Diving Into the Dempster

Trip Start Jun 13, 2009
1
9
15
Trip End Jun 28, 2009


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Flag of Canada  , Yukon Territory,
Friday, June 19, 2009

Up early, we headed north on the Klondike again toward Dawson City. About 30km before of Dawson is the junction with the Dempster Highway that leads to Inuvik. We weren't sure that we would attempt it, so we just stopped and took some pictures. The first 5 miles or so are paved, so we drove up those and onto the gravel to see what the road condition was like. It seemed ok, but of course the road condition of the first 10 miles doesn't mean much about the other 440 miles.

We headed back down and over to Dawson City and checked with the NW Territories Dempster Highway tourist information office. The woman there said our car would be fine on the Dempster as long as we had a full size spare tire. Well, we didn't have one. The NAPA auto parts store could get a full size spare the next day, but it would cost $500, so we opted for buying a second can of fix-a-flat. I figure our sign says "Arctic or Bust", so something like the fear of being stranded shouldn't stop us. A tow back to town costs $400, cheaper than the full size spare. Also, I don't want to buy a spare for a car that I don't own.

Anyways, we filled up the tank, and headed back towards the Dempster, turned the corner and took a picture of the sign indicating 735km to Inuvik. At Highway speeds, that is a smooth 7 hours. On the Dempster, it is 14 hours of bumpy riding.

I took it slow driving at first, only going 35-40mph for the first couple hundred km. The road wasn't too bad, although I had to maintain almost constant focus to make sure I avoided potholes and loose gravel that could destroy a tire or send us off the road at any time. Any time you pass a car, the appopriate action was to pull to the far edges and pass each other going maybe 25-30mph to avoid kicking rocks into each others vehicles. At all other times, you just drive on the part of the road that is in the best condition.

The scenery is utterly beautiful as you drive up the first half of the highway. It winds through Tombstone Territorial Park, as well as a high plateau that leads up to the Eagle Plains Hotel, the halfway point service station. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

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Purple Flowers on the Klondike Highway Purple Flowers on the Klondike Highway Klondike Highway Klondike Highway Felled Trees Piled up Felled Trees Piled up Felled Trees Piled up Felled Trees Piled up
Valley Valley Stubborn Cari Stubborn Cari Canada! Canada! Junction with the Dempster Junction with the Dempster
Dempster Highway Sign Dempster Highway Sign A Californian Taking Pictures of our Car A Californian Taking Pictures of our Car Trans Canada Trail Sign Trans Canada Trail Sign Beware, all ye who cross this bridge Beware, all ye who cross this bridge
Inuvik 735km Inuvik 735km Dawson City (side trek) Dawson City (side trek) Dawson City (side trek) Dawson City (side trek) Dawson City Museum (side trek) Dawson City Museum (side trek)
Dempster - Pavement Ends Sign (km6) Dempster - Pavement Ends Sign (km6) The Last Pavement The Last Pavement Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Not much Progress Not much Progress Car at Two Moose Lake Car at Two Moose Lake Two Moose Lake Two Moose Lake
Ryan and the Car Ryan and the Car Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Aboriginal Land Marked (Right Side Stones) Aboriginal Land Marked (Right Side Stones) Ogilvie Moutains Lookout Ogilvie Moutains Lookout
Ogilvie Explanation Ogilvie Explanation Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Bowl Valley Bowl Valley
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene
Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Dempster Highway Scene Almost to Eagle Lodge Almost to Eagle Lodge Eagle Plains Lodge Plaque Eagle Plains Lodge Plaque
Dusty Vehicles Dusty Vehicles Eagle Plains Lodge Eagle Plains Lodge
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