THE DEMPSTER lives up to its reputation. It’s quite a challenging 550 miles of wilderness road between the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The ride takes you up out of the boreal forest, though the passes in the Ogilvie Mountains, then the Richardson Mountains, out onto the subarctic tundra and beyond to the permafrost where the trees play out, hop a ferry across the Peel River, another across the mighty Mackenzie, from there it’s a straight run to the sea along the eastern edge of the Mackenzie Delta.
Not much wildlife to speak of. I saw just one grizzly and one wolf. Saw the wolf up close, a beautiful animal. Bad Mr. Apex Predator, he was more like 150 yards out, walking down the road as if he owned it. Which he kinda sorta does, I suppose. I gave him time to disappear into the bush, then I rode by the place where I had seen him.
It was a rigorous trek north from Dawson City. Driving rain, ferocious wind, dust storms on the dry stretches that bring visibility down to a few feet. There’s every kind of terrain to ride, from greasy mud that might as well be ice to loose gravel and rocks.
I negotiated all that without incident. Then, on the final turn of the day, while pulling into a parking space here in Inuvik, I let the front wheel slide out from under me and… KLUNK… Piglet acquires more character.
As always, the best camping is free camping. In Dawson City I thought a good place would be the summit of the Dome, a roundtop that overlooks the historic gold-fever town.
The view off the other side of the Dome. My plan was to camp up here real stealthy-like and not come to the attention of the RCMP. Then as soon as I get set up at the summit, I hear diesel engines grinding up the road from the valley.
Midnight sun gawkers… Tour buses full of them. One after another.
The buses disgorge old people who wander my camp site, eyeing me as if I were part of the local flora and fauna. They check out the piglet, the grub in my cookpot, the stuff in my side cases (Yes, these are his skivvies…)
I chat them up, as if motorcycle hobos are a feature of the tour and not a bug.
Which brings me to bugs. I was swarmed by so many mosquitoes it was impossible to sleep out in the open that night. Not because they were biting me; they weren’t. I had my leathers on, boots on, and a net over my head. It was their noise that kept me awake: hundreds of mosquitoes buzzing about, insisting on finding an opportunity to bite.
I finally set up my tent, which encouraged them to give up and seek a blood meal elsewhere.
The tent was a good idea. It downpoured a few hours later.
Morning comes… Time to get dirty on the Dempster.
Reasonably fast gravel here and there, I could make 50mph with confidence.
And then there were sections where 50 was jarring.
Another downpour lurked up ahead. I rode through it for about 40 miles. Yeah, that’ll slow you down.
Plowed through quite a lot of this greasy muck.
Daylight is deceptive around the solstice… You find yourself riding long after it makes sense to stop.
My camp two nights ago, at Eagle Plains, the Yukon. This is around 11 at night. The sun dips below the horizon, then pops up a few hours later about 80 degrees off from where you last saw it.
This was out behind a place where you can get fuel and a meal, and a room if you’re so inclined. Morning was nice, too cold for mosquitoes.
Eagle Plains isn’t a town, it’s a business someone set up about 50 years ago. A wilderness outpost, I guess you’d call it. A trading post.
Yesterday, on the road north, where the evergreen scrub plays out. Lovely meadows of cottongrass everywhere you look.
Headed up to Wright Pass. Here the Yukon ends.
On the north side of the pass you’re in the Northwest Territories.
A look back at the wet weather to the south of the Richardson Mountains. On this side the sky was that blue, the road that dry.
Just three vehicles on the ferry across the Peel River.
Steve and Mitch, from the Seattle area. I’d been running into them now and again ever since Teslin Lake. Good guys. They give me free beer.
We’re waiting for the ferry across the Mackenzie.
A fairly empty boat, us and a few cars and trucks.
There are two other riders in their group, but Doug and Ed were somewhere behind. While we were sailing across we saw them pull up to the shore to await the next ride over.
I camped in Inuvik last night, and will again tonight before riding the final 75 miles or so up to Tuktoyaktuk, for a musk-ox burger and a dip in the Arctic Ocean. I’ll spend the solstice up there or head back here, as the spirit moves.
Tony DePaul, June 19, 2019, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
Hello Tony,
I am glad to see you’re almost there; any trip you make after this one will seem insignificant (maybe). I think it was wise on your part to take a smaller machine, if for nothing else a better choice of tires. How is your drive-chain holding up to all that grit? Thanks for allowing me to live/ride vicariously along with you.
Regards,
Will
You saw “just” a grizzly? I’d have been scared out of my wits by just that one!
Tony,
This site is excellent. My riding buddy introduced it to me yesterday and I have read a lot of your posts. Having read stacks of comics back in the late 60’s early 70’s I knew all the old stories. I stopped following comics years ago and have cringed as they have become PC movies and everyone has super powers. Phantom is a good throwback. Thank you.
My riding buddy and I were supposed to be in Dawson City today but he had bypass surgery in March. Next year from Massachusetts. I considered doing it alone like you are, but imagining picking up a loaded 800 alone in the wilderness was a tad daunting, presuming no injury. I have picked it up on dirt roads in Vermont, but it is different on the Dempster. He rode out to Dawson City and AK solo about 6 years ago and shipped it back to avoid the repeat of fighting the wind all that way like you did. Our plan was to tow to Montana or Calgary. BMW national rally is in Great Falls, MT next year so that may be the jumping off point. That Dempster road surface is daunting. We will think hard on trying for Inuvik or Tuktoyaktuk.
That side trip up the mountain that you and Bob did I think I could reasonably skip. But you made me feel like I was there and had to load and unload the darn piglet with you.
We will rely on reports from you and like this one below to make route decisions. Best of luck, keep the rubber side down. Thanks for the excellent writing and story lines.
https://advrider.com/f/threads/unfinished-business-dempster-highway-tuktoyaktuk-2018-in-pictures.1348431/
Oh and CCjon is very right about Robert Service. Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” has been a favorite story because it was so starkly simple and real. Robert Michener’s Alaska captures the extreme of the Yukon gold rush and the Chilkoot Pass. Thanks for living this for us.
Inuvik – hey, there’s a power plant with our engines there! Woot!
Carry on, sir.
Glad you made it across the Dempster. No signs of the Lost Patrol anywhere I suppose. They didn’t make it, but NWMP Corporal Dempster did find their remains back in 1911. Keep having fun!
You share beautiful pictures and words that tell me more than I can see. What an experience. A real exploration. Thank you for including us.
Looks gorgeous! Great post, Dad. I’m sure you made it into a few selfies on the Dome.
Tony, now you are into the real northern exposure adventure…. miles of boring riding, with moments of sheer thrilling adventure experience, sights and chills that one cannot find anywhere else in North America. When you think about those who left the lower 48 in the 1890’s searching for a golden fortune, exploring those mountains, or the fur traders or lumbermen who live up here years ago when they didn’t have all the modern conveniences of today. It’s a wonder more survived than did.
I take a Robert Service book of poems with me when I go up there. Reading the The Spell of the Yukon under the midnight sun takes on more meaning and deeper appreciation.
Then read his Heart O’ the North…
Am enjoying hearing of your experiences in the last frontier. Keep them coming….
Thanks for the continued posts and especially the pictures. Your trip is on my bucket list and it’s great to see the scenery and the roads. Lots of straight boring stretches even with the beautiful backdrops. The changing conditions must be challenging and stressful too. That slick muddy surface must be a bitch. No relaxing on that stuff for sure.
Duane’s comment on the other post was a good about one regarding the piglet being the right bike for the trip but I still think the GS, even with the added weight, would work well on those roads and have a higher level of comfort. Do you know what your loaded weight is with all your gear, fuel, etc.?
Love the updates Tony.