Dempster Highway...beta research (OT)

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SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab or In What Time Zone Am I?
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 27, 2015 - 11:36am PT
Moving from our long to our short bucket list is a Dempster Highway road trip. We've got the lifted rig with 35 inch tires; and added additional modifications (compressor, winch, front lockers etc). Now looking for some real info besides all the internet drivel about "the road trip of a life time". Is it?
Ready to roll


Susan
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jun 27, 2015 - 12:47pm PT
I've only driven the Alaska and Cassiar myself ( a few times).. There are long portions of the Alaska Highway that are frankly boring. Very long portions..heh. Some shorter beautiful sections. The Cassiar cutoff is much more scenic than the AK section you miss by doing the Cassiar.

Just a guess having done no research is that the Dempster will be more like the AK highway.

What the hell though.. not many people do it..does go through/by some ranges so gotta be some cool places to see.

Your rig should be fine though..lol..as long as you don't run out of fuel and bug spray.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Jun 27, 2015 - 12:56pm PT
I'll drive my Camry behind you to make sure you don't get into trouble!
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab or In What Time Zone Am I?
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2015 - 02:59pm PT
Thank you Climbski. We've done the AlCan and Cassair (lot of bears on that one) and we've driven by the start of the Dempster outside Dawson but now deciding on if it is worth the time and required extra gear (gas, tires, etc). But I really do want to see this:


Jay, you know there is room in the truck for you!


Susan
alannamal

climber
B.C.
Jun 27, 2015 - 04:02pm PT
We did it with just a regular old 1996 Tacoma, no problems. I think the road has a worse reputation than it deserves. Big ole rainbow appeared over the sign when we arrived. Felt like we were in the right place!
Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jun 27, 2015 - 09:09pm PT
I've done it roundtrip driving my own car, and I think another time or two in other cars. You've got plenty of rig there. In the 90s the length and the dust behind the logging trucks was the worst of drive. I assume the Canadians have denuded their forests enough that, that's not a worry now. I moved down to Seattle from Fairbanks in mid- to late-December '92 in a 1986 2WD Mazda PU. The winter trip was far preferable to the spring drive-up 'cause there was no dust. [edit]

I can't imagine needing 4- or all-wheel drive, but given even now gas prices on that road: take a high clearance high MPG as possible vehicle.
Todd Eastman

climber
Bellingham, WA
Jun 27, 2015 - 10:06pm PT
Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Looking for adventure
In whatever comes our way...

Have fun!
grover

climber
Castlegar BC
Jun 27, 2015 - 10:26pm PT
Did it in a 1971 VW bus, with 2 buddies in 95.
Only went as far as the Tombstones.

You'll be fine in that rig.

Watch out for grizzlies up there.

Have fun!
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab or In What Time Zone Am I?
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 30, 2015 - 08:19pm PT
Thanks all for the beta.
It's looking like it's fitting into the must do.


Susan
Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 1, 2015 - 09:04pm PT
Bump and: I'm dope. I did in fact drive the Dempster only once and didn't drive down from Fairbanks via the Dempster in December (tough to do).

It was awesome. We were on our way to put in on an unsupported kyak trip down to the Beaufort and then up the Babbage. We had to wait at some N Yukon road house for an ice dam to melt to cross the Peel by ferry in June.

added in edit

On the Dempster



Starting to head up the Babbage

More photos at:

http://173.160.158.251/postings/1983_Babbage/
mikegrai

climber
ON
Jul 2, 2015 - 07:00am PT
We did it about 15 years ago in a rental Ford Windstar minivan with 3 kids in tow. The only modification made was plexiglass shields for the headlights. So, yes, you have plenty of rig. No problems, a great drive - go for it!
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Jul 2, 2015 - 07:08am PT
Nice truck Susan!
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab or In What Time Zone Am I?
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2015 - 08:47am PT
No thank you to an Ice Road trip. Do enough of that skiing. Well when there used to be a winter!
Nice idea for the headlamps. Although it could stay daylight really late since we'd do it in summer.

Darwin.... Now that is KAYAKING! What an f'ing trip. The real deal.

Yes we're happy with the truck. Kinda stumbled on it then added a few goodies. We need more practice on moderate 4wheelin...well at least me...I get absolutely terrified of what I can't see so I'm quick to jump out and be the spotter.

Susan

Wayno

Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 2, 2015 - 09:50am PT
Darwin, I like your old pics.

Susan, that truck looks great for a road trip I have always wanted to do. Actually two trips, both in Idaho. One is the Magruder corridor, a dirt track between the two biggest wilderness areas in the lower 48, and the Lolo Trail, that tries to follow Lewis and Clark's passage across the divide from Montana to the Clearwater. Check them out.
FRUMY

Trad climber
Bishop,CA
Jul 2, 2015 - 11:50am PT
FRUMY

Trad climber
Bishop,CA
Jul 2, 2015 - 11:54am PT
What month are you going in? The only reason you might need 4X4 is if it rains a lot. I found very little of the road boring. June & July are probably the best for flowers, August is when they get most of their rain.
hobo_dan

Social climber
Minnesota
Jul 2, 2015 - 04:20pm PT
What were the Tombstones like? I saw the Ogilvie Mts from the Dawson Fire lookout--Tombstone looked huge from there.
TomKimbrough

Social climber
Salt Lake City
Jul 2, 2015 - 09:06pm PT
Read "The Lost Patrol".
It is about the route before the road went in.
Dempster is the guy who went looking for the Lost Patrol.
grover

climber
Castlegar BC
Jul 5, 2015 - 10:18pm PT
What were the Tombstones like?

A lot of the faces looked pretty chossy, so we stuck
mostly to ridges.

Pretty cool history about the Tombstones, how most of the (easy)
peaks were bagged by prospectors bitd.

This thread has me missing the north and the cool folks up there.


Susan I sure hope you post up a TR.
SC seagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 23, 2017 - 08:25am PT
Well it's taken a couple years to finally get it together but in a few days we are off.
We all know this scenario:

We expect the round trip to be about 8,000 miles. Heading north to the Bugs, Jasper then on up to the Dempster. On to Inuvik where we'll charter a plane or boat to toe tip in the Arctic.
Return via Alaska, with stops in Talkeetna, Homer, Valdez. Then on down through BC with several stops there to update our beta on harbors since we'll likely sail up this way again next year. Our routine seems to be even years are big sailing years, odd years, landlubbing.

Extra fuel is essential. Mike finalizing the racks for fuel cans. Extra tires are important too. We'll have two spares plus a heavy duty tire repair kit.

I'll try to do a "live reporting" trip report as we go along but some of our tracks will be "way out there". We do carry a satellite phone also.


Time to hit the road!

Susan
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