Posted on by MacKenzies

Tuktoyaktuk

Once you travel the Dempster and arrive in Inuvik, you now have the option to travel another 100 miles on the new Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Hwy to the Arctic Ocean. Of course, we had to go!

We awoke to a beautiful morning, a definite must for traveling this road, and adventured north. The road is still being ‘fine tuned’ so there are patches of mud where the permafrost is winning and sections that make your teeth rattle. The gravel trucks run non-stop and the locals see it as a new super highway.

Tuk until this year could only be reached by sea or air. The ITH (Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway) across the permafrost north to Tuk connects it to the rest of the world. The small village could be a fishing village on the coast of Newfoundland, Maine, or Scotland where people are eeking out a living in a tough place.

We had Muskox burgers, stood in the Arctic Ocean(no swim), and met some nice people.

We had a beautiful day and an epic adventure!

Luckily, we had a nice day so the road was open. Last week it was closed because of rain. 99 miles to Tuk!
We made it, thanks to my expert driving.
Our toes in the Arctic Ocean. I know our friends are disappointed we didn’t go for a dip (too big of an audience:)
The wee Rover didn’t get to dip her tires in the Arctic Ocean, she had to settle for a picture under the sign.
As usual, Darrin found someone to talk to. This is Bogie, self appointed local historian, lived in Tuk all his life and a great sharer of local life in Tuk.
A recreation of a First Nation home.
These are a Pingos. I can’t remember how they are formed, but the center is ice and the First Nation people used to use them as a refrigerator.