[GaryBIS]

Hi,
A few pictures from the Yukon/Alaska trip we just got back from...

The ProMaster and the camper conversion did very well for the whole trip. I guess the formula is to carry tools to be ready for anything and nothing will go wrong (except tires)

The Dempster Highway out of Dawson city is our favorite place -- this was our fourth time up there. Its 400 miles of gravel from Dawson, YK to Inubik, NT, but really wild, great mountain/Tundra scenery, and lots of wildlife

The Grizzly bear came on the road about 200 ft ahead of us and just slowly ambled down the road toward us and past us. Very calm and unconcerned about the PM.

The moose and calf were about 300 ft off the road -- we watched them for about 10 minutes.


As you go north on the Dempster, the vegatation turns from light conifer forest to Tundra.,,

We did have a bigtime tire failure of one of the original Vancos

Put the spare on and limped into Eagle Plains, which is the only service along the highway until you get to Inuvik. We spent a day and a half there waiting for a couple new tires, but it is a nice facility and they were very helpful.

Anyway, if you want to get up north of the Arctic Circle, this is the best way I know.

Another thing that really interested me was gold Dredge 4, which is a few miles outside of Dawson City...

Parks Canada has restored it to near original condition and they offer an hour long tour that is very good -- takes you all through the dredge.


Valdez was also very nice...

Camped next to these folks in a teardrop trailler...

They had traveled all the way up from Waco and were still liking the teardrop lifestyle.

Our messy but comfortable PM at the end of the day.

I did a longer description with more photos on my site here...
http://www.buildagreenrv.com/the-big-yukon-trip/#Dempster_Highway

Also compiled a list of emergency equipment -- I'd like to hear what other folks carry on trips for emergencies and repairs...
http://www.buildagreenrv.com/emergency-equipment-camper-van/

Anyway, strongly recommend the Yukon/Alaska if you have the time -- hard to go wrong.



Gary

 

[ShaunB]

Gary thanks for sharing. Very inspiring, and something I hope to do soon. How was the solar charging throughout the trip, it looks like you had some overcast days? Did you need to plug in or charge via the alternator, or were you able to get by with just solar.? Thanks.

Shaun

 

[GaryBIS]

Hi Shaun,
I kept track of the state of charge of the battery each morning, and mostly is was around 90%, lowest was 85% after a colder night when ran the furnace some.

We were driving every day some, so that plus the solar was apparently plenty. I think that solar alone would have been fine. I have 315 watts of solar and 220 amp-hr of battery.

Gary

 

[medicineman4040]

Wow wow wow and in so many ways just awesome!!!
Can't wait to get to your site and live through your lens!!
I did show Poof the pic of the tire, just today we talked about tires
and our dream of doing the Labrador highway someday and that we'd
be smart to get different tires before hand.

 

[zwarte]

Hope that little teardrop was bearproof. Sounds like a trip of a lifetime.

 

[Winston]

Sorry we missed you. We've been in and out of the Yukon the past couple of weeks and write this short note from Haines Junction. Maybe next time.

 

[GaryBIS]

Hi,

Winston -- sorry we missed you -- a beer in Dawson City would have been great. Knowing how well you document trips, hoping you will post a trip description.

Zwarte -- The tear drop looked pretty stout. We carry bear spray all the time, and its legal to take it into Canada (guns are also possible, but require jumping through some more hoops).

MM -- my photo skills are not so great, but maybe one or two lucky ones in there. You are going to have to take a trip up to the Yukon so we can get some really good pictures. The pictures of clearing snow on the Labrador highway are pretty impressive.

Gary