N INFORMATIO ANALYSIS RESEARCH

1 folded map. folded 1

Geological Survey, NWT Open Report 2007-009 & YGS Open File 2007-11, File Open YGS & 2007-009 Report Open NWT Survey, Geological ESINEOFFICE GEOSCIENCE

most northwestern road; Geoscience Office and and Office Geoscience Territories Northwest road; northwestern most

Highway, Northwest Territories & Yukon, A geological roadmap for ’s for roadmap geological A Yukon, & Territories Northwest Highway,

OTWS TERRITORIES NORTHWEST

Jones, A.L. & Pyle, L.J. (compilers), 2007. Roadside Geology of the Dempster the of Geology Roadside 2007. (compilers), L.J. Pyle, & A.L. Jones,

Citation

locally if certain sites are critical to your visit. Enjoy the geology and the drive! the and geology the Enjoy visit. your to critical are sites certain if locally

a result some distances recorded on this map will be inexact. Please check Please inexact. be will map this on recorded distances some result a

the old route at Chapman Lake (Km 116). (Km Lake Chapman at route old the

the kilometre posts (northern section) are periodically moved or re-placed. As re-placed. or moved periodically are section) (northern posts kilometre the www.explorenwt.com www.travelyukon.com www.explorenwt.com

McPherson. The patrols were discontinued in 1921 and the highway intersects highway the and 1921 in discontinued were patrols The McPherson.

quarries are opened and closed by highway maintenance crews. Furthermore, crews. maintenance highway by closed and opened are quarries planning your trip, please consult the following websites and links therein: links and websites following the consult please trip, your planning

annual mid-winter dogsled excursions of the Dawson RNWMP to Fort to RNWMP Dawson the of excursions dogsled mid-winter annual

parts of the road are re-constructed, and various borrow (gravel) pits and pits (gravel) borrow various and re-constructed, are road the of parts halfway) at Km 369, to at Km 717. For more information about information more For 717. Km at Inuvik to 369, Km at halfway)

in 1911. The tragedy was the only serious mishap in the in mishap serious only the was tragedy The 1911. in ” Patrol Lost “The of

section) and September 2006 (southern section). Each summer, however, some however, summer, Each section). (southern 2006 September and section) River 45 km east of , through the Eagle Plains Lodge (roughly Lodge Plains Eagle the through City, Dawson of east km 45 River

He was the “Iron Man of the Trail” and led the expedition to find the remains the find to expedition the led and Trail” the of Man “Iron the was He

The road distances and outcrop access were correct as of July 2005 (northern 2005 July of as correct were access outcrop and distances road The are along the east side of the highway, beginning at Km 0 at South Klondike South at 0 Km at beginning highway, the of side east the along are

who served with the Royal Northwest Mounted Police (RNWMP) for 37 years. 37 for (RNWMP) Police Mounted Northwest Royal the with served who

served by daily flights from Yellowknife and . Kilometre signposts Kilometre Whitehorse. and Yellowknife from flights daily by served

The is named for William John Duncan (Jack) Dempster (Jack) Duncan John William for named is Highway Dempster The

note the time change as you make plans, particularly for the ferry crossings. ferry the for particularly plans, make you as change time the note or Inuvik, NWT. Dawson City is 536 km by road from Whitehorse. Inuvik is Inuvik Whitehorse. from road by km 536 is City Dawson NWT. Inuvik, or

you cross the boundary from the Yukon to the Northwest Territories. Please Territories. Northwest the to Yukon the from boundary the cross you You can drive (or bike!) the Dempster Highway from either Dawson City, Yukon City, Dawson either from Highway Dempster the bike!) (or drive can You

withstand wet weather and heavy loads, while providing good grip for tires. for grip good providing while loads, heavy and weather wet withstand

The time changes from Pacific Standard Time to Mountain Standard Time as Time Standard Mountain to Time Standard Pacific from changes time The

How to get there get to How

challenge was finding nearby deposits of road-surfacing gravel that could that gravel road-surfacing of deposits nearby finding was challenge

dark road surface absorbs more summer heat than tundra vegetation. Another vegetation. tundra than heat summer more absorbs surface road dark

expansive wilderness. Maintain respectful and safe distances from wildlife. from distances safe and respectful Maintain wilderness. expansive

• Km 528.5: Tetlit Gwinjik Wayside Park: viewing platform, interpretive signs. interpretive platform, viewing Park: Wayside Gwinjik Tetlit 528.5: Km •

thick. The thickness is required to insulate the frozen substrate, because the because substrate, frozen the insulate to required is thickness The thick.

accident on this remote road will be a long time coming. The highway crosses highway The coming. time long a be will road remote this on accident

• Km 465: Northwest Territories / Yukon border; and border; Yukon / Territories Northwest 465: Km •

ing. Along much of its length the highway sits on a gravel pad 1 to 4 metres 4 to 1 pad gravel a on sits highway the length its of much Along ing.

portion of the road. Never park along sharp or blind curves. Help after an after Help curves. blind or sharp along park Never road. the of portion

• Km 405: and Richardson Mountains; Richardson and Circle Arctic 405: Km •

most building over ice-rich ground occurred during the winter to avoid melt- avoid to winter the during occurred ground ice-rich over building most

important to seek pullouts or completely move your vehicle from the traveled the from vehicle your move completely or pullouts seek to important

• Km 378: Eagle River: RNWMP manhunt for the “Mad Trapper of Rat River”; Rat of Trapper “Mad the for manhunt RNWMP River: Eagle 378: Km •

; permafrost of challenge the faced engineers highway construction, During

encounter pedestrians, dogs or middle-of-the-road sightseers. Thus it is it Thus sightseers. middle-of-the-road or dogs pedestrians, encounter • Km 259.2: Gwazhal Kak Rest Area: geology, petroleum exploration; petroleum geology, Area: Rest Kak Gwazhal 259.2: Km •

way and drivers of large trucks treat it that way. They are not expecting to expecting not are They way. that it treat trucks large of drivers and way

• Km 102: Two Moose Lake: “thaw lakes” and waterfowl; and lakes” “thaw Lake: Moose Two 102: Km •

completion the highway in 1979. 1979. in highway the completion

Conversely, despite the lack of traffic, remember that this is a first-order high- first-order a is this that remember traffic, of lack the despite Conversely,

• Km 74: North Fork Pass Viewpoint: Tombstone Mountain, valley history; valley Mountain, Tombstone Viewpoint: Pass Fork North 74: Km •

ten years. Oil exploration in the Mackenzie Delta and the Beaufort Sea saw the the saw Sea Beaufort the and Delta Mackenzie the in exploration Oil years. ten

• Km 71: Interpretive Centre: natural history displays; history natural Centre: Interpretive 71: Km •

decreased government funding and sporadic construction for the following the for construction sporadic and funding government decreased

many hours before another vehicle passes by, so plan ahead. plan so by, passes vehicle another before hours many

• Km 0: Landscapes, wildlife resources, services for the motorized traveler; motorized the for services resources, wildlife Landscapes, 0: Km •

Less than hoped-for results in the search for hydrocarbon exploration led to led exploration hydrocarbon for search the in results hoped-for than Less

essential when traveling in this remote area. If you are stranded it may be may it stranded are you If area. remote this in traveling when essential

Well maintained pullouts with informative signboards are currently located at: located currently are signboards informative with pullouts maintained Well

1958 and 1961, about 115 km of road was completed from the southern end. end. southern the from completed was road of km 115 about 1961, and 1958

for the trip. Spare tires, emergency kits, extra food and additional fuel are fuel additional and food extra kits, emergency tires, Spare trip. the for

established the route through the Ogilvie Mountains to Eagle Plain. Between Plain. Eagle to Mountains Ogilvie the through route the established

depending on seasonal conditions and traffic. Ensure your vehicle is suitable is vehicle your Ensure traffic. and conditions seasonal on depending

Western Arctic Regional Visitor Centre in Inuvik. in Centre Visitor Regional Arctic Western

resources of northern Canada. Winter hauling of oil drilling equipment initially equipment drilling oil of hauling Winter Canada. northern of resources

The Dempster Highway is a gravel road; quite narrow in places and rough, and places in narrow quite road; gravel a is Highway Dempster The

the Western Arctic”; Tombstone Mountain Campground (Km 71); and the and 71); (Km Campground Mountain Tombstone Arctic”; Western the

“Roads to Resources” policy which addressed the need to access the natural the access to need the addressed which policy Resources” to “Roads

Delta Visitor Information Centre in Dawson City is dedicated to the “Road to “Road the to dedicated is City Dawson in Centre Information Visitor Delta Cautionary notes Cautionary

Construction of the highway was sparked by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s John Minister Prime by sparked was highway the of Construction

Dempster Highway and are staffed from May to September: the Dempster/ the September: to May from staffed are and Highway Dempster

History and Inuvik. Three Interpretive and Visitor Information centres focus on the on focus centres Information Visitor and Interpretive Three Inuvik. and

and lodging are available at Dawson City, Eagle Plains Lodge, Fort McPherson, Fort Lodge, Plains Eagle City, Dawson at available are lodging and

multi-day journey, so take some time to enjoy it! enjoy to time some take so journey, multi-day Six territorial campsites are located along the highway. Gas, food, Gas, highway. the along located are campsites territorial Six

. It is a spectacular a is It . Cordillera Canadian the of mountains) Richardson and

Pacific and Arctic oceans (Km 82) and traverses two mountain ranges (Ogilvie ranges mountain two traverses and 82) (Km oceans Arctic and Pacific at www.dot.gov.nt.ca or toll-free 1.800.661.0750. toll-free or www.dot.gov.nt.ca at

imately Km 717.5. The road also summits the continental divide between the between divide continental the summits also road The 717.5. Km imately of Transportation. Information on the status of ferries and ice roads is available is roads ice and ferries of status the on Information Transportation. of

into the Northwest Territories at Km 465, and terminates in Inuvik at approx- at Inuvik in terminates and 465, Km at Territories Northwest the into April, an ice road is maintained across these rivers by the NWT Department NWT the by rivers these across maintained is road ice an April,

the Arctic Circle (latitude 66°33’ North) at Km 405. It passes from the Yukon the from passes It 405. Km at North) 66°33’ (latitude Circle Arctic the Mackenzie/Arctic Red rivers on a regular schedule. From late November to November late From schedule. regular a on rivers Red Mackenzie/Arctic

southern starting point (Km 0) east of Dawson City, Yukon, the highway crosses highway the Yukon, City, Dawson of east 0) (Km point starting southern fall freezing. From June to October, government ferries cross the Peel and Peel the cross ferries government October, to June From freezing. fall

gravel road through a landscape that remains mostly wilderness. From its From wilderness. mostly remains that landscape a through road gravel (Km 537 and 605 respectively) are uncrossable during spring ice breakup and breakup ice spring during uncrossable are respectively) 605 and 537 (Km

The Dempster Highway, Canada’s most northern highway, is an all-weather an is highway, northern most Canada’s Highway, Dempster The The Dempster Highway is open all year, but the Peel and Mackenzie rivers Mackenzie and Peel the but year, all open is Highway Dempster The

Introduction to the Dempster Highway Dempster the to Introduction Highway travel information travel Highway

www.geology.gov.yk.ca www.geology.gov.yk.ca www.nwtgeoscience.ca

867.667.5200 [email protected] 867.667.5200 867.669.2636 [email protected] 867.669.2636

Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6 Y1A YT Whitehorse, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R3 X1A NT Yellowknife,

most northwestern road northwestern most

Box 2703 (K102), 102-300 Main Street Main 102-300 (K102), 2703 Box Box 1500, 4601-B 52 Avenue 52 4601-B 1500, Box

A geological roadmap for Canada’s for roadmap geological A Yukon Geological Survey Geological Yukon NWT Geoscience Office Geoscience NWT

The above geological report, the basis for this roadmap, is available from: available is roadmap, this for basis the report, geological above The & Yukon &

2007-10, 92 p. 92 2007-10,

Northwest Territories Northwest Survey, NWT Open File 2007-05 & YGS Open File Open YGS & 2007-05 File Open NWT Survey,

Territories Geoscience Office and Yukon Geological Yukon and Office Geoscience Territories

Canada’s most northwestern road; Northwest road; northwestern most Canada’s

the Dempster Highway, Dempster the

Yukon, A traveler’s guide to the Geology of Geology the to guide traveler’s A Yukon,

the Dempster Highway, Northwest Territories & Territories Northwest Highway, Dempster the

Jones, A.L., & Gal, L.P., 2007. Roadside Geology of Geology Roadside 2007. L.P., Gal, & A.L., Jones, Roadside Geology of Geology Roadside

Pyle, L.J., Roots, C., Allen, T.L., Fraser, T.A., Bond, J., Bond, T.A., Fraser, T.L., Allen, C., Roots, L.J., Pyle, Further reading Further

Northern Canadian Cordillera Age Northern Ogilvie Eagle Plain- Ogilvie- Arch - Richardson Peel Peel Anderson Assem- (Ma) Era Period Mountains Wernecke Mtns. N. Richardson Mtns. Anticlinorium Plateau Plain Plain blage Glacial history Quater- The Dempster Highway is the most northerly road crossing the Canadian 1.77 nary The Dempster Highway traverses glaciated and unglaciated landscapes. Areas Cordillera. Current tectonics and seismicity across the northern Cordillera Neo- gene that were not covered by ice formed the eastern edge of Beringia - a cold dry sub-continent that joined Alaska with far-east Russia across a lowland where

result from oblique collision of the Yakutat terrane with the North American Tertiary CENOZOIC 65 Paleo- gene Bering Strait is today. During the last ice age, Beringia was cut off from southern plate margin. The Yakutat terrane is a piece of oceanic-continental crust that Cody Creek Mason River North America by two ice sheets: Cordilleran (from the south) and Laurentide has moved northwest on the Pacific Plate to collide with North America in the Burnthill Creek sh (from the east). Glacial landscapes and deposits are associated with movements Alaska Trench. This collision both uplifts the crust of the St. Elias Mountains, Late Amundsen which includes Canada’s highest peak, Mount Logan, and drives the upper crust Gulf Group Smoking Hills of these ice sheets. The Cordilleran Ice Sheet covered most of central and Fishing Branch of southern Yukon northeastward. The average rate of movement is 5 mm/year. Monster Boundary Creek southern Yukon. It advanced westward and northwestward at least four times Parkin Trevor Trevor Earthquakes of variable severity sometimes occur due to this movement. Eagle Plain Group from 2.5 Ma to about 11 ka ago. Glacial drift of the last two glaciations, the Trevor Trevor Reid (300-125 ka), and the McConnell (25-11 ka) are well defined. The Laurentide Ice Sheet covered the Interior Plains, east of the Richardson Mountains divide, Geological regions & stratigraphy Whitestone River Arctic Horton River Kathul Albian RED Red RIVER Arctic Red Arctic Red and reached its maximum extent around 30 ka. At least two more advances Sharp Crossley BROOKIAN Cretaceous Mountain MTN Flysch

Travelers of the Dempster Highway traverse several regions where the physical Group Lakes Mbr Rat occurred later in the glaciation prior to 10.6 ka years ago. The Inuvik area was River CCU Rat River Martin House Martin House Gilmore Lake Mbr character (physiography) of the land is shaped by its geology and glacial Cache Darnley Bay Early glaciated around 30 ka. Mount Goodenough Creek history. Northwestern Canada is divided into two main areas: the Interior Plains Uplift? Mount Mount Goodenough Langton Bay Goodenough which consist of generally flat-lying sedimentary rocks or strata, and the Before the ice age Foreland Belt of the Cordillera which includes many of the same rocks but Kamik Kamik McGuire about 3 million years shows the cumulative effects of mountain building (orogeny) during the last McGuire McGuire Martin Creek ago, the Southern 150 million years (Ma). 142 Martin Creek Husky Husky Ogilvie Mountains Dawson Kingak City Porcupine Porcupine Late River River lay near the head of The Interior Plains and Cordillera are divided into physiographic regions; North Husky Branch a vast south flowing Whitehorse Aklavik Aklavik North shaped by different tectonic elements, each with its own structural style, history, Branch Anne Cordilleran Orogenydrainage system. Laramide Orogeny The Richardson Richardson Creek and stratigraphy. The Dempster provides access to a variety of rock units (see MESOZOIC Middle Kingak Mountains Mountains Mbr ice sheets shifted Little Bell Mbr Little Bell Mbr table at right) and features across several regions. Encountered in this order these major drainage Manuel Creek Manuel Creek (from south to north; see map on reverse), are the: systems (see above, • Tintina Trench and the Selwyn Fold Belt (Southern Ogilvie Mountains); Allstrom Creek Allstrom Creek Age, rock types, formations, and a) before glaciation; • Taiga-Nahoni Fold Belt (Northern Ogilvie Mountains); Murray Early Bug Creek Group Murray stratigraphic assemblages of the and below, b) after • Eagle Fold Belt (Eagle Plain); Ridge Ridge Aklavik glaciation).

Bug Creek Group Scho Dempster Highway region • Richardson Anticlinorium (Richardson Mountains); Arch- Creek Mbr Rat Uplift Aklavik • Northern Interior Platform; and 200 Arch- • Aklavik Arch Complex. Rat Uplift Late Shublik Shublik Shublik

The stratigraphic succession that makes up the Cordillera and Interior Plains Middle extends as a wedge of sedimentary rocks that thickens westward from the 253 TriassicEarly Jurassic Whitehorse

Late ELLESMERIAN edge of the Canadian Shield. This wedge is up to 20 km thick and exposed by ? Middle uplift in the Cordillera. The succession consists of six general stratigraphic Takhandit Longstick assemblages that are separated by unconformities. These assemblages (see ? Jungle Upper Mbr Early Creek Lower Mbr figure at right) extend from the Proterozoic (as old as 1800 Ma) to Late Permian Jungle Creek Glossary of geological terms 300 Cretaceous (as young as 65 Ma). The wedge lies on igneous and metamorphic Jungle Creek Canadian Cordillera: area of deformed (folded or faulted) mountain belts and Ettrain ? plateaus that extend 2000 km from the U.S. border north to the Beaufort Sea and rocks thought to be the continuation of the Canadian Shield to the east. Ettrain Blackie Alaska in the north. The Cordillera includes a diverse assemblage of mountain belts, Blackie Pennsylvanian some of which consist of terranes or crustal fragments. Different tectonic regimes “Birch Mbr” Hart River Hart Chance ' exist along the length of the Cordillera due to variations in plate tectonic interactions.

Mineral & hydrocarbon resources Lisburne Gp R. Sandstone Mbr Ford “Canoe River Mbr”' Foreland Belt of the Cordillera: along with the Interior Plains, area of Northwestern Northwestern Canada has excellent potential for both minerals and hydro- Lake Ford Lake Ford Lake Ford Lake Canada consisting of sedimentary rocks or strata that show the cumulative effects of carbon resources. Dempster Highway construction was initiated to access Mississippian LAKE MO Tuttle Tuttle Tuttle Ellesmerian Orogeny mountain building during the last 150 million years. prospective hydrocarbon resources of Eagle Plain. Its completion was spurred 360 DUS Nation glacial drift: rock material transported and deposited by glacial ice or meltwater. by exploration activity targeting petroleum potential of the Mackenzie Delta Late River Imperial Imperial Imperial Imperial Imperial Imperial igneous: rock solidified or crystallized from molten material (magma). Intrusive refers Canol Canol Canol Canol Canol Canol and Beaufort Sea. Mining is an important component of Yukon’s economy and to magma emplaced in the Earth’s crust; extrusive refers to igneous rock erupted Dsh Hare Indian Hare Indian Hare Indian history (the famous established Dawson City), and there is Middle McCann onto the Earth’s surface. Ogilvie Ogilvie renewed interest in hydrocarbon resources. In NWT, mining (including the new Hill Chert Ogilvie Ogilvie Hume Hume Hume Interior Plains: large area of nearly horizontal bedrock comprising plains and plateaux Landry diamond discoveries north of Yellowknife) and hydrocarbon production (such Landry Landry covered by thick glacial drift. Early Road Michelle as Canada’s fourth largest producing oil field at Norman Wells) are significant River ka: stands for thousand years old or ago. Group Mount Arnica Arnica Arnica Ma: stands for million years old or ago. economic contributors. The oil and natural gas resources of the Beaufort- 419 (upper) Dewdney Mount Tatsieta Tatsieta Tatsieta Dewdney Peel metamorphic: rock formed through recrystallization, mineral or chemical change to Delorme Peel Peel Mackenzie Region and Mackenzie Valley continue to hold great potential. Late Igneous ? Road Road pre-existing rock, due to high temperature or pressure. PALEOZOIC Dyke - Road River River post-Jones orogeny: rocks subjected to deformation (folding and/or faulting) during mountain Ridge River Group Group Rock Types Hydrocarbons Limestone Group building. Early (age unknown) ? Mount Kindle Mount Kindle Mount Kindle ? permafrost: ground (rock or soil) that remains at or below 0ºC for at least two years. It 443 Shale (gray) Evaporite Gas discovery Road may be continuous in a zone uninterrupted by unfrozen pockets of ground, or dis- Late continous in a zone with patches of unfrozen ground. Shale (black) Limestone Gas show Jones Ridge physiography: the physical expression of the land, also referred to as geomorphology, Middle Limestone Bouvette the description and origin of landforms. Shale, siltstone Dolostone Oil discovery (upper) FRANKLINIAN

Vunta sedimentary: rocks formed by deposition of sediment, solid material that is either

Oil show transported by water, wind or ice, or chemically precipitated from solution. Ordovician Early Shale (foredeep) Diamict, alluvium Jones Ridge Bouvette Franklin Franklin Franklin seismicity: or seismic activity, refers to the phenomenon of Earth’s movements, usually 489 Limestone Rabbitkettle Mountain Mountain Mountain

Source rock Rabbitkettle earthquakes. Late (lower) Taiga Sandstone (craton-derived) Alkaline volcanics Rabbitkettle equivalent Rabbitkettle equivalent strata: or stratum, a layer or bed of sedimentary rock. “C2 ” Contacts Slats Slats Slats Slats stratigraphy: study of rock layers, including their attributes, origin, arrangements, and Sandstone, siltstone (foredeep) Gabbro, diabase, diorite Middle Creek Creek Creek Creek relationships. Conformable Igneous Illtyd “C1 ” Illtyd Illtyd Illtyd Saline River Saline River Saline River Dyke - Sekwi tectonics: study of relationships, origins, and evolution of Earth’s crust. post-Tindir Mt Cap Mt Cap Mount Cap Unconformity CambrianEarly Silurian Devonian Carboniferous Conglomerate and sandstone No record (age unknown) Mackenzie Mount Clark terrane: a crustal block or fragment that has a distinct geological history from adjacent Disconformity/Condensed 542 Arch Mt Clark Mount Clark (Old Fort Island) Section Windermere Supergroup, Windermere Supergroup, blocks, and is commonly fault-bound. PROTERO- Tindir Group Gillespie Lake and Gillespie Lake and Red beds Uncertain Mackenzie Mountains Mackenzie Mountains Dismal Lakes Group unconformity: a surface that represents a gap in the geological record, such as a Quartet Groups and Quartet Groups and Supergroup Supergroup ZOIC Mackenzie Mountains SG Mackenzie Mountains SG period of erosion of strata. 8 Km 210.0 [507.5 km] Fossils 9 Km 221.4 [496.1 km]: Elephant Rock rest area 10 Km 348.0 - 349.0 [369.5 - 368.5 km]: Hart River Formation 11 Km 369.0 [348.5 km]: Eagle Plains Lodge West of the highway are black shale and The elephant does not roam in this taiga valley! Look high on the skyline five An exposure of Hart River Formation extends for about 1.5 km along the east This year-round centre yellowish grey limestone of the Michelle Form- km to the south on a distant ridge, where pillars of weathered carbonate rocks side of the highway (below, left). This is one of the few resistant roadside out- was built in 1978 and ation. These shale beds contain concretions. form a familiar silhouette. A prominent fold in a resistant cap of limestone is crops on the Eagle Plain. The outcrop is a pale orangish grey, siliceous, laminated provides gas, food, and Near Km 211, a road cut with a wide shoulder also visible to the southwest. limestone that contains plant fossils (impressions), coal fragments (below, right), lodging. The site was on the east side along the Ogilvie River exposes minor sandstone, and shelly fossils like brachiopods. selected because bed- the contact with light grey limestone of the rock (Tuttle Formation Ogilvie Formation. The cliff consists of fossil-rich sandstone) is close to limestone with crinoids, bryozoans, and surface, otherwise cost- trilobites. Large blocks form riprap, a natural ly pilings would be re- barrier to erosion, along the river. quired to keep the permafrost under the 7 Km 194.0 [523.5 km] Divii Ddhaa: Sappers Hill buildings from melting. Pale orange Tuttle sandstone is exposed across the road This castle-like ridge consists of a north-dipping limb of Devonian age Ogilvie 200 m southeast from the lodge. Here, and in blocks in Formation limestone in the hanging wall of a south-directed thrust fault. Erosion the parking lot and campground, the sandstone con- at the base of the cliff produces conical outcrops rising from grey limestone sists of clear quartz grains, white chert chips, and minor rubble (picture taken at Km 190, looking north). mineral grains such as pyrite. Plant fossils (left) are common and trace fossils (animal tracks and trails) oc- cur on bedding surfaces. This porous sandstone is a potential reservoir for natural gas and oil.

From the observation 6 Km 153.0 [564.5 km] Windy Pass N Beaufort- deck north of (behind) The large pullout south of the highway at (elevation 1060 m) is a three minute Blow the hotel one can see Mackenzie Eagle Plain, a historic and stroll from outcrops and the base of a broad shoulder south of the pass. This W lightly vegetated landscape is a plausible stand-in for a Beringian (see reverse) E Trough Basin end/startend/start still prospective oil and InuvikInuvik gas area, and the continuation of the Dempster Highway. landscape. The fossiliferous Paleozoic Bouvette Formation dolostone, found here (Km(Km 7717.5/0)17.5/0) in large blocks, has a mottled appearance from burrowing of ancient animals S British-Barn (trace fossils). Fragments of silicified coral are also abundant. 12 Km 405.6 [311.9 km]: Arctic Circle rest area Mountains Campbell Aklavik Lake A panorama eastward from the interpretive display shows the western flank of Old Crow 18 the Richardson Mountains. These mountains are underlain by the Richardson Anticlinorium which exposes the basinal (deeper water) shales of the Canol Basin and Imperial formations in the foreground, with older strata of the Road River AKLAVIKAKLAVIK ARCHARCH COMPLEXCOMPLEX Group forming the higher peaks in the mountains.

Mackenzie River Richardson Anderson Mountains Plain

17 16 5 Km 143.0 [574.5 km] Fort M Wernecke breccia Keele Range McPherson R O A small pull-out on the west side is surround- 15 F ed by rubble of dark brown rock that forms T LA an exposure of the oldest (Proterozoic) rock P Dempster Highway Arc on the Dempster: a dark siltstone. Large R Km 445.8 [271.7 km]: Rock River campground tic Red River 13 boulders, located a dozen metres south, are a 14 IO distinctive breccia studded with sparkly R E The river at the campground cuts hematite, an iron oxide mineral. The breccia T N through Imperial Formation to create was emplaced 1600 million years ago, as fluid I a two km wide valley. In the vicinity of moved upward through the sedimentary rocks. N R the river, the Imperial Formation is It can contain copper, uranium, and gold. Eagle E TH exposed along both sides of the Plain R Peel highway. The older Canol Formation 13 O NORTHERNN INTERIOR PLATFORM can be observed by hiking east (up- Plain stream) along the creek. The bright red 4 Km 137.0 [580.5 km] Mount Distincta viewpoint 12 color of Canol shales can be viewed The mountainside at the head of the tributary west of the highway shows the Arctic Circle from the bridge over Rock River, and sub-Cambrian unconformity, representing about 1 billion years of time and 10 again at Km 450. These ‘burnt shales’ km of strata eroded. Dark Proterozoic age Quartet sandstone lies beneath the are likely the result of the burning of Eagle Peel light grey Paleozoic Bouvette dolostone. Mount Distincta (1760 m) is the highest carbon-rich material in the rock during EAGLEEAGLE Plains 11 Plateau a past forest fire. of the rounded peaks in the area. Lodge Mount Distincta FOLDFOLD BBELTELT 10 Northwest 14 Km 485.0-487.0 [230.5-232.5 km]: Vittrekwa Pass Bouvette dolostone RICHARDSONRICHARDSON Territories Vittrekwa Pass is a high-walled ancient glacial meltwater channel containing Quartet sandstone ANTICLINORIUMANTICLINORIUM terraces of sediments that flank the highway. Gravel from these terraces is a source of road building materials.

Exposures in creeks alongside the Yukon road expose folded and deformed Dempster Highway Imperial Formation sandstone and shale. The pass is the trans- 3 Km 116.0 [601.5 km] Pilot Mountain viewpoint Northern Ogilvie Mountains ition of the Richardson Mountains The first phase of Dempster Highway construction, completed in 1961, ended at Bonnet to Peel Plateau to the northeast. the rest area at Chapman Lake. Across the valley to the east is Pilot Mountain 9 Plume (a.k.a. Mount Vines). Note the smooth lower slopes (black shale) and the summit 8 MACKENZIEMACKENZIE erosional remnants (called tors; composed of limestone and conglomerate) indicative of unglaciated terrain. FOLDFOLD BBELTELT 7 15 Km 537.3 [180.2 km]: Peel River ferry crossing TAIGATAIGA - NAH - NAH A stroll along the eastern bank of the Pilot Mountain ONIONI FOFO LDLD BBELTELT Peel River south of the ferry crossing passes through sandstone, shale, and 6 conglomerate of the Mount Good- Wernecke enough Formation. Abundant fossil 5 Mountains shells, ironstone concretions, and hori- zontal burrows are present. On either 4 side of the Peel River, the highway crosses floodplain deposits that are the 3 southernmost extension of the Mack-

Alaska enzie Delta. 2 (USA) 16 Km 605.2 [112.3 km]: Mackenzie, Arctic Red rivers r ste mppster Southe DemDe ayay Tsiigehtchic is located at the confluence of the Mackenzie and Arctic Red rivers. rn Ogilvie hw g Mount HighwHi The , the largest north-flowing river in North America, flows 1 Nunavut 2 Km 96.5 [621.0 km] Melting permafrost, Palsa bog Tombstone ains 1600 km from Great Slave Lake to the Beaufort Sea. From the ferry, view the dark Territorial Park grey shale and sandstone of the Imperial Formation on the east bank of the river. Look for ponds and lumpy ground below the relatively level tundra. There is no SELWSEL WYNYN Yukon Northwest pullout; park as far off the highway as possible. Dome-shaped palsas are peri- FOLDFOL D BELTBE Territories glacial landforms that have an ice-rich core and are heaved upward during sea- LT .Whitehorse sonal thaw and re-freeze cycles. DawsonDawson Cordillera .Yellowknife Klondike (Proterozoic) CityCity River Where sub-surface ice lenses melt, Lodge British Columbia Alberta the peat cover cracks and sags, TINTINATINTINA Saskatchewan and the meltwater ponds in the start/endstart/end resulting depressions. Stroll across TRENCHTRENCH 500 kilometres 50 100 hummocky terrain where freeze (Km(Km 00/717.5)/717.5) and thaw cycles expose the icy core of permafrost.

17 Km 608.8 [108.7 km]: Tsiigehtchic quarry FIRST/FIRST/ There is a pull-out on the east side of 1 LASTLAST Km 74.0 [643.5 km] Tombstone Mountain lookout the highway, in the vicinity of the sign STOPSTOP for the community of Tsiigehtchic. The highest point in this area is Tombstone Mountain (2500 m), which is about Although only about five metres of 20 km away at the head of the North . The jagged skyline results strata is exposed, spectacular sed- from long, steep fractures in the resistant syenite and granodiorite rock that Glossary of geological terms hanging wall: in rocks that are faulted, the rocks that lie above the fault plane. imentary structures such as load casts, cooled 92 million years ago. brachiopod: “lamp shells” ; a group of marine organisms that have a fossil record dating load cast: a type of sedimentary structure on the underside of a bed formed as a bulge tool marks, rip-up clasts, and cross- back to the Cambrian*; their external shape resembles modern clam shells. of sand protruding into a finer-grained mud or clay. stratification occur in Imperial Tombstone Mountain breccia: a rock consisting of angular jagged rock fragments in a finer host rock. periglacial: near-glacial in location or conditions, such as areas of permafrost. Formation sandstone. Wood fragments bryozoan: “moss animals” are common fossils in Paleozoic rocks, that are an extant group permafrost: see reverse. and black organics are also found here. of colonial marine organisms with a calcareous skeleton; fossils are full of tiny holes (like pyrite: “fools gold”, a yellow, metallic, iron sulphide mineral (ore of sulphur), often crystal- LAST/LAST/ lace) and branched. lizes in cubes. 18 Km 692.6 [24.9 km]: Tithegeh Chi’vitail Park chert: a very hard sedimentary rock consisting of microscopic quartz crystals. rip-up clast: a rock fragment that may or may not be the same as its host rock type. FIRSTFIRST concretion: a compact, spherical, ovoid, or irregular mass of rock formed by precipitation stromatoporoid: extinct (Cambrian to Cretaceous) sponge-like, colonial marine organ- STOPSTOP Park in a pull-out on the of cementing minerals around a nucleus of fossil or rock material; more resistant than isms that had a porous, calcareous skeleton. the surrounding rock. syenite: an igneous intrusive rock rich in feldspar, with very little quartz and one or more northwest side of the high- conglomerate: a coarse-grained sedimentary rock composed of rounded fragments of dark accessory minerals including hornblende. way. The hiking trail winds rock greater than 2 mm in diameter in a matrix of lithified sand or silt. tool mark: a mark preserved on the underside of a sedimentary bed and produced by through knolls of Devonian crinoid: “sea lilies”; an extant group of fossils that date back to the Ordovician. They have an object (bone, wood, shell, pebbles) in the water impacting the soft sediment bottom. age fossiliferous limestone a root and long, flexible stem made up of calcareous donut-shaped segments that trace fossils: any traces of activity in the sediment, such as tracks, trails, and burrows. to a lookout over Campbell support a flower-like head or calyx. Often only parts of crinoids are found. trilobite: a Paleozoic fossil with a three-fold segmented body (head, thorax, and tail), Lake. Take a look at boulders cross-stratification: sedimentary rock beds at an angle to main layering or stratification. and lateral division of the body into lobes (axial and side regions). and outcrop along the trail - granodiorite: a coarse-grained igneous intrusive rock consisting of mainly quartz, feld- unconformity: a surface that represents a gap in the geological record, such as a look for stromatoporoids spar and dark accessory minerals like biotite and hornblende. period of erosion of strata. and trace fossils. Refer to the chart on reverse for ages of geological time periods and eras cited.