Tour Arctic - Itinerary Overview
On Tour Arctic we'll be travelling from Vancouver, B.C. to Inuvik, N.W.T. through the Yukon.
Leaving Vancouver it's a cross-town ride to catch the ferry to Vancouver Island. The first day is a short warm up day and the terrain is gentle.
From Nanaimo we head north to Port Hardy and travel by ferry through the spectacular Inside Passage to northern British Columbia. After some rest and relaxation time on the B.C. ferry and a day off in Prince Rupert, we'll take an Alaska ferry to sail deep into the land of the Midnight Sun, where nights are very short at that time of year.
Trail of '98. On our second leg of the tour we cross the Coast Mountains at White Pass and on this day we'll climb 1000 metres over a distance of 14 km. Our route parallels the Trail of '98 used by would-be prospectors during the Klondike Gold rush.
The Yukon. Our first overnight in the Yukon is at the historic town of Carcross (shortened from Caribou Crossing). From there it is a half day ride to Whitehorse and an afternoon to explore this fun and historic town. Then it is on to Dawson, passing through the Selkirk First Nation and land of the Northern Tuchone People. Dawson was the boom town during the gold rush and we'll have a rest day there.
Dempster Highway. Leaving Dawson City, Yukon we follow the Dempster Highway to Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The Dempster Highway is an unpaved road that stretches 734 km (456 miles) through Arctic wilderness to reach the delta of the Mackenzie River. Along the highway we travel through the Gwich'in land, crossing the Arctic Circle. The route includes two short ferry rides, crossing the Peel River and the MacKenzie where it is joined by the Arctic Red River. There are few services along the route and the riding is extremely challenging. Daily distances for this portion of the trip are reduced. Most nights for this portion of the tour are wilderness camping but you will have full support from our wilderness guide.
The Highway and tour ends in Inuvik, where riders have a celebratory dinner before going their separate ways. Inuvik is the end of the road going north but an option from there is a short flight to Tuktuyuktuk on the shore of the Arctic Ocean.
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