Dempster Highway to Tuktoyaktuk July 2024

[powderpig]

It can be as quick as you want or as long as you want. My son and I went from Ninlchik AK to Tukoyaktuk and back to Boulder CO. In a 2016 Chevy Colorado Diesel with a roof top tent. went quick. 1800 miles on dirt in Three days ,Turn off from Dawson to the Alcan to Tuk and back, and 7 full days from Ninilchik to Boulder Co. Yes, we even swam in the Arctic Ocean at Tuk,(paloma the pup as well) ate Musk Ox burgers. That was even a stop in White Horse for a spider bite that turned into blood Poisoning( my son). Yes, crazy. But Doable My son and I have made the trip from Ninilchik Ak to Boulder in 80 hrs. We only slept 6 in one palace, the rest was driving. So, with my wife and my son, it took us 7 days to travel from Boulder to Ninilchik. Yes, my son and I were motivated for our reasons. We are drivers. Now that does not mean I would like to have slowed down.
Canada in all it provinces is one fantastic place to visit. I have gone down the Yukon from White horse to Dawson in my teen years in a Canoe. And for remote, there is not much to compare(yes, even in AK, Unless you fly in or hike, climb in the back county, taught Mountaineering in the 80's as well as the Cummin's work I did). But to drive, Canada has more places to visit that is far more remote, as well as remote via vehicle dependent travel.
I have traveled the Cassier Highway in the early 80's, and early 90's. Favorite stretch of road in North America. Now day's it is chip sealed, not dirt . My son and I have also done the Alcan from Fairbanks to Beaver cheek in the last anniversary of the Alcan in 2017. All fun and games.
Again, go as fast as you want or as slow as you want to see more around you as you travel. Lots of great publication on what is around these roads today. Not much in the early days of my travel. Canada is one wonderfull place, so are the people. Now the border guards can be fun during different political events.
Enjoy the road as it comes in all it's wonderment , the animals and the insects and all it shows us, life in it fullest.

Robbie

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Expedition Portal linked a U tube video of Scott Brady interviewing a fellow Arizonan who did this trip in an Earthroamer
recently. I think it was last summer. He did not have a pleasant experience. No breakdowns, he was complaining about bugs
and a lack of good places to camp out.

 

[mt72]

It can be as quick as you want or as long as you want. My son and I went from Ninlchik AK to Tukoyaktuk and back to Boulder CO. In a 2016 Chevy Colorado Diesel with a roof top tent. went quick. 1800 miles on dirt in Three days ,Turn off from Dawson to the Alcan to Tuk and back, and 7 full days from Ninilchik to Boulder Co. Yes, we even swam in the Arctic Ocean at Tuk,(paloma the pup as well) ate Musk Ox burgers. That was even a stop in White Horse for a spider bite that turned into blood Poisoning( my son). Yes, crazy. But Doable My son and I have made the trip from Ninilchik Ak to Boulder in 80 hrs. We only slept 6 in one palace, the rest was driving. So, with my wife and my son, it took us 7 days to travel from Boulder to Ninilchik. Yes, my son and I were motivated for our reasons. We are drivers. Now that does not mean I would like to have slowed down.
Canada in all it provinces is one fantastic place to visit. I have gone down the Yukon from White horse to Dawson in my teen years in a Canoe. And for remote, there is not much to compare(yes, even in AK, Unless you fly in or hike, climb in the back county, taught Mountaineering in the 80's as well as the Cummin's work I did). But to drive, Canada has more places to visit that is far more remote, as well as remote via vehicle dependent travel.
I have traveled the Cassier Highway in the early 80's, and early 90's. Favorite stretch of road in North America. Now day's it is chip sealed, not dirt . My son and I have also done the Alcan from Fairbanks to Beaver cheek in the last anniversary of the Alcan in 2017. All fun and games.
Again, go as fast as you want or as slow as you want to see more around you as you travel. Lots of great publication on what is around these roads today. Not much in the early days of my travel. Canada is one wonderfull place, so are the people. Now the border guards can be fun during different political events.
Enjoy the road as it comes in all it's wonderment , the animals and the insects and all it shows us, life in it fullest.

Robbie

Hey Robbie,

Been in Dawson a few time can’t wait to go up there again hopefully my truck will be ready by the summer

 

[peesalot]

A complaint about no camping places is just pure ridiculous, don't know where the whiner went and cant see how they arrived at that statement, bugs, YUP, go in late summer early fall.

 

[Dominic Nicandri]

I agree, no place to camp is ludacris, there's 4 developed campgrounds between Dawson and Inuvik and countless pullouts and spurs along the way.

 

[DesmoPilot]

Expedition Portal linked a U tube video of Scott Brady interviewing a fellow Arizonan who did this trip in an Earthroamer
recently. I think it was last summer. He did not have a pleasant experience. No breakdowns, he was complaining about bugs
and a lack of good places to camp out.

I did this trip summer of 2022. Plenty of great places to camp. Will there be bugs, for sure. Bring a head net!! And the Gazelle screen room is a lifesaver for when you want to sit down for dinner.

My round trip was from Arizona to Tuk to Alaska and back to Arizona. 10342 miles. Can't wait to get back up there.

 

[divemedic]

I did this trip summer of 2022. Plenty of great places to camp. Will there be bugs, for sure. Bring a head net!! And the Gazelle screen room is a lifesaver for when you want to sit down for dinner.

My round trip was from Arizona to Tuk to Alaska and back to Arizona. 10342 miles. Can't wait to get back up there.

Link on the bc screen room?

 

[DesmoPilot]

Link on the bc screen room?

One this trip, we used my buddies 8-person Gazelle G6. Five of us used it daily for dinner and breakfast. It was the first piece of gear we setup everyday when arriving at camp. Allowed us to put a large table, chairs for each of us and enough room to move around. Once it was setup, we would place one Thermacell inside on the table. This would take care of any mosquitos prior to us coming in for dinner. Worked like a charm!!

If it is just my wife & I or my kids & I, then we use the slightly smaller Gazelle G5. I fits on top of the roof rack on the LC.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Someone should give a report of gasoline prices along the way. I'd guess that it would be at least $8 USD per gallon in Tuk.

 

[mep1811]

That will be a great trip. My wife and drove to Deadhorse and Tuk a couple of years ago. 92 days and 13K miles.

A word of advice is can you handle a week long breakdown ? If not, then you might want to plan with that in mind. Be sure to get the Milepost book

TCT magazine asked me to write a three part article about our trip and below is a link. Hope it whets your appetite for the trip. Feel free to ask any questions.

Arctic Adventures in a Vintage Land Cruiser

During the summer of 2018, my wife and I embarked on an Alaska trip. We thought we’d be gone about four weeks. 92 days, two trips to the Arctic Ocean and 13,000 miles later we made it home …

badlandsexpeditions.wordpress.com

 

[peesalot]

Until I saw this pic I had almost forgotten the crust, it is absolutely annoying and the silt get into places you will never find.

 

[DesmoPilot]

Until I saw this pic I had almost forgotten the crust, it is absolutely annoying and the silt get into places you will never find.

The silt is amazing! It truly finds it way into locations you didn't even know possible.

 

[DesmoPilot]

Someone should give a report of gasoline prices along the way. I'd guess that it would be at least $8 USD per gallon in Tuk.

Believe it or not, Tuk was less expensive than Inuvik this last summer. I believe Tuk was around $10 and Inuvik was around $11.

 

[peesalot]

Inuvik is cool, I stayed at a municipal camp ground on top of the hill before you get to town, we were there later in summer but it was still light way into what was supposed to be night.

 

[JohnCapoccia]

That will be a great trip. My wife and drove to Deadhorse and Tuk a couple of years ago. 92 days and 13K miles.

A word of advice is can you handle a week long breakdown ? If not, then you might want to plan with that in mind. Be sure to get the Milepost book

TCT magazine asked me to write a three part article about our trip and below is a link. Hope it whets your appetite for the trip. Feel free to ask any questions.

Arctic Adventures in a Vintage Land Cruiser

During the summer of 2018, my wife and I embarked on an Alaska trip. We thought we’d be gone about four weeks. 92 days, two trips to the Arctic Ocean and 13,000 miles later we made it home …

badlandsexpeditions.wordpress.com

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Enjoyed the stories! Yeah, gotta be careful about the Grizzlies, but also watch out for the giant chickens!

 

[bernardbarbour]

Hi Folks,

At the end of June once my Land Cruiser is ready, I and my daughter will hit the road! I was wondering if anyone up in Canada or US would like to meet up for the Dempster Highway 740 KM to Tuktoyaktuk the most northern road in Canada.

View attachment 2943892

Let's talk about it here

Love this! Will be an epic trip. Following.

 

[peesalot]

Did you happen to check the mail cabin at Chicken ? Used to be an old cabin that had a table with a 4 ft high pile and miners/residents would come in and look thru, the lady/operator of chicken said some people come once every couple years.

 

[thetoyotaman]

Curious what everyone's pack list looks like for these trips.

 

[peesalot]

Duct tape, and goggles or helemt with face shield, good chance the windshield will get hit from the wake of the trucks on the gravel. Saw/axe, fishing gear, gun, banannas, bug rub, spray is marginal, cash, canadian & us, all your other normal gear, an additional radiator screen don't hurt. Dont try and wipe the crust, it will scratch everything, just wait till it rains or you can wash it off. spare tire, tubes, patches.

 

[JohnCapoccia]

Duct tape, and goggles or helemt with face shield, good chance the windshield will get hit from the wake of the trucks on the gravel. Saw/axe, fishing gear, gun, banannas, bug rub, spray is marginal, cash, canadian & us, all your other normal gear, an additional radiator screen don't hurt. Dont try and wipe the crust, it will scratch everything, just wait till it rains or you can wash it off. spare tire, tubes, patches.

I don’t think you can take a gun into Canada