Riding the Dempster, Six tips for adventure motorcyclists

Dempster Motorcycle Research
www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/iti/f...
Dempster Budget Video
• DHI Part 5A The Dempst...
Dempster Packing Video
• DHI Part 5B The Dempst...
Dempster Part 8 Incident Video
• DHI Part 8 The Dempste...
if you would like some documents of how I helped plan a trip with a group that were unfamiliar with the ride email me at [e-mail]
And I will forward. Puts something like Dempster Info in the subject line.
Content
0:00 Intro
2:26 The Six Things
3:10 Planning
8:00 Tires
10:30 Fuel
12:16 Bike Prep
13:08 Rider Gear
14:20 Physical and Mental Limitations
16:05 Close Out
The 2022 Trip
The Approach
• DHI Part 1 The Dempste...
The Ascent
• DHI Part 2 The Dempste...
The Descent
• DHI Part 3 The Dempste...
The Retreat
• DHI Part 4 The Dempste...

[@jasonyoung7673]

Very well stated with both experiences & knowledge from multiple trips. Appreciate your effort & time associated to this video😊👍

[@dougiverson4297]

Thank you for that.
I just watched another video of a few riders that made it to Eagle Plains on fumes.
And yes, I did that on my first trip as well. Kind of, anyway. My tank was near empty, but I had ten liters with me and a partner with a 30 liter tank I could have siphoned from. I do not think those riders understood the risk of having to bail without sufficient fuel.
And although you do not need a back up for everything, awareness and anticipation is essential.
Safe riding.

[@650thumper]

I made it as far as Rock River Campground but had to turn back due to Covid restrictions. I'll return one day and complete it. The scenery was like nothing else I'd seen before.

[@dougiverson4297]

Congratulations on making it to Rock River. Yes, Covid put a damper on many plans when following the guidelines. We had planned on the trip in 2020 then 2021.
When I stayed at Rock River, July 2022, the mosquitos were pretty persistent. We arrived there at about 1 am on our way back out, That morning we started just north of the Mackenzie ferry, went to Tuk and then south.
You will enjoy the rest of the trip. The views remain spectacular. Some nice winding road just north of the border and then the weaving thru all the lakes north of Inuvik is wonderful AND you get to see it all again from the other direction out.
You are so correct. The scenery is hard to imagine until you are there with nothing around you for miles. At times we would drive an hour and see no one. That meant about 150 km (or more) between us. Stunning. And the views go on forever. That is what makes it difficult keeping your eyes on the road.
Hope the video helps you with some minor details but sounds like you have it wired.
Safe travels!

[@war0on]

Keep up the great work! 👍👍

[@dougiverson4297]

Much appreciated

[@NeverMindCedric]

Doug, I enjoy watching your report of the Dempster Highway. I am now in Alaska and I'll do the Dalton, and Dempster Highway back to back. You emphasize a lot on tires, which makes me thoughtful since I am riding the Heidenau K-60 right now and they are already halfway down, and I am too cheap to put some new on prematurely. I hope that doesn't backfire on me. 😁

[@dougiverson4297]

If you are resourceful you will be fine. I would highly recommend, given it is an in and out trip, to cache all unnecessary gear at the start. The amount you can cache will depend on the weather forecast.
Lets hear how it went!!!

[@billness2635]

Good video! I’m forwarding this to my riders that I’m guiding to Tuk in mid June.

[@dougiverson4297]

In November of of 2021, I emailed a group of friends a: “How about riding the Dempster starting July 9th” it was 270 days out. Then each month I sent a new update with a countdown, cause that is what I do.
If you email me (I will put my email in the description for a week) I can forward to you as it helps with the thought process.
Also, as leader, I think my Part 8 video of the Dempster helps with group riding. What went well and what we missed. That is in the description also.
It is a fantastic trip.
Where are you travelling from?
Also the Dust to Dawn rally is often on at that time in Dawson City.
Doug

[@billness2635]

@@dougiverson4297 Thanks for your reply! I’m taking a small group up. Well we are going to attempt it! Two of them tried last year but failed just north of Eagle Plains due to mechanical issues. Myself and one other guy haven’t been north of Dawson City. We’ve been planning this trip for about a year. My truck is going as a support vehicle that will carry everything so the bikes will be unladen. It will be driven by one of the three wives going. Two of those are riding their own bikes to Dawson (Rykers) and leaving them there.
We are giving ourselves 3 extra days for weather and two more to attend the D2D event on the way back from Tuk.
I have told everyone that we will not be traveling in rain or on muddy roads due to lack of experience with two of the riders. Fires are another concern.

[@DirtRiderLife]

Nicely done Doug!

[@dougiverson4297]

Thank you Martin.
The Dempster is like playing 3D chess, nothing is quite as it seems

[@davechavis4275]

good intel, going july 5th 2024. so very soon.

[@dougiverson4297]

Enjoy the trip. Please pop back in and comment on anything you would add to this.
Just be steady. I met riders that came a long long long ways to ride the Dempster, but when at the gas station they spoke to riders coming off it and decided not to go. They went to Dawson City and we rode to Tuk and back out.
Just one milestone at a time. Watch out for the views they are captivating and one moment you go from being "in a groove" to being "in a rut".
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

[@davechavis4275]

I would like a map of every gas stop along the route, and a lug it in to my gps

[@dougiverson4297]

@@davechavis4275 If you email me (my contact info in the description) I can send you some details I put together for people. Put Dempster Info request or something in the subject line.
In there you will find links to:
www.bellsalaska.com/
themilepost.com/route/
www.dempsterhighway.com/maps-guides
From the above you can get all the gas stations whether you travel the Alaska Highway or the Cassiar Highway 37. I recommend you travel one of them up and one out.
My experience, is there is a credit card fuel station at km zero (no attendant). Then at Eagle Plains (fuel basically 8 am to 930 pm (guess), then at the Coop in Fort McPhersen (if you catch them, Sundays might be iffy), I found 24 hour fuel at the car wash in Inuvik (there are other normal hour gas stations as well). It looks like there is fuel in Tuk, but I have not seen it myself.