Dempster revisited

While I have been home for a month or so and had time to think back on this summers adventure on the Dempster. I also have had a few emails from other riders who have tackled this ride.


I last saw Mary England, who I met at Tombstone Territorial Park, was at the North Fork Pass where we shared a cup of coffee in the clouds. She did complete the ride all the way to Inuvik. The smoke cleared with the rain but that was replaced with snow and strong winds on the Eagle Plain. Her last couple of days were spent fighting rain, headwind and mud….she was happy to finally get to Inuvik.




Mark Ooms, from Whitehorse, and two friends attempted the highway in reverse. Two days before they started, one of his friends had a bit of an accident….the result, a sore knee, broken teeth and a bent bike. All got fixed and off they went. They drove to Dawson City and flew to Inuvik and started riding back. Unfortunately, the poor fellow knee flared out early in the trip and they had to abandon the ride at Fort MacPherson. I certainly can relate to their disappointment.



I go a note from Russ Krauss from Illinois. He drove his ’98 Prism all the way to Dawson City from Chicago in mid August to start his ride. He got to Inuvik a couple of weeks later after many sightings of grizzly bears and seeing the front end of the Porcupine Caribou herd migration….some 400-500 caribou.




Prior to the Dempster and back in Carcross, I met Dan Bar-Shay from Israel. He had just ridden up from Skagway Alaska and was riding back to Vancouver down the Cassier Highway. I beleive he told me he was in his 60's. Inspiration!

For me, the Dempster will have to wait. Looks like I picked the worst week to be riding given the smoke. I certainly will be checking out the fire ratings before I try this ride again. I am hoping the there will be another reunion in Carcross in 5 years time. All things being equal, I will continue where I left off…pre-reunion this time.