Alberta Land Rover Enthusiasts Club Forum

General => Events => Topic started by: northerndefender on February 13, 2019, 05:52 PM

Title: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: northerndefender on February 13, 2019, 05:52 PM
I am planning a road trip to Tuktoyaktuk to try out the new bit of road from Inuvik to Tuk.  I plan to leave mid/end June and be gone 2-3 weeks.  Let me know if this sounds like something you would like to do.
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Jakedan on March 15, 2019, 01:47 PM
I'm 200% interested except I need more time to test my LS conversion before that trip
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Matt H on March 16, 2019, 11:29 AM
Quote from: Jakedan on March 15, 2019, 01:47 PM
I'm 200% interested except I need more time to test my LS conversion before that trip
Do you have a build thread going on this anywhere? Would love to know some of the details on your particular conversion.

Sounds like an amazing trip but it would burn up all my holidays at once.
Title: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Red90 on March 16, 2019, 11:40 AM
I would suggest 2-3 weeks is not enough time. I was in the Yukon summer before last. Three weeks would be driving every day and not stopping to smell the roses. It is a long way from here and the driving is really slow once you leave Alberta.  You should plan for 60 km/h average. Beyond traffic there is a lot of construction all summer.
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: camo388 on March 16, 2019, 01:18 PM
Quote from: Red90 on March 16, 2019, 11:40 AM
I would suggest 2-3 weeks is not enough time. 

John is right.  It is a long way so expect many days of just driving, then you have the added time at any stops. 
One fall, (mid October), I drove south from Inuvik to Edmonton with 3 others, so we took turns driving.  As it was we took 4 1/2 days of mainly driving as at that time of year, not many tourist attractions open.  We had been working in Tuktoyaktuk all summer and when a company vehicle came up for sale, we thought a drive out would be a nice change from flying.  We got the vehicle cheap and we were off.
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: binch on March 17, 2019, 09:30 AM
Quote from: camo388 on March 16, 2019, 01:18 PM
Quote from: Red90 on March 16, 2019, 11:40 AM
I would suggest 2-3 weeks is not enough time. 

John is right.  It is a long way so expect many days of just driving, then you have the added time at any stops. 
One fall, (mid October), I drove south from Inuvik to Edmonton with 3 others, so we took turns driving.  As it was we took 4 1/2 days of mainly driving as at that time of year, not many tourist attractions open.  We had been working in Tuktoyaktuk all summer and when a company vehicle came up for sale, we thought a drive out would be a nice change from flying.  We got the vehicle cheap and we were off.

Now that's the way to do an adventure Bruce ;)
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: camo388 on March 19, 2019, 12:40 PM
I found the write up from this trip in the company's news letter.  The 4 of us were mid 30s to early 40s and the "KIDS" mentioned were just the youngest two.  Some of the people we worked with could not figure this out and thought we had picked up some young hitch hikers.  The picture doesn't show the company colors very well but they are red and orange with a black strip in between.  The black strip would normally have white NTCL lettering along it.  At a distance it has that orange pumpkin look.  We had deactivated Tuk terminal then went to Inuvik to help deactivate there, before driving south.  The Inuvik work went quicker than expected so we actually started our drive shortly after lunch which was why our first night stop was Eagle Plains.  The last day was from Ft. Nelson to Edmonton, via a stop in Edson and again at Entwhistle to drop off two of us.  One of the drivers going on to Edmonton, kept the van and later drove to Pentiction to visit family. 

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Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Red90 on March 19, 2019, 12:48 PM
Minivan?
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: camo388 on March 19, 2019, 01:00 PM
No, panel van that was used by electronic department to carry test equipment and move radios, radar units etc.  It had a bench seat and a plywood wall divider so our luggage was in the unheated back 1/3.
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Red90 on March 19, 2019, 01:13 PM
I know.  I was just laughing that the article said minivan.
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Red90 on March 19, 2019, 01:34 PM
Attached is a track of my trip.  Not where you are doing, but gives an idea.  Just getting to Whitehorse was 5 days. 30 moving hours of driving. Average moving speed of 83 km/h, 2450 km.  This is with 8 to 10 hour days on the road.  We were just driving that section with very little touristy stops.  You could probably do it in 4 with long days.  I doubt you could drive faster.  With construction, traffic and frost heaves that will destroy your vehicle above 50 km/h, your average speed gets pretty low up there.

At least three more long driving days to Tuk from Whitehorse.

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Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Trevor on March 19, 2019, 02:02 PM
Many moons ago I hauled mining equipment from Edmonton up to a mine in Watson Lake, Yukon (then worked in the mine for a while). At that time the Alaska Hwy was gravel from Dawson Creek north all the way to Watson Lake. I haven't been up there since, but I have heard it is paved all the way now. If so, that makes the journey a lot easier.
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Red90 on March 19, 2019, 02:40 PM
Quote from: Trevor on March 19, 2019, 02:02 PMI haven't been up there since, but I have heard it is paved all the way now. If so, that makes the journey a lot easier.

Less dusty, but not much faster.  In order to resurface they use the chip seal technique over long sections (10 - 20 km).  They mill the surface and fill holes.  They then pour oil and cover with gravel.  The gravel is rolled and left in place for a month or so while they let the traffic bed it in.  They then come back and clean off the excess remaining gravel.  Where they are actively oiling, you get pilot cars, so a long wait followed by a long drive.  Where the gravel is present, you can't drive that fast because it is loose on top of pavement.

The sections without the ongoing repairs have huge frost heaves every 500 meters.  If you do not slow down below 50 (in a well sprung Defender), you will leave your suspension behind.  In a regular car, 30 km/h would be advised.

Then there area the RVs, trucks and wildlife.
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Trevor on March 19, 2019, 03:47 PM
Hehe, that sounds worse than it was when it was just plain old high-grade gravel :).
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: Red90 on June 27, 2019, 01:36 PM
Is this underway?
Title: Re: Tuktoyaktuk with Colin Northcott
Post by: binch on June 27, 2019, 03:05 PM
Quote from: Red90 on June 27, 2019, 01:36 PM
Is this underway?

Colin had to cancel the trip a while back..... :(