Road to Tuktoyaktuk!

So based on our previous experience with 2018 Swisha Loop, thread can be found here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/swisha-loop-2018.511894/

I think it's a good time to start planning "the one" trip we all want to do. This trip is only for experienced members with a clear understanding of a remote driving.

Lo and behold the 2021 Arctic Expedition Quest!


What is it? 2021 Arctic Expedition Quest is a 6700 kilometers cross county travel from Toronto, Ontario to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories (google maps image attached for general reference, not an actual route)

Date: July 31st to August 25th 2021
Starting Point: Toronto, Ontario
Time to Complete: 2 weeks​

General Requirements:

• All terrain tires
• Extra fuel, be aware how much fuel your vehicle consumes when on dirt roads
• First aid kit, recommended to be as complete as is reasonably possible
• Fire extinguisher
• Recovery equipment including but not limited to shackles, recovery strap, front and rear recovery points, and most important knowledge how to use the equipment
• Air compressor and tire plug/patch kit
• Spare tire, must be matching full size spare
• Axe and shovel
• Leather gloves and eye protection
• Spare parts, fluids and tools, know your vehicle weak points and when to complete maintenance (oil changes etc)
• Flashlight, spare key for the vehicle and all gear to allow comfortable camping in all kinds of condition

Cooking, Food and Water:
We are out west where grizzly bear encounter is more likely than before, therefore we will be setting up designated location for cooking away from the camp. It is essential not to cook near your sleeping area or near trucks. Make sure your food is well sealed and does not produce any smell that will attract wild animals to a campsite. You should have at least 10L of drinkable water and enough dry food. If you plan on brining meat or any heat sensitive food, ensure your cooler can hold cold temperatures for the time being. Best would be to have 2 coolers, one for food another for all your drinks. We can have a situation where an open fire is not possible, so think about all possible situations that can happened during camping and be prepared to them.


Camping Gear:
Each person should bring whatever works best for them while being outdoors, it is up to you, there could be chances of a wet ground or un-even surfaces, be ready for that if you plan on setting up the tent. Bring warm clothes, bug sprays and other things that you should already know to take. If you wish to you may bring canoe, bikes etc... I definitely will!

 

UPDATED 07/14/2019


General Sources:

https://www.dempsterhighway.com/maps-guides
https://yukon.ca/en/dempster-highway-travelogue
http://tetsariver.com/gift-shop/
https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/truck-prep-for-the-dempster-highway.201619/
https://expeditionportal.com/arctic-ocean-expedition-trip-updates/
https://expeditionportal.com/forum/...he-yukon-northwest-territories-canada.161279/
https://expeditionportal.com/the-new-road-to-tuk/

$17 The MILEPOST 2018: Alaska Travel Planner

https://www.amazon.com/MILEPOST-201...a-426747735779&psc=1&ref=&adgrpid=63206161598


Tips:

• Budget for a new windshield when you get back home, you are most likely to crack it during this trip .
• Mud flaps is a must! Those that don't have it will be at the rear, we are going to keep large distance between vehicles as well for safety reasons.
• Bear spray is a must, know how to use it.
• Bottled water can get expensive, bring a lot, have some to give it to those who can be in need.
• Your vehicle range must be at least 400 km per tank to comfortably complete this trip.

Places to visit:
visit links for more information, all locations are publicly accessible and well known to public.

• Ontario:
  • Lake Superior Provincial Park
  • Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

• Manitoba:

• Saskatchewan:
  • Tunnels Of Moose Jaw
  • Mac the Moose

• Alberta:
  • Town of Banff
  • Jasper
  • Canmore
  • Kananaskis Trail
  • McLean Creek OHV
    
  • Heritage Park (Calgary)
  • Icefields HWY
  • Jasper Sky Tram
  • Dinosaur Provincial Park
  • Royal Tyrrell Museum
  • Reynolds-Alberta Museum
  • Alberta Railway Museum

• British Colombia:

• Yukon:
  • Tombstone Territorial Park
  • Rock River Campground
  • Dawson City

• Northwest Territories:
  • Inuvik
  • Tuktoyaktuk

Avoid:

• • Engineer Creek Campground -> crazy amount of mosquitos!

 

TW members input:

Local Alberta Tips:

​

 

Isn't that round trip route up through the Yukon to Tuktoyaktuk a very good chance to ruin your disc brakes (rotors, pads, possibly calipers)? I read the mud slurry on the road builds up on the inside of your rims from the centrifugal forces eventually choking out your rotors/calipers/pads causing damage.

Just asking the question as I considered making a run up there when I do my Alaska trip next summer, but was concerned about the above mentioned issue.

 

Subd. Interested.

 

Awesome! Its impossible to say what Ill be doing with my life in 2021 (and this thread will probably be a monster by then) but Id like to say theres a very good chance Im in!

 

It possibly is, and that's the part where I expect people to be aware of the damages the road can bring to. On the last trip every vehicle ended up going through ATV trails and everyone got pin stripes, scratches deep to the metal and lost antennas… But hey, it's a part of the journey!

I do have a friend that is currently doing in his RAM promaster (#vanlife) this trip and will definitely be asking him once he is back and reporting back here with revised information.

 

Nobody knows that far, but that's how we started out Swisha Loop aventure back in 2016/2017 and went to do it in 2018!

 

Got to start somewhere. I’ll do some searching on expedition portal and see what I got for maps from gravel travel. Wonder if the CCAT has any info.

 

watching

 

IN!

Hoping I can get enough leave generated by that timeframe but so far the truck is already fairly equipped

 

Ehh the Calcium Chloride they spray on the roads does cause the dirt to form into a hard, almost concrete like mud. But it was next to zero issue on the brakes. It does make things quite dirty though lol. We washed the truck (and trailer) in Inuvik on the way up and then again down in Whitehorse. Its only when it dries out that is really gets hard. With the caliper to "knock" any off the inside it needs to and then the backing plate (plus the rim itself) you wont to much on the rotor/pads. Plus you are using the brakes quite a bit so that crap is going to get flung off anyways.

A "run" up there, unless you just want to drive all day, is still 3-4 days.


Id also plan to stay in Inuvik and do a day trip up to Tuk. They wanted 60 bucks just to camp and had a rather disgusting toilet there. And really outside of seeing the Arctic Ocean sign, eating lunch, and maybe going for a quick swim....there isnt exactly much to do there. plus the "camp area" in Tuk is exposed and is often quite windy.

 

Go to know! Added to the top this information

 

Also few other things that come to mind....

-Dont stay at Engineer Creek Campground on the Dempster. Tons of mosquito. Even the Park Ranger people at Tombstone Visitor Center will tell you to avoid the area.
-Theres a Cardlock Gas Station (cardlock is pretty much just a random gas pump and a credit card machine) at the start of the Dempster highway. On our way in we filled up there. on the way out it was broken. nearest gas was a little bit aways from there.
- Speaking of gas....Eagle Plains has gas, then we stopped at Ft. McPherson and then Inuvik. From the start to Eagle plains we needed the 5 extra gallons of gas....but also were towing a trailer but still.
- The roads were pretty easy going really. Some of it was freshly worked and you could go the 80kph. Other sections we were doing more around 50kph. And a few sections (short ones) were less than that.
-When the road is wet...either from rain or from the water trucks....it is slick so be careful.
- The road is also a lot of rolling hills mixed with "passes" so factor that in when deciding on fuel.

- i would really try to go this route with all the food you need and try not to have to stop to resupply. Only cause stuff is a good amount more expensive up there. Ended up paying $5 for a Gatorade at Fort McPherson since id dint look at the price lol.

-Our trip was
-Dawson City to Tombstone Provisional Park. Had a late start (ie noon). Tombstone is an awesome park.
-We then did Tombstone to Rock River Campground.
-Rock River Campground to Tuk and back down Inuvik. Was way longer of a day than we planned since we had planned on staying in Tuk. Inuvik to Tuk is ~2 hours each way.
-Inuvik to Engineer Campground (dont stay here)
-Engineer Campground to end of Dempster (or start). We went for a nice hike at Tombstone



Ask anything you want about the route. We literally just did it 3 weeks ago lol

 

I'm in!

 

2021 is just around the corner... in.

 

You don't use much so you can always give out rations.

 

Watched the thread, i'd love to join - but have basically no experience other than watching OverlandBound on youtube ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Someone sponsor me

 

Duuuuuuuuuude..... I might be down.

 

Westcoaster here. Should the stars align, I may meet up with you guys when you get to BC.

Been thinking about doing this very trip and 2021 seems realistic