilli (has won multiple awards). Fort Smith has one restaurant for supper, and one gas station. Diesel available at the cardlock
Day 2 (Friday) travel to Yellowknife. Another trailside lunch mid day, looking for another attendee to supply this meal. Supper will be at the Black Knight irish pub in Yellowknife
Day 3 (Saturday) possible tour of Buffalo airways (pending availability) general touristy stuff. Aim for Pilots monument at high noon. Shopping at Weaver and Devore (In operation since 1937) see if they have started building the ice castles yet, Dinner at the greatest restaurant in the world “Bullocks Bistro” specialize in Arctic Char, Musk ox and other regional dishes
Day 4 Sunday. More touristy stuff in Yellowknife. Looking into a short jaunt up the Dettah Iceroad and the other ice roads the truckers use on the TV show on Discovery network.Working on a dog sled trip that we have taken in the past. Depending on enthusiasm of attendees, probably hit Bullocks for supper again. Also open to other suggestions from confirmed attendees
Day 5 (Monday) Travel back to Fort Smith, trail lunch again, (bring your doggy bag from Bullocks!)
Day 6 (Tuesday) Travel the remainder of the way back to Fort McMurray. Some folks have driven as far as Edmonton on this day, but that's a long ride. We usually roll into ft mac shortly after supper time
Wednesday- travel back to your home town
Your requirements….
A Toyota 4WD vehicle in GOOD repair. There are few services along the way, parts stores are rare and extremely expensive and poorly stocked. Don’t bring a vehicle with known problems. The extreme weather will find any weak links and halt any forward progress real quick. Synthetic fluids, block heater, healthy battery, significant tread on your tires, and no fluid or oil leaks are favorable. It has been my experience that air and oil leaks get much worse when exposed to some extreme cold. Stock vehicles are fine, this trip does not require lift kits, lockers or linked suspensions, just decent clearance, decent winter tires (3 peak mountains with snowflake rated) One vehicle with a winch would be nice. Working block heater is a must
Additional lighting is an extremely good idea and borderline mandatory. I had a very close call a few years back, narrowly missing a Buffalo. My auxiliary lighting is what saved my life (and my passengers life) without a doubt. Besides, with only 5 or so hours of daylight, you will love having extra lighting
One Gerry can of fuel for most vehicles has proven sufficient in the past. (diesels included) If your vehicle is particularly hard on fuel, and you have the room, bring 2
The usual supply of personal tools, shovels, spare parts, booster cables, tug straps, Wiener sticks, spare tire (full size) extra fluids oil, coolant etc
Warm clothes. No exceptions. I will personally guarantee the temperatures will be in the -40C area without a doubt. Don’t try to dress fashionable, you will get laughed at. Dress warm, like everyone else in Yellowknife
Camera. Soooooo much cool stuff to see on this trip from spectacular bridges, to Monuments, unique wildlife, Northern lights, Artwork, stuck or flipped over trucks etc
recommend 2 drivers per vehicle. You will spend A LOT of time behind the wheel and its nice to have someone help keep you awake or take over for a bit, even if its only half an hour
Bring a great attitude and a friendly disposition. You will be travelling with the same 8 or 10 people for a week. Lets all get along
All hotel rooms have been booked already and based on double occupancy. This is a very couples friendly trip, and is not like a typical 4 wheeling off road adventure. Your wife/girlfriend/life partner will enjoy this better than wheeling. No scary steep hills or off camber trails, Its more like a really slow, long road trip on a s***ty road with some nice stretches. I am bringing my girlfriend from Germany to ride with me and have the culture shock of her lifetime!! I guarantee you will feel more Canadian after this trip. Not sure kids would be a good idea since we will spend as much as 10 hrs a day on the road and evenings in pubs and bars.
Radio communication is important and you will require a VHF radio. Hand helds are fine, but you will need and external antenna . I don't care if you have a HAM licence or not, but CB's and FRS are useless as we will be travelling far apart for reasons
Due to the nature of the trip, the high miles required to cover each day, and the limited hotel rooms available in certain places I will have to limit this trip to the first 5 vehicles that sign up. 4 vehicles would be ideal. If you sign up, I expect you to be serious about this and commit fully
Costs involved are as follows, and subject to change without notice and are in no way a guarantee….
Ft smith Hotel $219 each night (x2 once on the way there, and once on the way back)
Yellowknife Hotel $350 for 3 consecutive nights
Each travel day will use approx one tank of fuel (plus a bit) x4… Gas prices are significantly higher in remote northern communities
Groceries and restaurants are a little more expensive than what you are used to down south, but its reasonable
Same goes for alcohol and of course, depends how much you drink
This is a Toyota only event due to reliability issues of other brands and also because there may be an article submitted to a Toyota-only magazine and they dislike pictures with Jeeps, chevys and dodges, but mostly they hate jeeps! This is not a commercially guided tour of the north. I’m just a dude that has done it before a few times and knows the way and I’m letting you follow me, I’m not doing your laundry, I’m not cleaning up your mess and I’m not fixing your junk (but I will help when I can)
if you have any questions you can post them up here, or e-mail me direct for privacy at sucker4pigtails@gmail.com
hope to see a good turn out, but will limit the trip to 4 vehicles due to miles needed to cover in a day, hotel availability, and restaurant capacities.. Bryan
