CANADA’S For further Our natural The Taiga Plains – DempsterDempster taiga, a Russian word, information... regions refers to the northern Please contact: One of the most edge of the great boreal Tourism and Parks – appealing aspects of the forest and describes Highway...Highway... Industry, Tourism and Investment, trip up the Dempster is much of the Mackenzie Government of the Northwest Territories, the contrast between the Weber Wolfgang River watershed, Northwest Territories Bag Service #1 DEM, Inuvik NT X0E 0T0 Canada natural regions encountered. Canada’s largest. The e-mail: [email protected] Mountains, valleys, plateaus river valley acts as Phone: (867) 777-7196 Fax: (867) 777-7321 and plains and the arctic a migratory corridor for the hundreds of thousands of Northwest Territories Campground Reservations – tundra are all to be waterfowl that breed along the arctic coast in summer. www.campingnwt.ca discovered along the way. Typical animals found include moose, wolf, black bear, Community Information – We have identified the marten and lynx. The barren ground caribou that migrate www.inuvikinfo.com five principal natural regions onto the tundra to the north in the summer months, retreat www.inuvik.ca or “ecozones” by colour on to the taiga forest to over-winter. NWT Arctic Tourism – the map for you: The Southern Arctic – Phone Toll Free: 1-800-661-0788 The Boreal Cordillera – labelled as the ’Barren www.spectacularnwt.com mountain ranges with Lands’ by early European National Parks – numerous high peaks visitors, because of the Canadian Heritage, Parks Canada, and extensive plateaus, lack of trees. Trees do Western Arctic District Office, separated by wide valleys in fact grow here, but Box 1840, Inuvik NT X0E 0T0 and lowlands. The lower are reduced to stunted Phone: (867) 777-8800 Fax: (867) 777-8820 elevations are covered with Donna M. Rystephanuk shrubs – dwarf birch www.parkscanada.gc.ca dense mixed forest, the and arctic willow, with Yukon Parks – higher with alpine tundra. scattered spruce in www.yukonparks.ca The Taiga Cordillera – the sheltered river valleys. Evidence of the last ice age can be Phone Toll Free: 1-800-661-0408 Ext. 5648 northernmost extent of seen everywhere – exposed bedrock scoured clean of all Other useful contacts: the Rocky Mountains, with topsoil, vast plains of glacial deposits of rock and sand Road and Ferry reports – some of Canada’s largest strewn with thousands of shallow lakes and wetlands. Brian Olding The Northern Arctic – www.dot.gov.nt.ca A brown bear takes a leisurely stroll – waterfalls, deepest canyons Weather forecasts – and who’d stop him? and wildest rivers. It remains often referred to as a (867) 777-4183 a very sparsely populated polar desert, with as Royal Canadian Mounted Police – wilderness, the home of little as 100 mm annual Dawson City (867) 993-5555 Dall’s sheep, mountain precipitation. Snow may Fort McPherson (867) 952-1111 goat, woodland and barren persist on the ground Inuvik (867) 777-1111 ground caribou, moose, for up to 10 months of Hospitals – wolf, bear, pika, marmot and Mike Beedell the year and permafrost To the Western Arctic… Fort McPherson (867) 952-2586 wolverine. in the ground may be Inuvik (867) 777-8000 ITI, GNWT several hundred metres and Beyond Don’t be surprised if you see caribou deep, with only a few centimetres at the surface thawing along the highway. for the brief few weeks of summer. RWED Before you set off The highway can be A road less travelled... you may want to make dusty in summer – to Have you ever driven Plan at least a week for your a quick side trip into minimize dust inside just to get off the trip. The most common complaint the historic Yukon your vehicle keep your beaten path and have “The scenery we hear? “I wish I had left more gold mining town of windows closed and use a taste of adventure? was beyond our time to...” Although the highway Dawson City. There your fan, set to defrost The Dempster Highway can be driven in 12 to 16 hours, Mike Beedell is much to see and with the heat off. You stretches 740 km (460 imagination.” we suggest that you plan two do here, but don’t can avoid skidding or miles) through some Rimbey, AB days each way, as you’ll see and dally too long as the sliding on loose road Richard Hartmier of the most beautiful enjoy more if you are not rushed. call of the open highway beckons you. While in Dawson, surface by eliminating wilderness scenery in the Appreciate the vastness of the be sure to visit the Northwest Territories Dempster Delta sudden braking or world. Sound inviting? land, take in some hiking, fishing Visitor Centre, housed in the old British Yukon Navigation steering. Although the region is on Why not take a journey on this unique well-maintained or photography. Building, conveniently located on Front Street directly the whole dry, there remains the gravel highway as it winds over two mountain ranges, To experience summer across from the Dawson Visitor Centre. Get the latest possibility of the road being washed crosses the continental divide three times, passes through conditions, including the midnight Dempster road reports, ferry out in the mountains from time to three natural regions and traverses the Arctic Circle, loosely sun, plan your trip for June information and current events. time. Carefully observe any highway following the old dog team routes, on its way to the great through to September. September Watch a short video on driving the control signs and markers at such Mackenzie Delta. is a good month to view the fall Dempster Highway. Interesting times. Completed in 1978, colours. The herds of caribou may exhibits will give you a sense Conditions along the Dempster the Dempster Highway be seen either mid-September to of the richness of the land and and on the Beaufort Coast can was named for Sgt. late October, or again in March culture of the Western Arctic. change quickly at any time of the WJD Dempster of the and April. Specialized vehicles are not Leslie Leong year, with cold winds and perhaps Northwest Mounted Mike Beedell Access to Inuvik is possible year necessary to drive this well- snow in the mountains even in Police, who, in the winter Enjoy one of the many round, except for periods during maintained gravel highway, but services are far apart. It summer. A warm jacket, good breathtaking hikes in the the spring and fall with break-up never hurts to carry extra fluids, spare belts, some basic of 1910-11, was sent area. boots, hat and gloves are useful Alan Fehr to search for the ‘Lost (thaw) and freeze-up of the ice at tools, flare, tow-rope, axe, knife and matches. At any time items to bring along. We suggest you bring clothing Patrol’. Construction the Peel and Mackenzie River crossings. of the year, have a vehicle that is dependable and well- that can be layered. Summer travellers should be aware was originally started For a winter experience, February through to April is maintained. Ensure that mosquitoes and black flies can be quite plentiful at under Canada’s ‘Roads to Resources’ program in the late recommended. Winter is the best time to see the northern that all of your tires certain times and places. Consider equipping yourself with 1950’s, but only 117 km were completed at that time. In the lights. The road is in good condition and we enjoy longer are in good condition, insect repellents and/or 1970’s work began again when an overland supply route daylight hours again. You will be able to drive the ice roads with lots of tread, and protective clothing. to Inuvik was needed on the Mackenzie River to Aklavik or Tuktoyaktuk from have at least one full- Vehicle rentals are to serve large scale mid-December to mid-April, depending on the weather. sized spare tire in good available in Whitehorse oil exploration taking Traffic will be very condition, two if your or Dawson City, Yukon or place in the Beaufort light so you must come Leslie Leong tire is an unusual size. Anchorage, Alaska. Don’t Sea. Since then visitors well prepared. In the Slowing down and forget to bring along all the documentation necessary to from around the world winter, carry a shovel, pulling over as far as get you on your way! have discovered the sleeping bag, stove, possible when meeting vehicles, especially large trucks, Recommended Reading phenomenal beauty of matches, emergency will minimize rock damage to windshields – protect your The Milepost is considered the ‘Bible’ of northern Leslie Leong this highway and make snacks, and of course, headlights with plastic or wire mesh covers. Drive with highway travel, with detailed descriptions of all highways the journey a major focus RWED dress for cold outdoor headlights on at all times – it’s the law in the NWT, as is in the NWT, Yukon and Alaska. Available retail, or from of their vacation. temperatures. travelling with your seatbelt fastened. Vernon Publications, phone toll free 1-800-726-4707, or visit www.alaskainfo.com. Tourism Aulavik Driving the dempster Canada’s Western Arctic National Park 736 km (mile 457) – Inuvik 719 km (mile 446) – BANKS Banks Island ISLAND Tuktoyaktuk Nihtak Day Use Area (Campbell Creek) Bird Sanctuary #1 Inuvik awaits you at the end of this year-round highway, Sachs Harbour offering a full range of services and facilities. The Western 714 km (mile 443) – Arctic Visitor Information Centre is open from the third Kendall Island Ehjuu Njik Wayside Park (Cabin Creek) A R C T Pingo I weekend in May to September 15.