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Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:26 am

When I was 18 I sent on a trip from England to Norway and Sweden and saw the midnight sun at Nordcap in Norway. In my second dotage, I think it would be great to take a drive from Vintage meet in Seattle to Inuvik at the Arctic ocean.

In about 1996 there was a type II trip there organised by someone from Vancouver BC. It seemed not too bad, just take lots of spare tires.

As I have driven the Thingster from California to Kentucky and back. this seems not too difficult, about 1500 miles of dirt roads, but not as bad as the Mojave Road.

Any Thing people want to join me?
I plan to leave Seattle after Vintage meet, about 20th of July, and get back at the end of August.

Tue Dec 31, 2013 11:30 am

:shock:
That sounds a real adventure! Please keep us posted! :wink:

Tue Dec 31, 2013 2:22 pm

Sam, Have I ever told you are as nutty as a fruit cake?
Your best friend, Cecil

Tue Dec 31, 2013 6:19 pm

Sam, we are planning a trip to Alaska, summer 2014. We are leaning toward a late June (20th) departure possibly being gone about six weeks. That would put us back in Kentucky around August 1st.

We've headed north as late as August 4th (2003) but did run into snow and cold weather (28f) in Northern British Columbia (Ft Nelson area). It was gone in about three days. As I recall, many of the tourist related businesses were beginning to close down prior to Labor Day weekend.

My guess is that the Dempster Highway will be getting a little cold by August, especially north of the Arctic Circle. The Demspter Highway begins about 25 miles east of Dawson City, Yukon off the Klondike Highway. There are two ferry crossings north of the Arctic Circle. I suspect they would still be in operation in August. We first made the trip up the Dempster to Inuvik in early July of 1993. We returned to the Arctic Circle two more times, 1997 and 2001, which were both done in July. The Tombstone Campground is located on the lower end of the Dempster Highway, primitive but nice. There is a campground at Eagle Plains as well as a lodge and fuel which is about 20 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

We never had tire issues on any of our trips. In fact, we never had a flat on any of the 7 trips we made to Alaska over the 17 year period from 1986 to 2003. My brother did have a flat in 1997 on his pickup on the way to the Arctic Circle. He left the tire at a garage at Eagle Plains while we went on up to the Arctic Circle. It was fixed when we returned and relatively cheap in my opinon.

The annual TDI Club Fest, which is held on Labor Day weekend, is tentatively scheduled in St. Louis, MO, 2014. We have thought about scheduling our trip north so that we can return in time to take in the Fest.

Below is snow in 2003 north of Ft. Nelson, BC.

Below is Arctic Circle 1993

Below is Arctic Circle 1997

Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:25 pm

Yet another "Adventure of a lifetime.".

Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:04 pm

cecil wrote: Sam, Have I ever told you are as nutty as a fruit cake?
Your best friend, Cecil

What are you talking about Cecil! That would be awesome! Besides, anyone who drives a Thing is not even eccentric. :wink:

If I had the time, like being retired like you chaps. I would do that in a heartbeat.

I have often wanted to do the Dalton Highway in Alaska just to dip my big toe into the Arctic Ocean; in the middle of summer of course. 8)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalton_Highway

Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:15 pm

[quote="Solomon Grundy"] cecil wrote:
If I had the time, like being retired like you chaps. I would do that in a heartbeat.

Ha! Yeah, if my situation was different I'd go too. I'll bet that will be an awesome trip. Go for it Sam!

Thu Jan 02, 2014 6:01 am

We (four of us, plus camping gear and luggage) started up the Dalton Highway in 1996 in the Vanagon. We turned back just past Livengood (not far at all). The truck traffic scared the *ell out me!

You can use Google maps to get an idea of what the Dalton (or most any other road) looks like. .... try: vPike.com. Just type in the address or city name and commence looking!

Piece of trivia: In 1986, on our first trip up to Alaska, we tried to keep expenses at or below $100.00 per day, including fuel! Gasoline averaged less than 75 cents per gallon! Lots of Alaska and provincial campgrounds (primitive) were free in those days. Those that had a charge were less than $10.00. In the private campgrounds, less than two dollars would buy you a shower in the coin fed operations.

Wow, things sure have changed!

Okay, Sam (and anyone else interested), select a date to rendezvous in Whitehorse or Dawson City for a 2014 summer trip up the Dempster. Stocking up with food and other provisions would be cheaper in Whitehorse!

Thu Jan 02, 2014 11:55 am

I must retract my comment. Even Peggy said that sounded like fun.

Thu Jan 02, 2014 12:48 pm

my dilemma is, before Vintage or after. if after i leave seattle around july 20tH, and get their a week later,; so say august Augustus1 st. If I skip vintage meet, we can do any earlier date. I suggest July early, that way we get the best mosquitoes and horseflies, if it is anything like the arctic circle in Norway!

Thu Jan 02, 2014 7:37 pm

Sam, August 1st at Dawson City could work for us. We could leave in early July for Alaska. Then on our return trip, travel the Top of the World Road (Taylor Highway) over to Dawson City for an August 1st departure up the Dempster...... give or take a day or two.

In 1993, it took us about 14 hours from Dawson City to Inuvik. Of course, we drove slow and stopped frequently to enjoy the scenery! We spent the night in a campground at Inuvike and headed back south the next day!

Above the Arctic Circle, the sun doesn't go below the horizon until a few days before the beginning of fall. So, it's basically day light 24 hours! ....... I'm sure you know this, but the readers that are interested in the trip need to know.

Mon Jan 06, 2014 9:54 pm

Sam, get a set of these before you go. ;-]

http://trucktracks.com/en/media/action-videos/

Mon Jan 06, 2014 11:49 pm

Solomon Grundy wrote: Sam, get a set of these before you go. ;-]

http://trucktracks.com/en/media/action-videos/

Here's what it would look like

Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:50 am

If a bunch of Vanagons and bay windows made it in 96, I am very confident that my lifted thingster with a Quaife LSD and a winch on the front will make it. But the tracks sure look neat, I did get stuck in soft sand once in the Mojave, woould have been good then.

Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:37 pm

As I've stated, we went up the Dempster to Inuvik in 1993 and been back to the Arctic Circle two times since then. The road was just fine. My ol' 2wd Vanagon made without any problems!

Tue Apr 01, 2014 1:39 pm

So, is this trip still on?

In about 90 days, it will be July 1st.

I consider the "window" of opportunity to head north to begin on June 20th (give or take a day) and end on August 1st )give or take a day).

The annual VW TDI 2014 Fest is in St. Louis, MO Thursday-Friday thru Sunday night Labor day weekend. If I am in the north country in August, I want to get back for the Fest.

Wed Apr 02, 2014 6:56 pm

I am trying to arrange someone to take care of my wife while I am gone. When that is fixed I can make a positive decision.

Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:15 pm

Quote: I consider the "window" of opportunity to head north to begin on June 20th (give or take a day) and end on August 1st )give or take a day).

I hope this all comes together for you!
I will be up that way in my t181 this summer also, but somewhat later than what you all are talking about. Leaving Santa Cruz on August 14 and then out of Seattle on the 18th. Back home mid September.
Sure hope to miss out on all the mosquitos as two weeks of the trip we will be canoeing on the Yukon.
Would be fun to cross paths way up north but I think you will already be heading south by the time I get up there.
Steve

Mon Apr 07, 2014 3:59 am

shum wrote: Quote: I consider the "window" of opportunity to head north to begin on June 20th (give or take a day) and end on August 1st )give or take a day).

I hope this all comes together for you!
I will be up that way in my t181 this summer also, but somewhat later than what you all are talking about. Leaving Santa Cruz on August 14 and then out of Seattle on the 18th. Back home mid September.
Sure hope to miss out on all the mosquitos as two weeks of the trip we will be canoeing on the Yukon.
Would be fun to cross paths way up north but I think you will already be heading south by the time I get up there.
Steve

Steve, my experience has been that the mosquito population has dropped drastically by mid-to-late July.

Yes, hope to see you on the road!

Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:16 pm

So, is there going to be a trek to Inuvik around August 1st?

We are departing for Alaska on Monday, July 7th. We can be in the Dawson City, Yukon area toward the end of July.

What's the thoughts?