Anybody going to Inuvik, Canada?
 

Hi Im an Indian on RTW. right now im in Ottawa planning to go to Inuvik. Can anybody suggest is it safe? for a lone rider with an Indian bike? Any more info will be appreciated.
Thanks

Inuvik Safety
 

We went up to Inuvik about a month ago and had no difficulties at all. We timed the weather perfectly with four days of glorious sunshine. When the road is wet it can be very challenging as we found out in the numerous construction zones. Still, a few people we met on the highway had accidents in the loose gravel.

Seeing as you are in Ottawa at the moment and it is the end of August I would suggest that your biggest challenge will be the onset of Winter. If you left right now and rode 1,000 km every day you would be at the start of the Dempster Highway in a week. I don't know how fast or comfortable your motorcycle is but that seems a bit unrealistic. If you ride the Dempster in mid to end of September you are very likely to encounter cold and snow.

Good luck and have fun!

Inuvik
 

I agree that you will be very late in the season. I rode it last year on July 6 or so and the temp was about 32 degrees F. you should hot have any trouble if you ride like you are on gravel that can throw you at any moment. If it is wet it is a real problem. The day I rode it a guy crashed his BMW 650 just north of Eagle and totaled it. It broke the stearing column right off the bike when he went down a steep enbankment. Not a lot of traffic and not reason to go fast. You will need to carr gas and food but it is beautiful. That time of year you will not have all the daylight like I had but hopefully the rain will not be everyday. Larry

i think you may be too late for this year. i have been up to the arctic twice and i can tell you i have seen snow throughout the year. BUT, as was said earlier, if you really put the boots to it, rode 1000km a day. you may have a decent window yet...........

thanks
 

Thanks for all the info friends. I too think that I am very late so I quit it for this trip. Instead planned to go to Churchill by train from Winnipeg. Thats the maximum I can do to see the Arctic landscape

I rode up there on the 12th of this month, and the conditions were atrocious (mud!), but stayed a day and came back the following day, and it had dried up with wind and sun, and was a completely different road.

I did consider splitting the trip and staying at Eagle Plains (halfway) overnight, but there was absolutely nothing to do there, except worry about Jack Nicholson appearing brandishing an axe!

I would say check temperatures and rainfall forecasts, and *make sure you leave it a couple of days after the rain's stopped*.

Eagle plains
 

Hopefully old jack wouldn't come leering around the corner with a axe at eagle plains. I have stopped there a few times and enjoyed the hospitality and the sense of a outpost after travelling 230 miles in the dust. Yes I said dust... in june the dempster can be dusty. It also can be below freezing temps. How about a HU mini meet at eagle plains in 07?

Inuvik
 

It is remarkable how much that road changes in just a few short hours. When it rains it is unbelieveable how bad it can be. Once the rain stops in just a few hours it can be a pleasure to ride on. It is surely worth the trip. But at this time of year you will surely need to stay overnight at Eagle Plains. They have great food and the rooms are nice. The beer is always cold as well. Larry

I hope it didn't sound like I was running Eagle Plains down - it was a very welcome stop. The place definitely reminded me of The Shining though, and the nice hotelier-lady at the excellent Bombay Peggy's in Dawson remarked exactly the same to me!

I will be driving through Inuvic to Tuk in a few months (winter roads), though it will be in a 4wd.

In the summer, these are pretty tame dirt tracks, given the transport that travels on them. Truckers are the biggest danger.

Its too late this year
 

Hi friends
Thanks for all your info. I with all that advise I thought its going to be too late this year so I skipped it and took the train to Churchill instead. Had a nice trip with the Polar Bears and back. Going to USA from Winnipeg.