Spoffords Travel

Day 14 July 15, 2025 Eagle Plains Yukon to Inuvik Northwest Territories 231 miles

We had a nice breakfast in the restaurant this morning. The prices are really not that bad based on quantity and location.

The parking lot is surprisingly dry for all the rain we had yesterday. When we got out on the road it was also dry. The rain did help some with the dust.

We came to a section of road that said to watch out for low flying air craft. In fact the road is an emergency landing strip. The road bed is actually a little wider here. Only small planes could land however. The wind sock is blowing straight out.

The terrain is small to medium rolling hills. They are mostly covered with short thin evergreen trees. Weather conditions do have an affect. Sometimes the trees are very close together and sometimes far apart. Eventually we came to the area where the wildfires had been last week. Large solid black areas on both sides of the road.

At the Arctic Circle turn out we spotted a canopy set up that appeared to be serving some kind of refreshments. Then we saw two bicyclists coming out of the view point. On down the road we saw more bicyclists. They must have been spread out over several miles. Some kind of bicycle tour. Most waved. The food was going to be cold for at least some of them.

Then in the middle of the road was a family of ptarmigans drinking from a puddle of water. There were two adult birds and five chicks. They were so cute.

We reached the Northwest Territories border. We parked the car under the sign and took a few pictures. We were pleasantly surprised that the road conditions improved. Sometimes we could even go 40 mph rather than our normal 20 mph.

The wind is really blowing so that coupled with the road causes the passenger side door to pop open. Thank goodness for seatbelts.

We took two ferry rides today. The first was a small ferry across a medium size river. That one took two vehicles across but could have held one or two more depending on size. The second ferry was larger and went across a wider river. The flies on that ferry were numerous and gigantic.

Because the roads were better we just kept going and got all the way to Inuvik. The time was about 7 pm. We drove for about 11 hours today. Maybe we were just waiting for the sun to go down to quit. Oh, that’s right, the sun never goes down this time of year. Very tired, we stopped at the first hotel we found. They were booked full. The receptionist called other places in town which were also full. She said the campground should have a space. It was good to have the campground as an option.

As it turns out the campground is just past Alestine’s Restaurant where we were told by several travelers was a great place to have fish and chips. By this time it was about 7:30 and they close at 8. We did get in before they closed. What an interesting place. The seating is limited. He cooks in an old school bus. She waits tables. They are only open from 5-8. She told us to get spot 27 in the campground if possible.

The entrance to the campground was less than a block away. Spot 27 was already taken but we found another one that was pretty good. The MacKenzie River is very close by. The mosquitoes had lots of friends and they were all hungry.

The traveler next to us pointed out that two small Arctic foxes were just across the way. We watched them for about 15 minutes. They were young, playful and very pretty.

Day 13 July 14, 2025 Somewhere on the Dempster Highway Yukon to Eagle Plains Yukon 69 miles

We found a note in the woodie this morning. It said we were crazy but great. The person stopped at 1:00 am and took a picture.

The new sound we heard yesterday coming up the hill is still with us. It seems to only happen when the car is in first or second gear and working hard.

We ran out of gas about 20 miles from Eagle Plains where there is a gas station. That is further than we expected to get. We were planning on running out of gas. The slower speed makes for better gas mileage. When we filled we got 20.5 miles to the gallon. Gas was $6.59 US a gallon.

The dust today is really bad. When the trucks go by we have to come to a stop because its like dense fog. Surprisingly the bushes along the side of the road are not covered in dust. Not much wind at the moment either so the dust just hangs there. Sometimes you can see it hanging in the air quite a distance from the road.

We arrived in Eagle Plains about noon. So that makes 3 hours to come 69 miles. Even the few good parts of the road don’t allow you to go very fast. Everyone has told us to go slowly. They were correct.

Rob checked and we can get a room for the night. Check in is at 3:00 so you can’t go to the room before that. We decided to eat lunch in the restaurant. We both ordered fish and chips. When the meal arrived there were three large pieces of cod and a big pile of fries.

A man and his grandson eventually came in and sat at the table next to us. We had a wonderful conversation with them. A big rain storm came through while we were eating. The water coming out of the rain gutter was more than our kitchen faucet on full force. It rained like that for about 10 minutes. It stopped for another 10 and then we saw the flash of lightning and an extremely loud clap of thunder. This routing continued for about 45 minutes. At one of the breaks the man and his grandson left to continue on their way. He said to at least look in the bar.

Well the bar is something else. The main light in the middle of the room is made with moose antlers. Local animal heads are hung around the room. An eagle is flying near the bar. A caribou and small bear are in one corner. Various antiques are also hung on the walls.

One of the ceiling tiles in the restaurant is bulging from all the rain water. We were sure it was going to break but it never did. We avoided walking under it when we left the room.

We got our key at 3:00 pm. Went to the room to take showers and a nap. After our nap Rob got our stuff from the car and we did laundry. Sure glad for that one. We actually used the hotel’s machines. The commercial washer is not easy to figure out. We had to have help. The only available person was the bar tender. He did get it to work but said that was not something he usually did. Turns out he is very busy. He works the bar, the hotel reception, waits tables and helps Americans who can’t run a washing machine. We tipped him appropriately.

Day 12 July 13, 2025 Moose Creek Campground Yukon to somewhere on the Dempster Highway Yukon 233 miles

We pulled off the road to a wide “rest area” for the night. We met some folks from Scotland and Belgium who rent a motor home every summer and travel around Canada. The last camper pulled in about 8 pm. The nearby highway quieted down about the same time. The night was quiet and warmer than expected. We packed up and headed out about our normal 9:00 AM.

Some of the stretches of highway must have been redone in the last couple of years. They are wider and smoother. Other stretches were narrow with vegetation growing up to the asphalt or in the cracks of the asphalt.

In about 1.5 hours we reached the Dempster Highway Yukon. We filled with gas and got an update about the road from other travelers.

A very short distance is paved. The gravel road is really good in some places and washboard in others. Once in awhile a pothole sneaks in. We were told the mountains are at the beginning and then its flat the rest of the way. We did go over a couple of hills and then the road leveled out through a large valley. Then we came to a very long hill. We camped at a rest stop at the top.

Once a week Connie puts pills in little packets to take daily throughout the week. Today was pill day. Well we have no table and the mosquitos outside are terrible. So she filled four packets at a time using the iPad as a table in the front seat of the woodie. You have to be dedicated to the drugs to make this happen.

One of the semi drivers stopped to use the outhouse and then talk with us. He said anyone from his company must stop to help if you need it. Not sure of his nationality but he wasn’t any kind of Canadian.

The dust is terrible. Everything is covered in fine dust. When the big trucks go by we quite often have to stop and let it clear. Instead of a “white out” it is a “dust out”.Several people stopped to talk about the car. The car is making a strange noise. We have not identified the source. The engine seems to be running fine.

Day 11 July 12, 2025 Whitehorse Yukon to Moose Creek Campground Yukon 240 miles

We woke up to a puddle of water on the floor. Yesterday we unplugged the refrigerator to plug in a small heater. Overnight the refrigerator defrosted creating the puddle. The dirty clothes bag caught the edge of the puddle so some of those clothes were wet. We will hang them in the trailer to dry.

We ate breakfast in the room using the microwave and food from our supply. Not bad at all.

We filled with gas and headed down the road. We both managed to miss the GPS instructions to turn right. Luckily Rob noticed the proceed to the route message. We had only gone 2-3 miles out of the way. Not bad compared to some of our previous missed turns.

The skies are mostly cloudy. The terrain is short mountains covered in trees. The road is reasonably good only small potholes. We soon came to Fox Lake which is bigger than some we have driven past. It is not very wide but quite long. No water craft of any kind.

We came to a sign indicating a herd of Braeburn elk lived in the region. We actually saw two bucks along the side of the road. They seem smaller and darker in color than the ones at home.

The Braeburn Lodge is famous for their cinnamon rolls so we stopped. Out front are several peaceful dogs. Well the cinnamon rolls are huge. They are about the size of a luncheon plate and maybe 2.5 inches tall. They cost $20 each. We bought two. One for now and one for tomorrow. We couldn’t even eat all of one at a single sitting.

A family traveling in two little jeep like vehicles stopped as well. Some had driven from Ontario Canada and the rest flew in to join them. I think they were originally from Australia. They are also headed to Tuk. We may see them again.

A bird that looked very much like a magpie nearly hit our car. Then a squirrel ran across in front of us and a whistle pig barely made it across the road in time.

Either the rain caught up with us or we caught up with the rain. Luckily it didn’t last too long. The wiper is still down so we are still relying on RainEx.

Our first construction stop of the day occurred. The wait said 15 minutes but we didn’t wait that long. About half the vehicles coming from the other direction took pictures of the woodie. This is a huge project! The road will be wider with deep barrow pits. They have pilot cars going both directions. The new roadway is wet from rain or the water truck or both. The pilot car was going slowly which was good. They may work 24 hours a day or just during daylight which is 19 hours.

Another area where a wildfire had burned. It left only black sticks. A wildfire is currently burning on or near one of the other roads. We have seen signs advising people to check before going that way. The Dempster Highway we plan to travel has also had fires.

We came to a junction. We went left while to the right was a current wildfire. Glad we are going the other way. The skies are very black and ominous. Very soon after the junction we encountered another major construction project. We drove a few miles before coming to the stop for the pilot car. It rained most of the time we waited. Once again the new roadway is wet, will be wider and perhaps in a different location. We were concerned we wouldn’t be able to get into the campground. The construction ended about half a mile before.

We are staying in Moose Creek Campground. It has 56 spots four of which are pull throughs. We arrived early enough that two of those were still available. The fee is $20 per night. Gee, the price of one cinnamon roll.

Day 10 July 11, 2025 Continental Divide Motel British Columbia to Whitehorse Yukon 188 miles

A French couple with their two young daughters stayed in the campground where we were last night. They are riding bicycles and camping in tents. The girls are most likely 8 and 10 years of age. Sure glad we are not them. So much rain and so many hills. We saw them yesterday on the road as well. They appear to use a road to keep the girls on the side of the road.

We filled with gas and while that was going several motorcycles stopped in for a break and gas. They were from northern Idaho near Sandpoint. Small world.

The first wildlife sighting for the day was a bunny rabbit on a side road. It was far enough away that it didn’t move. We also see lots of crows. One was on the road where it dropped out of the gene pool.

In one of the rest areas Connie saw what she thought was a wolf. It was much the same coloring as a coyote but much larger. It was standing near a camp trailer but she didn’t think it was a pet. It didn’t have a collar. Seems odd for it to be right their in the rest stop. Maybe it needed a rest also.

Construction is still in progress on a new bridge near Teslin. It was in progress last year when we came through. The current bridge is one of those with a metal floor that causes havoc when driving the woodie. Sure glad we didn’t meet another vehicle on the road. When possible on that flooring we try to drive in the middle.

Teslin Lake is just a little further down the road. It’s a much larger lake.

We ate our picnic lunch in the car at a rest stop. It’s raining so in the car is best. Several vehicles stopped at the outhouses. They looked in one of them and immediately went to the other. We didn’t checked out the problem but it must have been bad.

The weather has been cloudy and raining most of the day. That makes picture taking not so good. The windshield is covered with little dots of water. The clouds hang down low and everything is in muted tones. The terrain is still lots of mountains and evergreen trees. Both sides of the road have wide strips of little or no vegetation. We decided that was for the safety of wildlife.

That wide strip did allow us to see another black bear rather easily. It was just standing in that strip.

Before checking into our hotel, we stopped at the Visitors Center to get information about the Dempster Highway. They are very helpful in there. We took several flyers too. The bathroom in this building is non gender specific. All are welcome. All are stalls and only one long sink with multiple faucets. So much for the normal long lines for women.

When we got to the hotel we remembered staying here before. Several people came up to look at the car. One guy was especially knowledgeable about the Dempster Highway. Watch out to the miles after Eagle Plains because the road bed is covered in shale that chews up tires. We will remember his advice and hopefully 3 spares will get us there and back.

We checked into the hotel. The room is cold and the device that should be a heater only blows cold air. Connie tried to call the front desk only to discover that the phone isn’t connected to anything. Rob checked with the front office. The manager came up but he couldn’t figure it out the issue either. He brought us a small electric heater.

We made toasted cheese sandwiches with our new microwave toaster. Works really well. The single cup brownies were a good desert.

Day 9 July 10, 2025 Dease Lake British Columbia to Continental Divide Motel Yukon Territories 218 miles

We fixed breakfast in the motel’s small kitchen dining area. They have coffee, hot chocolate and hot water. Also available is a microwave and toaster. Connie had huckleberry bread toast and Rob had instant oatmeal.

We filled with gas before heading out. More construction. We had a short wait for a pilot car. We were the only vehicle. We followed much longer than sometimes. Work was going on in multiple areas.

We saw a couple of squirrels, what we think is a gopher and what we think was a fox. The fox ran into the brush before we got a good look.

Then more construction. This time was short with no pilot car. We just drove on the left until we passed the last of the new gravel. Not much more than a city block.

We took our mid morning break at a rest stop with a historical sign about the gold rush. A 4.5 pound nugget had come out in the area. That was the largest ever found in British Columbia.

The roads are somewhat flatter today. Still up and down hills but shorter climbs and descents. Still lots of lakes and rivers. The mountains are further away and not as rugged. Only a little snow on top.

We came to a large area that had burned in a forest fire. It must have been very hot because the trees were all burned. Not much new growth yet either. It went for miles in all directions.

We have now reached the Alaska Highway. Traffic has definitely increased. We stopped for gas at the junction. We stopped here last year too. The attendant was the same person. Most of his teeth are still missing. He must live on a liquid diet. (Beer?)

For several miles are the remains of words spelled out with rocks. Many of the rocks are missing so the words are impossible to read. Many are most likely names or initials. We didn’t stop to add ours. (Just another rocky road.)

Then up ahead we saw a black bear. It was on the side of the road. We slowed way down. It just looked at us and then crossed the road in front of us. It quickly disappeared on the other side.

We made it to the Continental Divide Motel. We could remember staying here but it wasn’t the place we thought. They are very basic rooms but are probably the cheapest we will stay in. They have laundry facilities that are also much cheaper so we decided to do a load. Didn’t really need to yet but it was a good time to do the jeans.

Rob did some routine maintenance on the car. He cleaned the windshield, added some air to one of the tires, and greased a couple of things. Sometime today we got a rock hit in the radiator. No fluid leaks so far.

We ate hamburgers at their small restaurant for supper. The free internet is only available at the very small store and restaurant.

Day 8 July 9, 2025 Stewart British Columbia to Dease Lake British Columbia 282 miles

Our hotel doesn’t serve any breakfast so we heated our leftover Jimmy Dean biscuits in the trailer’s microwave but ate in the room. They had a coffee maker and electric tea kettle so all was good there.

After breakfast Rob unhooked the trailer so we could drive to the Salmon Glacier easier. To get there you must cross into Alaska at Hyder. Then you get a few miles of pavement before the gravel road begins. The road follows the Portland Canal. The road is two lanes all the way we traveled. Most of it is damp from the rains. Luckily its not slippery. We saw very vehicles on the way up but more on the way back. The road has lots and lots of potholes. They are full of water and difficult to know how deep. We had to go very slowly. A road grader is working one stretch. Eventually we came to a portion of a mining company. At about 18 miles we came to the toe of the glacier. This one is very large. We were able to see a long ways up the glacier. A biker yesterday said it was socked in with clouds. We could have driven another five miles along the glacier but since it took us an hour to get this far we elected to return. The bear viewing walkway at fish creek was much busier now. Bears come there to catch fish. When the salmon come we heard it gets really busy with black bears, grizzlies and people.

We stopped at the General Store in Hyder because the Milepost said last year that was an interesting place. Turns out that owner died and now its a take out that also sells shirts and sun glasses. Kind of disappointing.

When we got to the border crossing back into Canada we had to wait a few minutes. The vehicle in front of us had some kind of weapon. They were getting the royal inspection. They even patted down the driver and passenger in front of us. A second agent did finally come out. We didn’t wait long after that.

Back in town we hitched the trailer up again and took off. We left Stewart right at noon. We decided to eat our picnic lunch at the junction. Maybe not the best decision since we had short waits twice for road construction. At one location they were removing dirt and rock from the barrow pit. The second location was putting down asphalt. That will eventually make the road much better. Lots of small pot holes here too. We did see the other glacier in passing but we were following a pilot car so we didn’t stop.

The wind has really picked up intensity. The new side curtains are much tighter so that is terrific.

Back at the junction we filled with fuel again but didn’t eat lunch. Opting instead to go for the next pull out.

A group of about twelve bicyclists are spread out along the road. They must be some kind of tour group. We have seen a few other one or two group riders. They usually have lots of packs.

More construction. This time was a bridge rehabilitation. The current bridge has a wooden floor. Don’t know about the new one.

We came around one corner and saw two vehicles parked along the side of the road. A small red fox was on our side of the road. We didn’t stop but wondered if something was wrong with the fox. It never moved.

The ruts, bumps and dips in this asphalt road are almost as bad as the gravel road. A person could get whiplash just from the ride. We took a few bad hits. We now have new squeaks and rattles.

We have seen several rivers, ponds and lakes. We didn’t see the names and they may have all been connected. Some of the ponds were so still they were like mirrors.

We went up and down several steep grades. Ones of seven and eight percent are common. Sure can’t make good time however. Rob got lots of practice shifting gears.

Then we could see a mountain top that looks to have fresh snow. No wonder it feels cold. We have had the heater on a lot of today. The problem is when you go down hill the heater blows cold air since the engine isn’t working as hard.

Got to a summit that was actually marked. This was Gnat Pass Summit at 1241 meters. Sure seemed higher.

We noticed the sign that said caribou. As usual no caribou but we did see a brown bear in the road. As we got closer it ran into the woods and was gone. This time we got a picture.

We got to our hotel about 7 pm. That makes for nearly 10 hours of driving. A long day in a Model A. No wonder we are tired. The one grocery store in town was closed. We ate some of our soup in the dining area of the hotel. They had tables and a microwave. That all worked well. Now it is bedtime.