Tuktoyaktuk and the Dalton - seek advice and more

[krtw]

Part 2 of my trip entails going west and north. I am seeking advice from any who have done this trip. There are a LOT of articles I've found that have been very helpful but there's a few things some advice would help with.

My plan getting there is to go to Vancouver, and take the ferry to Skagway. Then Whitehorse, and onward.

I've purchase new tires for the dirt road, the TKC80. My main question is, where does the dirt road actually begin?

Also, seeking a place to leave some gear, to lighten my bike for the Dalton, in Whitehorse, and maybe a place to stay for a few days to get the bike ready.

Also, any other advice motorcyclists who have done this trip would suggest. I would LOVE to actually talk to somebody. So a phone number would be great.

I'm In Ottawa for a short stay. Towing the bike across Canada to Vancouver - don't want to ride across the country again. Done this numerous times. Will book ferry before I leave so I know my exact timing, but I should be in Skagway in about 2 weeks or so.

I think I want to ride out all the way south, but that will depend on conditions.

Thanks folks. Any help most appreciated.

[markharf]

Maybe you're merely being geographically vague, but it's definitely worth noting that you can't take a ferry from Vancouver to Skagway: the Alaska ferry, which goes to Skagway (among other places), sails from Bellingham, Washington or from Prince Rupert, B.C.

You can take a B.C. ferry to Vancouver Island, ride to Port Hardy, take another B.C. ferry to Prince Rupert, then transfer over to the Alaska ferry, but (IMO) that's quite a bit of trouble and expense with scant payback in terms of scenery or riding pleasure.

I'd also suggest you clarify whether you're riding the Dalton to Deadhorse or the Dempster to Tuk; different roads, different countries, different logistics.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

[AnTyx]

No personal experience whatsoever, however:

Originally Posted by krtw

My main question is, where does the dirt road actually begin?

Use Google Streetview. It's invaluable for such things.

Also, seeking a place to leave some gear, to lighten my bike for the Dalton, in Whitehorse, and maybe a place to stay for a few days to get the bike ready.

In my experience, if you book a room at a hotel or even an upmarket hostel at the start and end of your wilderness trip, the hotel will be perfectly happy to let you store your stuff in their luggage room for the interim period.

[Snakeboy]

The dirtroad on the Dempster starts at the junction 40 kms south of Dawson City where the Dempster actually starts. Then its gravel all the way to Tuktoyaktuk except a very few kms around Inuvik.

The dirt on the Dalton starts a bit after you crossed the Yukon river (if my memory serves me right…?) But there are long stretches of worn and half broken up asphalt on the Dalton.

This was in 2019 though so things might have changed as of now 4 years later.

[cyclopathic]

Originally Posted by krtw

My plan getting there is to go to Vancouver, and take the ferry to Skagway. Then Whitehorse, and onward.



I've purchase new tires for the dirt road, the TKC80. My main question is, where does the dirt road actually begin?



Also, seeking a place to leave some gear, to lighten my bike for the Dalton, in Whitehorse, and maybe a place to stay for a few days to get the bike ready.



Also, any other advice motorcyclists who have done this trip would suggest. I would LOVE to actually talk to somebody. So a phone number would be great.



.

Alcan. Dirt starts at Alcan. If you're taking ferry it will be near Whitehorse where road from Skagway rejoins Alcan.

If you need to leave stuff before going to Dalton leave it in Fairbanks. It is only few miles from Dalton, same way as Dawson from Dempster.

[markharf]

Originally Posted by cyclopathic

Alcan. Dirt starts at Alcan. If you're taking ferry it will be near Whitehorse where road from Skagway rejoins Alcan.

???

Unless we've entered a parallel universe, there are no dirt/gravel highways heading north, south, east or west around Whitehorse. It's possible a determined rider could find some dirt to ride on, but they'd have to go looking for it.

[cyclopathic]

Originally Posted by markharf

???



Unless we've entered a parallel universe, there are no dirt/gravel highways heading north, south, east or west around Whitehorse. It's possible a determined rider could find some dirt to ride on, but they'd have to go looking for it.

The place where road from Skagway joins Alcan near Whitehorse is/was dirt last time I was there 5 years ago, and there wasn't much pavement from Hanes Junction on towards Alaska.

[markharf]

The entire length of the Alcan Highway is paved, and has been for many years. So is the road up to Dawson, and the one down to Skagway. There are often some bits of gravel (which might extend ten or twenty miles) in construction zones, so I assume you encountered one or more of those. I have to doubt that this is what the OP was asking about. Rather, they seemed to be requesting information about either the Dalton, the Dempster, or both.

The Haines Highway was also fully paved quite a long time ago. That doesn't mean you didn't encounter roadworks on one side or the other of the border.

If for some reason the relevant authorities have actually restored any of those roads to gravel after all the money invested in paving them, I'd be surprised, chastened, and will publicly eat crow.

Mark

[krtw]

Originally Posted by markharf

Maybe you're merely being geographically vague, but it's definitely worth noting that you can't take a ferry from Vancouver to Skagway: the Alaska ferry, which goes to Skagway (among other places), sails from Bellingham, Washington or from Prince Rupert, B.C.

You can take a B.C. ferry to Vancouver Island, ride to Port Hardy, take another B.C. ferry to Prince Rupert, then transfer over to the Alaska ferry, but (IMO) that's quite a bit of trouble and expense with scant payback in terms of scenery or riding pleasure.

I'd also suggest you clarify whether you're riding the Dalton to Deadhorse or the Dempster to Tuk; different roads, different countries, different logistics.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Sorry, its been a long few days. Dempster is the correct hiway, to Tuk. That's what I meant, the typed the wrong one. Thanks for the correction.

[krtw]

Well I made a mess of this post - everything was wrong...usually do better. Thank you for clarifying things. Been on the road for a month with only short times to look things up....I'm now stationary for a week before heading west.

Dempster - its the Dempster I'll be taking.

There is NO ferry from Vancouver - thanks for the correction. I know how I made the mistake - it was a third party travel app and I did not read it fully.

So, with this new information I'll start looking at how to make this happen. Back to the first plan I had. I don't want to ride across Canada again on my bike. Got a friend heading west and the bike will be loaded on his truck. Then maybe I just ride north....but there's fires...so things may get interesting or impossible.

Sorry for the poor post. Will sleep on this and look again in detail tomorrow. Start planning. And thanks again for the corrections.

[cyclopathic]

Originally Posted by markharf

The entire length of the Alcan Highway is paved, and has been for many years. So is the road up to Dawson, and the one down to Skagway. There are often some bits of gravel (which might extend ten or twenty miles) in construction zones, so I assume you encountered one or more of those. I have to doubt that this is what the OP was asking about. Rather, they seemed to be requesting information about either the Dalton, the Dempster, or both.

The Haines Highway was also fully paved quite a long time ago. That doesn't mean you didn't encounter roadworks on one side or the other of the border.

If for some reason the relevant authorities have actually restored any of those roads to gravel after all the money invested in paving them, I'd be surprised, chastened, and will publicly eat crow.

Mark

I don't know what you are smoking, but I want some of it too.

Alcan had been mostly paved where it can be, and won't be where it cannot. The mostly paved section is east of Watson Lake. The sections located on permafrost sink and need to be graveled again and again. When gravel stops sinking (and in some places it's 8-12m deep), they may come and put chip-n-seal on top.

Klondike highway to Dawson had been paved for many years but thee are some sections where pavement sunk and turned back to gravel. Dempster has a short 10km paved section in Inuvik

[cyclopathic]

Originally Posted by krtw

Well I made a mess of this post - everything was wrong...usually do better. Thank you for clarifying things. Been on the road for a month with only short times to look things up....I'm now stationary for a week before heading west.



Dempster - its the Dempster I'll be taking.



There is NO ferry from Vancouver - thanks for the correction. I know how I made the mistake - it was a third party travel app and I did not read it fully.



So, with this new information I'll start looking at how to make this happen. Back to the first plan I had. I don't want to ride across Canada again on my bike. Got a friend heading west and the bike will be loaded on his truck. Then maybe I just ride north....but there's fires...so things may get interesting or impossible.



Sorry for the poor post. Will sleep on this and look again in detail tomorrow. Start planning. And thanks again for the corrections.

Yes ferry is from Washington state (Bellingham) and while I haven't taken it, I was told by those who had that it is the sh!t, blows seeng fjord in Norway out of cold water.

If you are going through Vancouver, you take Sea to Sky to Prince George, then go west and pick up Cassiar to Watson Lake. Alternatively there are ferries to get to Prince Rupert and get to Cassiar from the west.

TKC80 rear won't last long enough for this trip. You want something longer listing, for example, K60 Scout, Mitas E-07 Dakar, Dunlop Mission, etc. TKC80 front will do or if you're getting Heidis get K60 Ranger front.

Dunlop Mission front also an option though it won't be my favorite, as well as Shinko 705 would do as long as it doesn't get too bad.

Another good road to take on the way to Dempster is Cambell highway from Watson Lake to Carmack it cuts out busy Alcan section.

[krtw]

Originally Posted by cyclopathic

I don't know what you are smoking, but I want some of it too.

Alcan had been mostly paved where it can be, and won't be where it cannot. The mostly paved section is east of Watson Lake. The sections located on permafrost sink and need to be graveled again and again. When gravel stops sinking (and in some places it's 8-12m deep), they may come and put chip-n-seal on top.

Klondike highway to Dawson had been paved for many years but thee are some sections where pavement sunk and turned back to gravel. Dempster has a short 10km paved section in Inuvik

9000 km in 4 weeks, with snow and constant rain on the east coast....I did Labrador Hiway, Newfoundland, Nova scotia and New Brunswick...lots of time without internet and a little fatigued. Anyway, I'm back to the planning stage and looking at all the posts here. Thanks.

[krtw]

I'm coming in to BC from the east. It appears like the best route to Tuk then may be to go to Vancouver Island, then take the ferry to Prince Rupert and start there. Its saves a lot of km riding north and is NOT that expensive.

From posts here it looks the main dirt road begins on the Dempster at Dawson City - I'm having tires shipped to me, so I'd change tires there. And once again when I get back from Tuk.

I'd most likely book a hotel in Inuvik and do a day trip to Tuk and back. Assuming the weather is ok (I understand this is a big assumption) how much time should one assume for the ride from Dawson City to Inuvik? 774 km according to google maps. Aprox 250 km a day? So like 3 or 4 days?

Prince Rupert to Dawson City - looks like 5 days at least. Maybe 6 again depending on weather and road conditions...So total days to plan for, from Prince Rupert = 8 to 11 days one way. Is this reasonable?

I have 2 gas tanks on my F800gs for a total of 23L plus 2 6L gas bags that tie onto the crash bars. This should be adequate. Comments?

Once I start heading south, the time frames become less critical as the weather will hopefully start to warm up. I'm looking at being in Vancouver on or about July 2 - there's a ferry on the 3rd. This time frame seems good. Comments most welcome.

All roads lead south after this, to Central America where I plan to take a break for a while in Panama, get the bike serviced, learn some Spanish, and then take on South America.

Learned a LOT on my eastern trip. The weather was terrible. Highway 389 north from Baie Comeau was a lot of dirt riding, at least 200 km, and lots of that in the pouring rain with temperatures hovering around 3 degrees.

I hope the weather north is a little better.

The next search, doing it right now is on fires to see if this path north is even open.

Any and all comments, suggestions are welcome. And I believe this post makes a little more sense.

Thanks.

[krtw]

From Prince Rupert its hiway 16. At Kitwanga Junction there's hiway 37 going north called the Highway 37 Stewart-Cassiar Scenic Route. 450 km, does anybody have information on this road. Specifically gas stations and conditions? According to wikipedia, its mostly paved.

Thanks.