Dempster highway report - Horizons Unlimited

**Bill Ryder** · #1 28 Jun 2004

Travelers taking the amazing ride from Dawson city to Inuvik NWT on the Dempster highway..I just got back from a quick blast from Montana to Inuvik. The road was in decent shape except for long sections of small round gravel. This stuff sneaks up on you and then look out. The section between the peel river ferry and the mackensie ferry was the ugliest. After the Mackensie river the road was good. Take your time and watch out. The good news is there wasn't any of the very sharp black shale this year. I still met lots of folks who had flats and about 1/3 of the people had fallen down. The solstice party at the arctic circle was great,dancing girls wearing snowshoes,live band, dancing wearing mosquitoe head nets.

**Werner** · #2 30 Jun 2004

Hi Bill,
Promising report. Thanks. What is the longest distance between gas stations, from the Dawson City cut-off to Inuvik? Just wondering if I should carry extra gas.

**Bill Ryder** · #3 30 Jun 2004

The distance is 229 miles or 369km from the klondike river lodge at the turnoff of the dawson highway to eagle plains and the first gas. Then there is gas at Fort McPherson which is between eagle plains and Inuvik. Be sure and get a "chosen frozen" pin from one of the Motorcyclists in Inuvik. It wouldn't hurt to
contribute to their charity fund raiser either.

**Werner** · #4 1 Jul 2004

Thanks, Bill, very helpful.

**Chris Smith** · #5 26 Jul 2004

How long does the weather hold for up there? I'm looking to get up to thise parts in about a months time. I know there weather is variable (all over the world) and winter comes earlier so years than otherts but on ballance when would the latest date be roughly for me to make a round trip to the end of Dempster Highway?

Cheers
Chris

**Werner** · #6 27 Jul 2004

Hi Chris,
There could be snow in July. This year, however, in July they had 30 C in Inuvik. To be save, I would start out in Dawson Creek not later than beginning of September. Snow is wet, and in the wet parts of the Dempster turn to mush.

**Bill Ryder** · #7 28 Jul 2004

I once rode to anchorage AK in september and got snowed on but had a good trip. The first time I rode to Inuvik in 79 was in Aug. and it had frosted and killed all the bugs. Just get there before the Peel and Mackensie rivers start to freeze up and the ferries close till the ice roads open. It's a great trip but you missed the dancing girls wearing snowshoes on the 21 of june.