We had a remarkably good sleep considering how chilly and windy it was last night. That hot-water bottle was a great help, not to mention the stylish head gear. The ensured everything was dry for packing up this morning though, so that was a nice bonus. It also meant that we had to cook in the car, as the heat was being blown away.

After everything was packed up, we put on our sandals and waded into the ocean. OMG was it freekin cold! I have been in glacial lakes and thought it would be pretty much like that. Boy, was I wrong! And, I have to confess that the original plan was to put on bathing suits and take a quick dip, but we wussed out and only went in to our shins.

We stopped at the Northern Store looking for Tuk shirts, but they didn’t have anything that really grabbed us, and I was looking specifically for a Tuk-U shirt. So, we headed over to the town office, they didn’t have Tuk-U shirts, but we wanted to support the local economy at least a little, so I picked up a long sleeve T-shirt, some stickers and we got our “I traveled the highway to the arctic ocean” certificates. We seem to be getting quite a collection of certificates from this trip. We’ll have to scan them when we get home to put them in our photo book of the trip.

We drove around town looking at the sites and taking photos. We discovered that Tuk is the northern end of the Trans-Canada Trail. We also saw a sod house, and the under structure for making a sod house.

Just outside of Tuk is Pingo National Park. Pingos earthen domes unique to the north and are formed when lakes dry up and permafrost pushes up the previous unfrozen ground and water. There are around 1400 around Tuk, ranging in height from 3 to 45 meters.

The road to Inuvik was just as challenging as when we came up, but it seemed to go by a faster even with us stopping to take some pics we didn’t get the day before. One thing we found interesting is that snow-machines and sleds (kamiks) are left in what seems to be random places along the road. We wondered if they might be at someone’s trap-line, but honestly we have no idea and sometime we just make stuff up.

When we got to Inuvik, we had hoped to have lunch at Alestine’s Restaurant as they are rated the best in town and serve local fare such as Reindeer chili, local fish and Eskimo donuts which are pretty similar to what we would call fry bread on the prairies. Alas, they are only open for supper until next week. There are not a lot of restaurants in Inuvik and after looking at short list we picked up at the visitors centre that included the hospital cafeteria, we decided on Cloud 9 at the airport. As we didn’t want to have to double back we decided to get gas and do our shopping before we left for the airport. Still in search of a Tuk-U shirt we headed over to Mavis’ house as she sells the shirts. We were looking for some sort of sign attached to a house, but no, there was nothing. I did see a woman standing in her window waving us in, so figured we had found the right place. Unfortunately, she had no Tuk-U apparel left and wouldn’t get any until next week. Too late for us. She did have a great assortment of hand-crafts, the bead-work on the moccasins was amazing. It seems she used to work for the development corp and when she left the elders kept bringing her their work anyway. The north really is a different place, with a different pace of life and a different way of doing things than we are used.

Next stop was the Inuvialuit Development Corporation. They have a craft shop and hold the copyright for the Tuk-U apparel. At last, we sort of had success. There were only 4 shirts left, 2 small and 2 XXL. Since it took me over 40 years to get here to pick one up I couldn’t leave empty handed, so picked up an XXL sweatshirt. Maybe it will shrink a little, and I can always use it as a hoodless hoodie.

Lunch at the airport was ok, but certainly not something to write home about. If we lived in Inuvik, I don’t think we would be eating out much. The airport did have decent wifi though, so I was able to upload some pics to the blog. The relevance of this will become import in the next day’s blog.

Although the scenery is beautiful, we are starting to be done with the Dempster, and are looking forward to hitting pavement again. So, even though we had intended to make a stop in Tsiigachtic, it would mean an extra ferry crossing, so we went directly to the McPherson landing and continued south. A little after McPherson, there was a lot of road maintenance going on, grading and applying calcium chloride. Although it made the road wet and slippery, it also got rid of the dust that made visibility quite bad.

We ended up in Rock River again for the night. Had a lovely campsite right by the river even though it was a little busier than it was 2 days ago. Our food supplies are starting to get a little low, but we got creative and had quesadillas for supper. Just one more way to serve pepperoni, olives and cheese 😊 By the end of the trip I may not want to have any of the above for a long time.

As we were getting dinner ready and sitting by the fire afterwards, we were visited by a rabbit (Arctic hare?) with white feet who did not seemed afraid of us, and seemed to be friends with a squirrel, we also had a grey jay come and visit and we were expecting Snowwhite to pop out of the forest at any minute.

We slept a bit late after a cold night in the tent. If we were this cold here, it should be fun in Tuktoyaktuk!

The clouds were very low and made driving a bit challenging as we went through Wright Pass into the the Northwest Territories.

Of course we stopped at the NWT  border for a pic. We also learned that not only do birds migrate to the western arctic from all over the Americas, the Northern Wheatear migrates from Northern Africa. Now that is one heck of a trip! Shortly after we left the border we encountered a Grizzly running down the road towards us. Unfortunately it dashed off into the bush before we could get a pic, but Linda was happy as she had never seen a griz before. We also saw 2 arctic foxes along the way. Again, no pics, but really we did see them.

Our next stop was at a view point that gave a 180km view down the Mackenzie Delta. The vastness of this land continues to amaze us.

There are 2 ferry crossings on the way to Inuvik. The first one is the Peel River ferry, a cable ferry that operates on demand.

Next was a quick stop into Fort McPherson to get our passports stamped, then back on the road to the MacKenzie River ferry at the confluence of the MacKenzie and Arctic Red Rivers. This ferry has 3 landing points, 1 on the McPherson side of the Dempster, the 2nd is for Tsiigachtic a small village between the 2 rivers, and 3rd is on the Inuvik side of the MacKenzie.

We stopped for directions and our Arctic Circle certificates at the visitor centre in Inuvik, got fuel at Bob’s Welding, and hit the road.

If we thought the Dempster was a bit challenging before, it now seemed like a cake walk compared to the new Tuk highway. Because it is such a new road, there are many areas that have not quite settled in yet and for many kms the gravel is deep and loose, it is like driving in sand. There is a not bad section in the middle, then many kms of pot holes and washboard. We drove slow and had ample opportunity to enjoy the view.  2.5 after we left Inuvik, We’ve arrived!

We stopped at the RCMP to ask where we could camp, as there are no campgrounds in Tuk. In Dawson we had heard that people were using the ball diamond and “the point” The RCMP told us the point was our best bet, so we joined a handful of other die-hards who were spending the night here and not heading right back to Inuvik. There were only a few other tents most were campers or vans. We got a site about 50 yards from the shore of the arctic ocean with the use of a picnic table and fire pit. It was very cold and windy and we used the car as a windbreak for the tent. We also put on all the headgear and jackets we brought with us.

Linda gathering driftwood from the Arctic Ocean

Dinner was weenies roasted over an ocean driftwood fire, and canned beans.

Some enterprising residents have erected a wall tent and will be running a concession from it shortly. In the mean time, flyers taped to the outhouses let you know that you can get burgers and hot dogs delivered to your tent.

We campers seem to be a source of entertainment for the town.  Carloads of residents drive around the point to look at us. It kind of makes us feel like we are in a zoo, but is fun none the less.

Campers at “The Point”

As one might imagine, is was chilly sleeping in a tent a few feet away from the Arctic Ocean in June. We used a Nalgene bottle as a hot water bottle and even I had pants on in the sleeping bag.

The influx of tourist, and campers has put an extra burden on the town, for example the porta-poties need to be emptied with greater frequency. And, I think so far the economic benefit to the town has not been that great. Next year will look a lot different I think, with an actual campsite, and fees. We feel privileged to be in the first few to experience it the way it is this year.

Last night a European tour bus came into the camp ground. It holds about 24 people and is a self contained touring unit. The people sleep in little cubbies that take the back half of the bus. They seemed to be enjoying it, but I think I would be a bit claustrophobic if I had to sleep in one, as they seem a bit tomb-like to me.

We woke to more rain, coming down pretty hard. So, we had a nice hot shower to warm up and, in the bathroom, ran into Melissa, an old friend from Whitehorse that I had done the Chilkoot Trail with about 15 years ago. It was really great to see her and catch up a little.

As it was a kind of crappy morning, we decided to have breakfast out for the first time since we started the trip. We headed off to the Alchemy Café, a funky little restaurant in a log building. Linda had a cappuccino (her fave) and homemade granola with yogurt and a fruit compote, ii have the Black Bean bowl with eggs, beans, rice, goat cheese and pickled cabbage, along with a turmeric latte. We were both very happy with our choices. I would absolutely go back there if we ever get back to Dawson. The whole menu was vegetarian, only cheese and eggs, no meat. And all very healthy, and tasty options.

We had a window table and watched a couple of very wet riders having coffee outside under the roof overhang. Again we were thankful for the car instead of the bikes.

By evening the rain had stopped ad we went to the Dust 2 Dawson bike games. We have been to bike games before, but these were a whole new level of challenging. There was the requisite slow-ride, the winner was able to balance his bike while it was stopped, so there was no hope for the rest. It was quite something to see. There was also the standard, passenger-eat-a-wiener-hanging-from-a-string game. Honesty not my favorite. The next one was pretty wild. A hood is placed over the rider’s helmet, so that they can not see anything. They then ride until the crowd yells stop, trying to ride in a straight line, and land with their front tire on a paper plate. That has to be unnerving. Next was slow riding, while trying to drop tennis balls into progressively smaller tubes, about 1 foot off the ground. Definitely a challenging event, no one got all the tubes, most got one or 2, the winner had 4. We heard that the 2 riders who won all but the wiener event were professional riders, so they were great watch, but it would have sucked to be competing against them.

After the bike games, it was back to Gerties. This time we got to spend a couple hours at the tables without donating any cash other than what we spent on beverages. It is always a good night at the casino when you walk out with the same amount you went in with.

It was supposed to be an early night but ended up being after midnight. The problem with all this daylight is that you really don’t have any sense what time it is.

Today was a bit of a sleep-in after staying up for sunset. We did a little shopping, trying to find fuel canisters for the stove. Yes, we should have picked a couple up in Whitehorse, but no we didn’t. And, we were going through fuel a lot faster than we had planned. Being Aboriginal Day, the hardware store was closed, but there was a general store on Front Street that sells camping and fishing supplies. They didn’t have the canisters and didn’t think anyone in town sold them. Drat. I guess we will have to try and be a bit frugal with fuel and hope it lasts.

After shopping we went to the NWT visitors centre. Much to my surprise Dawn Kisoun, an old acquaintance of mine from my dog mushing days, was working there. We got a chance to catch-up, it turns out that they have gotten out of dogs as well. They now run a fishwheel tour company. From there we headed to Sourdough Joe’s for fish and chips. It is too early in the season for salmon, so we shared a 2-piece Halibut and chips, the fish was great and there was more than enough for us to share. We were both stuffed and can’t imagine how someone can eat that by themselves.

After lunch we took the ferry across the Yukon River to head up the Top World highway. The highway runs from Dawson to the Yukon/Alaska border. What amazing views! You really do feel like you are on the top of the word. I had really wanted Linda to see it and was happy that she found it as stunning as I did. We had lots of time to take some pics, and even found a bit of the old road while bushwhacking. Eventually were chased back into the car because of a thunder storm. On our way back to town we only had a 2 ferry wait to get across the river. When we got to the campground we heard that it had been a 3 hour wait to get across earlier in the afternoon.

This was the fist day we had been truly thankful we were not on the bikes, as we were able to bring our pop-up shelter with us in the car and could to stay dry while the rains came down. Some riders from neighboring sites took refuge under it as well, so we got some stories from the road. One of the rider’s had to have his bike pulled out of the road with a front end loader as the front wheel was stuck in so deep. We also heard that the day before a rider was medevaced off the Tuk highway. The conditions of the road seem to change hourly.

While we were having beverages out of the rain, we heard a helicopter go up, followed shortly thereafter by water bombers. The lightening must have started a fire not to far out of town. The planes stopped after a short while, so hopefully it was a small fire, quickly contained.

After a supper at the campsite, we headed out to catch the can-can show at Gerties. It is quite a good show, with much more than just can-can dancers. And is a must-see if in Dawson City.  While waiting for the show, we made another donation to the Klondike Visitor’s Association by way of roulette and 21. The table minimums are pretty low and the players are quite relaxed. Linda even gave up slots and played 21 instead.

We called it a night pretty early, still tired from the previous evening. It was still raining when we went to bed, and thankfully the tent was nice and dry inside. We are quite impressed with the tent, even more so considering we paid very little for it.

Day 4 was a relaxing day in Whitehorse spent mostly visiting with old friends. It was great to be able to catch up with Beej & Norm, JF & Sylvie, and Robert & Carl.

We also needed to pick up some more fresh food for the trip and replace a couple of things that got left behind in Calgary when we did the quick pack-up of the car. We also picked up an electric cooler that was on Sale at Canadian Tire. It will have paid for itself by the end of this trip with us not having to buy ice and not having to throw out spoiled food.

Yukon River

We did manage to get in one touristy stop at the SS Klondike, a Parks Canada Historic Site. The SS Klondike is a paddlewheeler that operated in the 30s and 40s, taking passengers and supplies along the Yukon River between Whitehorse and Dawson City. She now sits on the bank of the river and is open to tourists. Parks Canada give guided tours and admission is free.

Day 5 had us heading back out on the road, going north on the Klondike Highway.  Linda had the pleasure of listening to me tell stories about everything along the road until we passed Lake Laberge, as this was my stomping grounds for many years.

We stopped for lunch at 5 fingers rapids. The Yukon River splits into 5 channels here, and not all of them are navigable, only one was deep enough for the paddlewheelers that traveled the river. There is still a cable that the ships used to pull themselves up the 2-foot falls. From the lookout there are stairs to go down the escarpment and a path to walk to the rapids, it takes around an hour round trip.

Next stop was a photo-op an hour outside of Dawson City, the Tintina Trench lookout. This is a large valley formed by the separating of a fault line some 8 million years ago. The 2 plates of the fault line have shifted over 450km from where they were 65 million years ago. It is a great view from here and a great place to contemplate how tiny a blip we are in the history of the planet.

Our stop for the night, and our home for the next 3, was the Goldrush Campground in downtown Dawson City. The sites are really made for trailers, not tents, and have no shade, but the facilities are well kept, we have power for our cooler, and it is in walking distance to most things in Dawson. We brought our pop-up canopy with us, so we have shade, and the double size air mattress keeps us off the rocks at night.

After we set up camp, we headed over to Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino to make a donation to the Klondike Visitors Association. After we left our money on the table and in the slots, we headed over to the Downtown Hotel so Linda could do the Sourtoe Cocktail. For $5 plus the price of a shot of something 40% you can have a human toe put in your drink, if it touches your lip, your get a certificate and membership card for the Sourtoe Cocktail Club.

While we were waiting for the toe to start, we got to listen to a great piano player. He was the Stompin Tom of piano, complete with a board under his foot. He has a diverse repertoire, and takes requests. He plays from 7-9 nightly and its definitely worth a visit to hear him play.

To end the night we sat by the river, and watched the solstice sunset at 12:50am. We didn’t manage to get up for sunrise at 3:57.

Day 2 started early, but we were well rested after  a great sleep in this quiet little campground. Linda struck camp, while I made bacon and eggs. Not a bad way to start the day, nice breakfast while watching the fish jump in the lake. The early morning fishermen were out and the fish were biting. At least one family was having a feast of grilled rainbow trout for breakfast. Next time we come up this highway we will be bringing fishing gear and getting a license.

After a quick stop in Ft Nelson for necessities like gas and beer we made our way to Steamboat. A little blip on the map with a 10% grade to get down to it, and then again back up. We were wondering would have managed more than 50km/hr going back up. At the top we stopped for a quick bite and took time to enjoy the breath taking view.

Our next planned stop, at Linda’s request, was Muncho Lake. 5 years ago when we were riding down on our KLRs Linda asked why no one knows about this place, as the beauty rivals that of Lake Louise. Quite simply it is because it is at least a 1 day drive from any major airport. We feel lucky to be counted in the number of people who have been able to see and enjoy it.

Along the way to Muncho Lake we saw 5 bears and a moose. The bears were a bit elusive when we tried to get pics, but the moose was pretty cooperative.

After Muncho Lake, we were off for Liard Hot Springs, our destination for the night. This place is well worth the drive! It is a mostly natural hot springs, just enough done to it to make it pleasant and accessible to everyone. And everyone does stop there. We arrived just after 4 and the provincial campground was full. We likely only missed the last site by 20-30 minutes as there were only 5 vehicles in the overflow camping. We considered camping in the overflow, but it was $26 to set up our tent in the gravel parking lot. Instead we went to a private campground right next door and had a nice shady and quiet spot.

A day pass for the hot springs is only $5, and you can park right next to the boardwalk that goes to the hot springs. At the end of the boardwalk there is a change room and 2 hot pools. The bottom of the natural pools have been graveled, as they were naturally soft mud, and some benches have been installed in the upper pool. We had a lovely soak. What a great way to relax and let go the stresses of the world.

After the soak, we enjoyed dinner by the campfire then off to bed where we had to think that the sound we were hearing was raindrops on the tent and not the mass of flies trapped between the tent and the tent fly.