Visiting (and photographing) Alaska in May/June

"Utz-Uwe Haus {usenet}" wrote...
Hi,
"Craig" writes:

I'm not sure which highways you're referring to, but even the
less-traveled Top of the World/Taylor and the Dempster have ample
camping
spots.

I was referring to the Dempster Hwy.

There's a nice (even staffed) campground just before Tombstone Mtn (bear
and wolf sightings possible), another at Engineer Creek (good for mountain
goats), commercial camping with showers at Eagle Plains Hotel (gas, tire
repairs, an OK restaurant and an interesting-to-visit bar), a couple
campgrounds around or in Inuvik and probably more that I've forgotten.

At a leisurely pace, figure on two days' travel from Mile 0 to Inuvik and
two more returning. Inuvik itself only requires a 1-day visit plus maybe
another if you plan to fly to Tuk--actually one full day can be shared
between Inuvik/Tuk--the magic of the trip isn't the destination, it's the
travel along the Dempster itself. The road is worst around Eagle Plains
Hotel--the surface is tire-eating crushed slate and the road just north of
the hotel can be slippery/muddy when wet.

The gas station/restaurant/motel at Mile 0 is quite nice. The last time I
checked, they didn't offer tire repair and there's quite a drive towards
Whitehorse before tire repairs are done, too, so if you have a flat that
needs repairing after doing the Dempster, you'd need to go into Dawson.
Inuvik's the place to find musk ox burgers caribou burgers, arctic char,
great meals at Finto Motor Inn, etc.

Craig