Tell me about Tuktoyaktuk!

[Strange Brew]

Do they still test snow machines on the ice road from Inuvik to Tuk?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Do they still test snow machines on the ice road from Inuvik to Tuk?

The permanent year road highway opened in 2017. no more ice road.

[activeStick]

Takoyaki is delicious

https://twitter.com/user/status/1647394571872251904

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The permanent year road highway opened in 2017. no more ice road.

I had no idea. That’s kind of too bad, I’m sure things have changed a lot since I was last up there, maybe 1995 or so.

[You Need a Thneed]

This 24 hour sun is weird.

[Fuzz]

There are strange things done in the midnight sun

[Nyah]

I've always wanted to experience Polar Night in a place like Svalbard. Not sure I could do Midnight Sun though.

How are you enjoying it up there?

[Table 5]

How's the Dempster right now? Driving up there next week myself.

[Master Ed]

Originally Posted by Table 5

How's the Dempster right now? Driving up there next week myself.

I just got back from a trip up to Tuk last week. I would say the Dempster is excellent in some parts, sketchy in others, but overall maintained regularly. One of the worst sections going north after the Peel River ferry had been graded and became the best section going south a few days later. I would guess the main industry in that region is road maintenance. About half the people I spoke to at rest stops said they had gotten a puncture, usually in the area north of Eagle Plains before the NWT border. Luckily, I was not one of them.

I found some sections between on the Klondike highway between Whitehorse and Dawson City to be more nerve wracking. Lots of random big potholes that come out of nowhere at 90km/h. Stay alert. Also a few construction zones with pilot vehicles to guide you through which can be slow going.

The scenery is amazing and the payoff is worth it to get somewhere not many people go. Lots of great wild camping spots along the way. From Vancouver Island to Tuk I never paid for camping once. Enjoy the trip!

[redforever]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The permanent year road highway opened in 2017. no more ice road.

There is still an ice road from Aklavik to Inuvik.

I did the Dempster Highway this June. We had perfect weather, although very hot. 5 days after I got home, there were forest fires that closed the Dempster for a period of time.

I flew to Whitehorse and then was with a small group of nine. Spent a few days in Whitehorse and Kluane Park before driving to Dawson City. Spent a few days there and then drove to Eagle Plains. From Eagle Plains we drove to Inuvik, spending a few days and Canada Day there. Then drove to Tuktoyaktuk.

The roads improved as we went along, the Yukon side being the worst. We were in a small bus, 5 seats per side. We changed a tire in Eagle Plains, tread was almost worn off, but did not have a flat.

The best road is from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk...as it is now maintained year round.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Master Ed

I just got back from a trip up to Tuk last week. I would say the Dempster is excellent in some parts, sketchy in others, but overall maintained regularly. One of the worst sections going north after the Peel River ferry had been graded and became the best section going south a few days later. I would guess the main industry in that region is road maintenance. About half the people I spoke to at rest stops said they had gotten a puncture, usually in the area north of Eagle Plains before the NWT border. Luckily, I was not one of them.

I found some sections between on the Klondike highway between Whitehorse and Dawson City to be more nerve wracking. Lots of random big potholes that come out of nowhere at 90km/h. Stay alert. Also a few construction zones with pilot vehicles to guide you through which can be slow going.

The scenery is amazing and the payoff is worth it to get somewhere not many people go. Lots of great wild camping spots along the way. From Vancouver Island to Tuk I never paid for camping once. Enjoy the trip!

Thanks, appreciate the insight! As I expected, it definitely seems like potential tire damage is the biggest x-factor up there. We have off-road KO2s, two spares, and a patch kit, so I think we're as prepared as can be... just need a little bit of good fortune now.

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by redforever

There is still an ice road from Aklavik to Inuvik.

I did the Dempster Highway this June. We had perfect weather, although very hot. 5 days after I got home, there were forest fires that closed the Dempster for a period of time.

I flew to Whitehorse and then was with a small group of nine. Spent a few days in Whitehorse and Kluane Park before driving to Dawson City. Spent a few days there and then drove to Eagle Plains. From Eagle Plains we drove to Inuvik, spending a few days and Canada Day there. Then drove to Tuktoyaktuk.

The roads improved as we went along, the Yukon side being the worst. We were in a small bus, 5 seats per side. We changed a tire in Eagle Plains, tread was almost worn off, but did not have a flat.

The best road is from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk...as it is now maintained year round.

Been hoping to do the Dempster sometime over the next couple of years but haven't really gotten around to the planning.


Any tips on how to start? Do you just rent a car/camper in Dawson and fly in?


I assume the bugs are terrible. Does it make it unbearable? Is there cell service/radio signals?


Been on the bucket list for a while.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by craigwd

Been hoping to do the Dempster sometime over the next couple of years but haven't really gotten around to the planning.


Any tips on how to start? Do you just rent a car/camper in Dawson and fly in?


I assume the bugs are terrible. Does it make it unbearable? Is there cell service/radio signals?


Been on the bucket list for a while.

I know there is no cell reception of any kind between Inuvik and Tuk,

Hadn’t driven the rest of the way up.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by craigwd

Been hoping to do the Dempster sometime over the next couple of years but haven't really gotten around to the planning.


Any tips on how to start? Do you just rent a car/camper in Dawson and fly in?


I assume the bugs are terrible. Does it make it unbearable? Is there cell service/radio signals?


Been on the bucket list for a while.

As I said, I was with a group of 8 other people, 9 of us all together. The company I used did all the rest. I flew into Whitehorse, met up with the group, and went on from there.

If you start in Dawson, where the highway starts, you will miss Kluane Park, and it is beautiful as well.

My group tour also included some historical stuff as well as some archeology. One of the best archeology labs and holdings of organic fossils is in Whitehorse...which is why we started there.

Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre
Home to a full cast of the largest woolly mammoth ever recovered in North America. It and many other fossils and bones were found by miners in the area.

It is home to three mummies. The horse is 20,000 years old. The six week old wolf is 40,000 years old. The caribou is 80,000 years old. They have been able to get DNA from the mummies.

[Fuzz]

If you want a camper, rent in Whitehorse. I'm not sure you could find anything in Dawson. We also met several who did the trip driving and hoteling, you can stay in Eagle Plains(not luxury). But camping is really the best experience.


Cell reception is limited to a few towns, I wouldn't expect any once you turn on the Dempster, and south of that not a lot either.


Bugs were fine in June. A few places they were awful, but generally I hear they are worse in August.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

If you want a camper, rent in Whitehorse. I'm not sure you could find anything in Dawson. We also met several who did the trip driving and hoteling, you can stay in Eagle Plains(not luxury). But camping is really the best experience.


Cell reception is limited to a few towns, I wouldn't expect any once you turn on the Dempster, and south of that not a lot either.


Bugs were fine in June. A few places they were awful, but generally I hear they are worse in August.

Don't plan on getting a room at Eagle Plains unless you book in advance. A lot of the road workers overnight there...and the place is not big to start with.

I guess bugs could have been worse, but in my opinion, the mosquitoes were bad. There were horseflies in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, but we had a breeze those days and it kept them at bay.

And yes, don't plan on reception for cell phones unless you are within a few kilometers of some road stop or small town...of which there are few. Most road stops these days are just outdoor bathrooms with maybe some picnic tables for lunch.

[Table 5]

We looked at renting a truck camper, and the only realistic options (Fraserway or CanaDream) were in Whitehorse. Don't recall seeing anything further up north...at least not anything that was a legitimate company.

[Fuzz]

Ya, it's kind of a trip you start planning now for next summer. We were lucky to be able to book a motorhome in January for June, but that was back in 2016.

[Table 5]

So for those who have been, how bad is the cell service north of Whitehorse? I'm assuming it's going to be pretty spotty outside of towns, but in those places, is it still strong enough to send/receive data?

I'm going to need decent access to check in for work reasons every few hours, but trying to decide if my basic Rogers service will be good enough, or if it would make sense to rent a Starlink.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Table 5

So for those who have been, how bad is the cell service north of Whitehorse? I'm assuming it's going to be pretty spotty outside of towns, but in those places, is it still strong enough to send/receive data?

I'm going to need decent access to check in for work reasons every few hours, but trying to decide if my basic Rogers service will be good enough, or if it would make sense to rent a Starlink.

Have you looked into the rental cost of Starlink? I am debating buying the Rural kit and transferring it to Roam, or renting the equipment. The rentals I have found are very expensive, maybe you have had better luck.

If I do buy a kit I am not against renting it out to CP members, just a thought.