After an obsessive weekend of research, I now have a very detailed itinerary on how I will drive to the Arctic Ocean for summer solstice.
It is actually not that complicated! I would drive across the US to visit Yellowstone, then to Glacier National Park, then into Alberta, Canada, across British Columbia (where I pick up the Alcan Highway), into the Yukon (where I pick up the Dempster Highway) and then make my way to the Northwest Territories! I do have to fly the last 100 miles from Inuvik to get to the tiny community of – get this name – Tuktuuyaqtuumukkabsi. (They call it Tuk; the long name means, “place of caribou.”).
Tuk is on the Arctic Ocean and not accessible by land in the summer, but they have plane service from Inuvik for about $300.
All in all, about 4,429 miles to get there. On my day by day itinerary, which accounts for quite a few rest and siteseeing days, it would take me about a month.
The amazing realization is that I don’t have to have the RV to make this whole thing work. At every locale, I’ve noted the RV park where I would stay (yes, complete OCD on the itinerary detail; it is already five pages and includes notes for every RV service station I could find), but they all have small lodges there as well.
I want the RV, but it is nice to know that I can do this even if I can’t get one.
One Comment
I would have loved to have driven the Dempster and gone to Inuivik on our trip to AK. George did not want to do that. We would have needed to find a place to leave the RV- probably in Dawson City – and he wasn’t comfortable with that. I’m envious of you! It’s on your bucket list so I know you’ll get to it.
Jaimie