Inuvik - A breath of "fresh" air

First off, let me start today with some final thoughts about driving the Dempster Highway as I know some of our readers have plans to make this trip. If you plan ahead, drive alertly and carefully and make sure you have great tires, you will give yourself a great chance to have a safe trip. Three year old passenger tires I would not recommend, we had all terrain tires, but good new tires with deep treads should give you a good chance to make this road without a flat tire. No promises. You can get tires repaired at Eagle Plains, and Inuvik.

Extra gas!  Why?  Unless you plan to take many side trips to different sites or stay out there for many days, I don't think you need extra gas.  Our vehicle will go 700+ Km on a full tank. Eagle Plains, the half way point, is 405 Km from Dawson City and you can refuel there. Keep your tank full when you can.

The Dempster Highway is only two and a bit lanes wide, enough room to pull slightly to the right when cars or especially trucks come at you. We did find that almost everyone slowed down when approaching us, even the big rigs which was especially nice.

The road is built up high to avoid causing issues with the permafrost in the ground, so there is a drop off on either side, three feet or more. NO GUARDRAILS. If you are not paying attention to the road, you could easily drop off the side, like we saw, and getting help is not easy. You cannot just drive back out of the ditch as your vehicle and you could be damaged.

There were more cars and people than we expected, and while most of this drive we were completely alone, with no cell or internet, we always met someone at the many lookouts or rest stops. The last 150 Km, if you are going north from Fort McPherson to Inuvik is frankly, boring. Long straight portions of road, lined with trees. There really isn't much to see during this stretch.

No place to buy food until you reach Eagle Plains which has a full restaurant, so take something to eat and drink. Driving at the lower speed will take approximately 6 hours if you don't stop, but you will, to visit interpretive centres, take photos or visit the key landmarks. I would tack on at least another 2 hours per day. 

Facilities, yes at most rest stops or viewing points, there are bathrooms, or really outhouses. Some are nicer than others, but that is all there is. There are also mileage (kilometer) markers every 2 KM so you have some idea of where you are.  Barb and I got a fantastic travel guide for the Dempster which told us where things were and at the mileage point. 

Having said all of this, if you want to see the Canadian North where most people don't see, take this drive, our country is beautiful, and it was worth it. 

So Inuvik is a small little community, which I think are still recovering from COVID.  Many stores and places are closed, some permanently. Restaurants or places to eat here are scarce.  Last night after 7:00 pm the only place where we could get food was "The Roost". It isn't an eat in place. You come in, order your food, then take it out. Even our hotel restaurant isn't open, the bar/lounge will be from 5:30 to 8:30 only and they will serve food. However they are struggling with not enough staff. Hopefully we can have a sit down meal tonight. 

Another popular place is Alestine's, which has a small outdoor deck and seats in this school bus, unique indeed.

We wandered around town the whole day, walking and driving. Here are some highlights.

The Igloo Church, one of the most photographed buildings in Inuvik, this is an active Catholic Church. Note the ceiling inside looks like an actual igloo.

Homes here are built up from the ground since there are no basements. Permafrost stops buildings from being built right on the ground.  The pipes running from all homes and hotels are the sewage pipes and water intakes into the homes.  These pipes cannot be underground again due to permafrost.

Inuvik has the only golf course north of the Arctic Circle.  It's only 4 holes, the driving range is only 200 yards long and the tee blocks and greens are artificial carpeting.

Other points of interest.

Dinner tonight was Arctic Char, really really good food.  

We had a great day in Inuvik.  Tomorrow we travel another 153 Km to the North to Tuktoyaktuk to see this tiny place and dip our toes into the Arctic Ocean.