Driving South on the Dempster Highway

We have morning light at the
border of the the Yukon &
the North West Territories.

The Eagle Plain Plateau

This bird literally
caught my eye.

I wonder if a plank road is

being built here.

We carefully pass a
road grader.

 The boreal forest lies ahead.

Another shot of the

Ogilvie River.

We have different views of

the rock pillars (tors) as

we drive south.

The coloring in this creek is
from red shale that washes
down from the hills above.

These green slopes remind

me of Ireland.

We approach the one lane bridge
over the Klondike River.

 

Our drive on the Dempster

Highway is coming to an end.

We return to Kilometer 0
of the Dempster Highway.







This was a great, adventuresome side trip.  I was keenly aware that we were on our own and relished the feeling.  I also learned about respecting the road chosen for travel. We had a long, slow drive each way.  It's easy to split the drive into three or more days to reach Inuvik.  There are ten campgrounds and plenty of turnoffs for those who choose to boondock.  Planning more time to drive along the Dempster means more time for hiking and exploring.

I learned that reports of the condition of the Dempster Highway are unique to this specific road.  When I saw that the conditions were listed as GOOD, I thought the road conditions were similar to the Top of the World Highway. Not so...  This 458 mile road is a combination of crushed stones brought in at different times from different sources.  Each section of road varies quite a bit, due to its construction materials, how tightly the stones pack down, how sharp the stones are, how each section of the road holds or sheds water etc.

For those who don't want to take their RV on the Dempster, leave your trailer, fifth wheel, motorhome at a campground in Dawson City and drive your car or truck up the road, stopping and tenting along the way OR drive to the Eagle Plains Hotel, stay the night and continue to Inuvik.