Long Distance Riding – Alaska, Yukon & Northwest Territories

[Ken Krumm]

Over the past couple of years, I’ve have had a number of questions from ROMEO on long distance traveling by motorcycle. For most long-distance riders that I know, they started out with short trips that gradually advanced to longer rides. For the most part, longer travel simply requires preparation to deal with problems that can occur on the road. You can never prepare for all problems. However, you can prepare for many of the minor problems, like flat tires, that can be a major issue if you’re unable to fix yourself. I use a packing list to ensure I don’t forget something important.

While I’m writing this morning, Bob Diehl is returning from the Yukon and Alaska on his solo trip at the age of 70. This is Bob’s fourth trip to the Arctic and second solo trip. For new travelers, I recommend riding long distance with another rider. My preference is to ride with another rider, because I like the company. I prefer no more than three bikes on any trip, since additional bikes increase the possibility of breakdown and accidents.

In two days (June 4th), I will depart for Inuvik, Northwest Territories, the Yukon and Alaska with another rider. The second rider is from Wisconsin and is a very experienced rider. However, he has never ridden the Arctic. Two years ago, my tour guide to the Arctic was Bob Diehl. This year, I will be the tour guide for my buddy from Wisconsin. On this trip, we plan on camping most of the time and riding approximately 1500 miles of dirt / gravel roads. So this requires camping gear and preparation for additional flat tires experienced off-road. We each will carry a spare tire, tubes for each tire, and tubeless repair kits for plugging the tubeless tires. Our packing list has been cross loaded for each bike to ensure we are not duplicating items like first aid kits, along with ensuring we bring all needed items. I will post our packing list.

For those interested in following our trip, Jerry will post satellite SPOT reports on our location.

Here’s the route Bob & I followed in 2007. The 2009 route will add the dirt Campbell Highway in the Yukon, along with Denali and Anchorage, Alaska. We plan on averaging approximately 500 miles per day.

[Ken Krumm]

For those interested in our Alaska 2007 ride, he's the original article published in BMW Owners News, November 2008.

Lessens Learned on Yukon’s Dempster Highway
Ken Krumm – Manhattan, KS

My journey to the Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories (NWT) began when a fellow rider named Bob (Diehl) mentioned at a bike club Christmas party that he would like to ride his BMW R1200GS to Inuvik in late May. I was immediately interested. My desire to ride to Inuvik and the Dempster Highway began in 2001 after reading Neil Peart’s book titled, Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road. Neil Peart is the drummer and lyrist for the legendary rock band Rush. After the deaths of his daughter and wife, Neil regained his desire to live by riding his BMW GS on a fourteen mouth, 55,000 mile odyssey throughout North America. Inuvik is at the end of Canada’s most northern road known as the Dempster Highway. Less traveled than Alaska’s Dalton Highway, the Dempster Highway is 456 miles one way of gravel and dirt to Inuvik.

My first concern was I did not own a motorcycle capable of riding the gravel and dirt on the Dempster Highway. This problem was quickly resolved with the purchase of a 2004 BMW R1150GS. Bob and I determined our goal was to arrive in Inuvik on June 1st. June 1st was the estimated date by the NWT Government when the free ferry’s crossings on the Peel and Mackenzie Rivers south of Inuvik began operating for the summer season. From this date, we backwards planned our trip traveling approximately 500 miles per day and determined our route. After comparing packing lists, spare parts, tire repair kits, etc., we decided to keep our loads light by not camping. This was a return trip for Bob, so we were confident that we were prepared for any problems that may arise.

On May 19th, we departed Kansas City for our adventure. The roads to the Yukon and Alaska were for the most part, very good. The Alaska-Canadian (ALCAN) Highway from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Fairbanks, Alaska and the Klondike Highway from Whitehorse, Yukon to Dawson City is easily accessible with any touring, cruiser or sport-sporting motorcycle. The ALCAN is completely paved with short stretches of dirt due to road construction. The Klondike Highway is completely paved. The only area of concern on the ALCAN where a rider needs to be cautious is from Kluane Lake, Yukon to the Alaska Border. This portion of the highway is the worst stretch of the ALCAN. However, with a little caution, large touring bikes can safely ride this stretch. An alternate route to the ALCAN is Highway 37 through British Columbia to the Yukon. Only a small portion of Highway 37 is unpaved; however, easily accessible with any motorcycle.

These were all great roads passing through sensational wilderness. However, it didn’t feel like wilderness to me. Granted, you can get off any of these roads and get lost into thousands of miles of uninhabited land. However, the number of cars and good roads takes away the actual feeling of solitude and adventure. This all changed when we rode north out of Tok, Alaska, on the Taylor Highway. Although now paved to just south of Chicken, Alaska, it doesn’t take long before you realize you are on a road less traveled. Chicken needs to be experienced firsthand to be appreciated. Consisting of a mercantile, liquor store, an outhouse labeled Chicken Poop, and café, it’s a must stop for gasoline and a break. The remainder of the road to the US-Canadian International border crossing is dirt and gravel winding through beautiful rolling hills with rivers and streams. The roads were narrow and difficult in places, however it was wilderness and we were finally fulfilling the ride we came to Alaska and Canada to experience.

After passing through the US-Canadian International Border at Boundary, Alaska, the highway name changes to the Top of the World Highway. This road is the most northern east-west road in Canada and is mostly dirt and gravel with small portions of bad asphalt. Meandering across open mountains and tundra, for the first time we were experiencing the vast openness of the Arctic. Looking north, only the small village of Old Crow is between you and the Beaufort Sea. The views are breathtaking and continue until you arrive at the Yukon River. From the bluff on the west side of the Yukon River, Dawson City is a welcome site. Catering to visiting tourist, visitors can spend several days in Dawson City staying entertained. At the base of the Yukon River, we experienced our first free Canadian ferry. The swift Yukon River provided a moment of concern for first time Yukon River crossers. However, the skilled ferry crews navigated the river with the precision gained from thousands of crossings over the years.

At Dawson City, our first stop was to the Northwest Territories Visitors Bureau. The date was May 30th, and the start of the Dempster Highway was just 20 miles to the east. However, the news was not good. It would be another week before the ferry’s crossing the Peel and Mackenzie Rivers began operating, and we would not realize our dream of riding to Inuvik this year. Since the decision on when the ferry crossings begin for the season is weather dependant, there is no way of knowing beforehand the exact date when the ferries begin operating. However, not all was lost. We could still ride 250 miles north on the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Circle. At the 230 mile mark is Eagle Plains and the first gas stop, where we could stay the night and gas up for our return to Dawson City. We spent the night in Dawson City at the Downtown Hotel and experienced at Klondike Kate’s some of the best Salmon available anywhere. The Downtown Hotel has a sign in the window stating, “BMW Motorcycle Parking Only.” The owner of the hotel is a GS rider and provides a wash area to clean your motorcycle. Motorcycle riders are also welcome to mail a set of off-road tires to the Downtown Hotel to change before riding the Dempster Highway. The local motorcycle riders recommend using off-road tires vs. dual-sport to avoid flat tires and for better traction on the Dempster Highway. We did have a spare rear tire. At Trail’s End BMW in Fairbanks, I was able to purchase the last dual-sport GS tire available.

The next morning, we departed Dawson City and begin our ride on the Dempster Highway to Eagle Plains. The dual-sport Michelin Anakee’s, new when we departed just a week ago in Kansas, were now showing considerable wear limiting our pace on the loose gravel. The surface of the Dempster Highway is built with material available near the road. After passing through the beautiful Ogilvie Mountains, the Dempster Highway crosses permafrost on top of ground frozen 1600 feet deep. The Dempster Highway sits on top of a gravel berm to insulate the permafrost in the soil underneath. The thickness of the gravel pad ranges from four feet to eight feet deep. Without the pad, the permafrost would melt and the road would sink into the ground. Without the gravel base on the berm, the road turns quickly to mud with only a light rain. The road is divided into maintenance sections were crews apply gravel to maintain the road during late spring and the summer months. This gravel appears without warning and can easily cause an accident if overriding the road conditions.

Along the Dempster Highway and sometimes on the road itself, airstrips are marked for airlifting injured and sick to basic medical service at Dawson City or Inuvik. Serious injuries require medical evacuation to Whitehorse, Yukon. The airstrip signs were a reminder to me to maintain a cautious speed on this road. There is no cell phone coverage along the Dempster Highway and it may take hours before a vehicle passed by capable of transporting you to Eagle Plains for medical evacuation. A serious injury could easily become life-threatening or even fatal.

Around noon, rain began forming in the west. So we stepped up the pace to Eagle Plains. Near the 170 mile mark, the rain caught us and began with heavy winds and sleet so strong at times we were almost pushed off the berm. At this point, we had already experienced two grizzly bears on the road and were not interested in stopping. As we continued north, Bob starting falling behind and soon stopped. A piece of shale ½ inch wide and 1 inch long had cut through the thickest portion of his tire. With the rain quickly turning the berm to mud, we placed Bob’s bike on the center stand to determine the location of the puncture. Thick mud made repairing a tire difficult. Using an electric tire pump, we inflated the tire until we were able to identify the location of the air leak. Since it was the last day of May, we were at no risk of loosing our light. The sun never sets on the Dempster Highway this time of year. However, the road conditions were increasing getting worse with continued rain. Using a plier, I removed the shale from the tire and patched using a Stop & Go Plug kit. We quickly filled the tire with air and continued on to Eagle Plains. With Bob now in the lead, he slowed to a stopped within a mile. The road was now three or four inches deep in mud, providing the sensation that his rear tire was not holding air. I assured him that my bike felt the same way. We pushed on barely able to keep our heavily loaded bikes vertical. We were at the very limits of our riding and tire capabilities.

With our bikes now low on fuel, we arrived at Eagle Plains for gas and lodging. Both of us carried an extra gallon of gas, however was not used. At the Eagle Plains service stations, vehicles were lined up for tire repairs. Some of the tires were badly shredded from the shale we had encountered. Eagle Plains employs two service station attendants just to repair tires. Locals recommend carrying at least two spares per vehicle. After fueling, we checked into the Eagle Plain hotel for the night. Bob’s rear tire was not holding air. The long jagged hole was too large for the Stop & Go plug. Using a commercial tire patch, the service station repaired the tire.

There was a good lesson learned at Eagle Plains. Without the help of the service station employees, could we have fixed the tire and continued on? The answer was yes. We had planned for this situation by carrying along a seventeen inch rear and nineteen inch front tube. If the tire plugs failed to hold, we would use a tube. One three separate occasions, we used the side stand on our bikes to break the tire bead. Using high volume CO2 containers, we set the bead and then refilled the tire with an electric tire pump, saving the CO2 for future flats. To learn how to safely use the side stand as a tire bead breaker, I recommend purchasing the Helge Pedersen R1100/1150GS Adventure Touring Instructional DVD. To practice Helge’s techniques, I mounted in my garage a new front and rear tire using only the tools I planned on taking to the Arctic. Knowing how to repair your tires on the road is a basic skill all adventure riders need to know when traveling in remote areas of the world.

The next morning, Bob and I rode north to the Arctic Circle and returned to Eagle Plains. At Eagle Plains, I removed my worn rear tire and replaced with the new Michelin T66 purchased in Fairbanks. The new Michelin provided improved grip on the way back to the hard surface, while the worn tire became our spare. Our return trip on the Dempster Highway provided us the opportunity to see the terrain without obscuring from the rain. It also provided us with a good opportunity to inspect the shale roads that was as sharp as arrowheads. With a new appreciation for the damage shale can cause to a tire, we slowed our pace until the surface changed.

Before reentering the Ogilvie Mountains, we encountered our third grizzly bear on the side of the road. This bear was large and unconcerned with our desire to pass on the only road heading south. Prepared to return in the direction I came, I moved towards the bear and angled in a direction where I could easily turn and return in the opposite direction. Using my horn, I got the bears attention. The bear slowly moved off the side of the road into the brush. After a few minutes, we decided to pass his location at a rather brisk pace. I was amazed at how easily a large grizzly bear was able to blend into the brush without being seen when we passed. This experience made me wonder how many grizzlies we had passed on the side of the road and not seen. Due to the large concentration of grizzly bears, I would not recommend tent camping along the Dempster Highway. If camping is desired, I recommend camping in Dawson City along the Yukon River or at Eagle Plains.

After returning to the start of the Dempster Highway, we rode to Dawson City to spend the rest of the day. We now had over 5000 miles on our oil and it needed to be changed. At the Dawson City NAPA, we purchased Pennzoil motorcycle oil and changed on their premises. Although I normally would not purchase Pennzoil motorcycle oil for my motorcycles, this was the only motorcycle oil available in the Northern Yukon and better than BMW oil with over 5000 miles. By the time we arrived home, the Pennzoil would have over 3500 miles and ready for a change.

After a night in Dawson City and a great dinner of Arctic Char at the Westmark Inn, we departed for our return ride home on the Klondike Highway and the ALCAN. At the start of the Dempster Highway, we were surprised to see riders heading north on BMW RTs with worn street tires, no spares, and no idea on how to repair a tire. They had ridden from the states to ride the Dempster Highway and could not be talked out of their desire to ride north. As we rode away, I couldn’t help but think that this ride was going to be their worst nightmare. A month later, I meet a GS rider in Wisconsin at the BMWMOA International Rally who had just returned from riding the Dempster Highway. He stated that a Honda Goldwing rider and BMW K1200LT rider attempted the Dempster Highway before he arrived resulting in a medical evacuation for the Honda Goldwing rider and heavy damage to the BMW 1200LT.

It’s possible you could ride a street bike to Inuvik. However, any small amount of rain may strand you in mud or severely injure you if you crash. The heavy gravel that appears without warning and sharp shale leads me to conclude that even with a GS, it’s best to send a set of off-road tires to Dawson City and mount them before riding north on the Dempster Highway. This is an experienced rider’s ride and very dangerous. Know your limitation, along with the limitations of your bike.

Our return trip proved to be uneventful. We continued south to the start of the ALCAN at Dawson Creek, and then onto Edmonton where Bob replaced his worn rear tire with a new one. Riding east through Alberta’s oil boom region along Highway 16, we continued through the flat farmland of Saskatchewan to the US-Canadian international border crossing at Portal, North Dakota. After 19 days and 8,500 miles, our adventure was over. However, we were both ready to start this ride all over again. Unfortunately, we both had other commitments and needed to return home. Our ride was full of lessons learned that I will incorporate into future adventure rides. Each ride is a learning experience and someday I will return to the Dempster Highway to complete the remaining 206 miles to Inuvik.

[Ken Krumm]

Our Packing List: This does not include riding gear (other than electric gear), toilet items, and clothes.

Ken's Stuff
tire irons
garbage bags
bug spray
spare glasses
super glue
toilet paper
batteries
camera
spare tubes
sun glasses
500 cash
tube repair kit
mosquito net
2 litre oil/ 2 lite gas
wash rag in baggie
big baggies / large zip lock baggies
spare keys
electrical repair kits / small VOM
cable lock / helmet/jacket
racket 3/8 / hex socket set
spare valve stem
first aid kit
fork spoon knife plates
paper plates ?
spare brake pads rear
spare fuel filter
Heat (bad gas)
cell phone charger
ipod
spare bulbs (all types)
sawyers clothing bug spray
JB Weld
RTV silicone
extra tube patch cement
heated vest jacket liner
heated gloves
passport
insurance papers (canada ins card)
bike registration
bike tie down straps and loops
extra oil sight glass
short wave radio
Coffee & Tea
Helen Two Wheels Large & Medium Bag
Lightweight Tent
Lightweight Sleeping Bag
Down filled air mattress
Kermit Chair
Parachute code - 50 feet
1 Liter Nalgene Plastic Water Bottles X 2
Multi-Fuel Backpacking Stove
Camping Meals - Reconstitute with Water X 15
Spoon, Fork, Knife


Bruce's Stuff
tire irons
garbage bags
13 & 14 mm open ends
jumper cables
tow strap
toilet paper
batteries
camera
spare tubes
sun glasses
500 cash
tie down loops (two trailer tie downs)
mosquito net
tire pump - complete kit
wash rag in baggie
big baggies / large zip lock baggies
spare keys
duct tape (roll) / 3m electrical tape
cable lock / helmet/jacket
cook stove / cooking pans
spare valve stem
micro fiber towel (buy)
fork spoon knife plates
paper plates ?
spare brake pads rear
spare fuel filter
camel back (drinking water)
cell phone charger
ipod
spare bulbs (all types)
bugs spray with deet (good stuff)
NEW BATTERY
gps spare electrical parts
light weight wind breaker (waterproof) Columbia packable
heated vest / jacket liner
heated gloves
passport
insurance papers (canada ins card)
bike registration
zip lock bags
Tide soap packets
Helen Two Wheels Large & Medium Bag
Lightweight Tent
Lightweight Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Kermit Chair
Overhead Rain Cover
1 Liter Nalgene Plastic Water Bottles X 2
Multi-Fuel Backpacking Stove
Camping Meals - Reconstitute with Water X 15
Spoon, Fork, Knife

[lenztwka]

Ken: Thanks for including your list. I picked up a couple of things to add to mine when I leave for AK on July 7th.

Hope you have a fun and safe trip.