Rides NORTH from the Yukon

colorider

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We have threads for getting to the Yukon and back, but thought it would be handy to have a thread dedicated for those planning trips on NORTH on into AK and/or the Northwest Territories (Purdhoe Bay, Inuvik, etc).

::001::
 

colorider

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Anyone considering the Dempster up to Eagle Plains and on up to Inuvik? Looks like about 480 from Dawson City. Not sure how much of this is paved and how much is gravel. ::26::
 

rem

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None of the Dempster is paved. It's about 25 miles from Dawson to the Dempster Ciutoff as I recall. 42 km rings a bell, but then I hear bells all the time. Pavement becomes gravel as soon as you turn on to the Dempster. R
 

yukondood

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Dempster is one of my favorite rides/drives no matter time of year or conditions. It is always beautiful and without a doubt a challenge. Be prepared and have extra time and you will not regret this ride!!! Rain will cause incredibly slippery, rutty and challenging ride but worth it, sun and clear makes for an awesome ride, amaazing scenery but buggy during stops and at night!. A quick search will result in some posts and photos of the Dempster
 

colorider

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yukondood said:
Dempster is one of my favorite rides/drives no matter time of year or conditions. It is always beautiful and without a doubt a challenge. Be prepared and have extra time and you will not regret this ride!!! Rain will cause incredibly slippery, rutty and challenging ride but worth it, sun and clear makes for an awesome ride, amaazing scenery but buggy during stops and at night!. A quick search will result in some posts and photos of the Dempster
Sounds very interesting! Even if the conditions are not ideal, it looks like one can make the trip in two sections with a stopover in Eagle Plains.
 

tomatocity

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Have places I want to go but am up for something new.

After Whitehorse
- Haines
- Fairbanks
- Chicken
- Dawson
- Atlin (if I don't make it during the Rally)
- Anchorage
- Hwy 3, Denali SP
- Takhini Hot Springs
- Edmonton AB
- Jaspar NP
- Banff NP
- MT, WY, ID, CO, UT, NM, AZ, NV, CA

Maybe
- Prudhoe Bay (not alone)
- Inuvik (not alone)


Faint Maybe
- Seward
 

colorider

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tomatocity said:
Have places I want to go but am up for something new.

After Whitehorse
- Haines
- Fairbanks
- Chicken
- Dawson
- Atlin (if I don't make it during the Rally)
- Anchorage
- Hwy 3, Denali SP
- Takhini Hot Springs
- Edmonton AB
- Jaspar NP
- Banff NP
- MT, WY, ID, CO, UT, NM, AZ, NV, CA

Maybe
- Prudhoe Bay (not alone)
- Inuvik (not alone)


Faint Maybe
- Seward
Been to several on your list - some in the cage, some on my V-Strom and some both. It's the "maybes" that I'm playing with - but so much depends on the weather.
 

tomatocity

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ColoRider said:
Been to several on your list - some in the cage, some on my V-Strom and some both. It's the "maybes" that I'm playing with - but so much depends on the weather.
Ditto on the weather. Stay if I am having fun and Leave if not having fun.
 

colorider

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tomatocity said:
Stay if I am having fun and Leave if not having fun.
Perfect way to sum it up!!!!
 

SuperTen

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tomatocity said:
Have places I want to go but am up for something new.

After Whitehorse
- Haines
- Fairbanks
- Chicken
- Dawson
- Atlin (if I don't make it during the Rally)
- Anchorage
- Hwy 3, Denali SP
- Takhini Hot Springs
- Edmonton AB
- Jaspar NP
- Banff NP
- MT, WY, ID, CO, UT, NM, AZ, NV, CA

Maybe
- Prudhoe Bay (not alone)
- Inuvik (not alone)


Faint Maybe
- Seward
Tomatocity, I'm planning on going from Whitehorse to Dawson then Fairbanks and then north to Deadhorse :)

On the way back from Deadhorse I will comeback to Fairbanks and then continue on the Alaska Hwy south back to Whitehorse most likely, but I'm still open.

Further south I will go through Jasper and Banff before heading into Montana to hit Glacier NP.

I also don't want to go alone to Deadhorse ;)
 

colorider

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Who has done both Deadhorse and Inuvik and what are the pros and cons of each? Inuvik is closer to Whitehorse and saves the run up to Fairbanks, but there is a lot to see on the way.
 

tomatocity

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troll said:
emsreno did both, as a matter of fact his riding buddy was medi-vaced off the Dempster after totalling his V-Strom. Steve's ride report is excellent and has some very good photos and he would be a good one to talk with about both roads.
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=1417.msg41218#msg41218
Ride report!!! Where is it located?

So far my only concern for the trip to Deadhorse is gasoline. Coldfoot to Deadhorse is 241 miles.

FOUND IT !!!
 

troll

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This is perhaps the best description I have ever read that describes the Dempster Highway. I have been trying to describe the sheer isolation, solitude and need to be self sufficient on the Dempster and knew I always missed the mark . You sir hit it right out of the park with this paragraph, thank you.

" The Dempster highway is a ride report all in itself. I can not begin to put into words how massive, how remote, how far, how alone you are on the Dempster. The Dempster is 500 miles to Inuvik and 500 miles back, all on gravel. That literally means a 1000 mile long gravel road. Imagine getting on a gravel road in New York City and getting off again in St. Louis, Missouri. Imagine getting on a gravel road in Los Angeles and not getting off again until Denver, Colorado. You are in Miami, Floida, you get on a gravel road and go clear to Raleigh, North Carolina. Did I say you could stop there, that's only 800 miles, you have 200 more to go. The Dempster defines solitude. I rode an accumulated 600 miles on the Dempster all by myself not seeing anyone, not even the guys I was riding with. On the way out from Eagle Plaines Eric and I rode for 165 miles before we saw another person, not even a car or a truck. When you meet someone coming towards you on the Dempster you wave like it is a long lost relative and they are waving back just as enthusiastically. It seems like you can see forever on the Dempter. Everywhere you look is mountain range, after mountain range, after mountain range. You ride in every possible road condition, from 4" deep loose gravel or sand to hard pack highway gravel, from slick mud to monster pot holes. I have read in other ride reports that dust can be so bad you have to come to a stop. The only dust we seen was in our mirrors because for dust to be a problem there has to be other vehicles involved and there were no other vehicles. Maybe we just picked the right time of year to go or maybe is was coincidence but there was nobody on the road. One time while riding with Eric he wanted to stop and put on his long underwear. He said where else in the world can you stop, be naked in the middle of the road, and not even have to look to see if a car is coming."


great description by Steve of the Dempster and great acknowledgement of that by Bill310

another quote by Bill310

"The ride to Prudhoe is overrated in comparison and few understand the additional risks on the Dempster due to the factor of isolation"
 

SuperTen

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tomatocity said:
Ride report!!! Where is it located?

So far my only concern for the trip to Deadhorse is gasoline. Coldfoot to Deadhorse is 241 miles.
At the speeds you will be riding you can easily do 45mpg, with 6 gallons you can do 270 ;)

I have done 260 miles and still had gas in the tank, but I have also done 220 miles and almost ran out of gas but that's because it was highway and doing average of 90 with occasional 100 mph ::001::

Just take an extra gallon and it's easily doable :) I think ;D
 

BWC

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Two of us that are going to the gathering for July 1st are doing the ride to Deadhorse first. Aiming to be there for June 21st., then make our way south through Alaska and on to Whitehorse.
We should be able to give those that are heading up after the gathering a firsthand report on the ride and conditions. ::001::
Did the Dempster in 2010 and the post regarding the lack of traffic and remoteness is very true. And you will never be so tired after getting off a bike not because of physical exhaustion but due to the concentration level required to keep the dirty side down.
 

digitalmoto

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BWC said:
Two of us that are going to the gathering for July 1st are doing the ride to Deadhorse first. Aiming to be there for June 21st., then make our way south through Alaska and on to Whitehorse.
We should be able to give those that are heading up after the gathering a firsthand report on the ride and conditions. ::001::
Did the Dempster in 2010 and the post regarding the lack of traffic and remoteness is very true. And you will never be so tired after getting off a bike not because of physical exhaustion but due to the concentration level required to keep the dirty side down.
BWC: When are you leaving? I'll be heading up from Portland around June 9th - 11th. My exact departure date is a little fluid.
 

eemsreno

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BWC said:
Two of us that are going to the gathering for July 1st are doing the ride to Deadhorse first. Aiming to be there for June 21st., then make our way south through Alaska and on to Whitehorse.
We should be able to give those that are heading up after the gathering a firsthand report on the ride and conditions. ::001::
Did the Dempster in 2010 and the post regarding the lack of traffic and remoteness is very true. And you will never be so tired after getting off a bike not because of physical exhaustion but due to the concentration level required to keep the dirty side down.
Thank you BWC
 

BWC

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Digitalmoto, PM sent.
 
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