Day 6 Ride to Dawson City: The Final Leg

A caribou skull complete with antlers panted red along highway 2.

Yesterday after checking in to my Airbnb room it rained cats and dogs the rest of the day and overnight. I wasn’t impressed with the idea of riding to Dawson City in more rain but accepted my fate and loaded up bright and early this morning to head out.

The display on the Ninja read 0 degrees and a large yellow band with the word ICE in it told me it could be a rough morning. Then it started raining… again.

I headed out of town on highway 1 and then turned north on highway 2 pointed for my final destination of this leg: Dawson City!

A photo of the forest near Whitehorse along highway 2.

After about an hour or riding in the rain and cold all of a sudden as if I passed through some invisible barrier, the rain and clouds just vanished and gave way to clear, blue sky! I couldn’t believe it, but there it was and the temperature climbed to 13 degrees.

I noticed that I had entered into a completely different landscape now, which was much drier. The grass on the side of the road was yellow and the earth was sandy and light colored. It looked a lot like southern BC in the Kootenays or northern Idaho. How interesting!

Some of the fun S curves on the highway 2 route near Whitehorse.

A deep valley along highway 2 with a river at the bottom.

Beautiful sandstone cliffs and islands in a river.

All along the side of the road appeared these bright purple flower bushes (Purple Vetch I’m told) looking very much like someone had planted them there to make my path brighter and cheerier. I felt as though the welcome mat had been rolled out to celebrate me being so close to Dawson City at long last.

Purple vetch flowers along highway 2.

Around the next corner, I did NOT get a warm reception by the massive, roughly 8 foot tall grizzly bear. This was a very large bear who lumbered across the road and started climbing the steep embankment on the opposite side as I rolled by.

I decided to slow down and attempt to take a photo, but as I got closer the bear suddenly turned its head around and gave me a death glare I would never have imagined to see and live to tell about.

The areas around the bear’s dark black eyes were in shadow, tinted grey and beige making it look like he was very angry with the idea of being photographed. I decided to let Yogi not be photographed at that time and instead whacked open the throttle and blew by. Wow.

The Braeburn Lodge and my Ninja.

Several people mentioned to me not to pass by the Braeburn Lodge on the way to Dawson City because they serve an excellent cinnamon bun. It’s also an official check-in point for dog sled racing in the winter as it turns out.

A huge cinnamon bun and milk to wash it down at the Braeburn Lodge.

I needed gas anyway so I pulled in for a look around and some breakfast bun. As you can see from the photo, this isn’t your average sized cinnamon roll. I did my best to finish it, but could only manage a little over half before I’d hit my limit. Honestly, I hate to say it but it wasn’t the best tasting or freshest one I’ve ever eaten. It filled the hunger hole at least.

An ancient wood stove in the Braeburn Lodge.

Three tour buses unloaded their passengers and I had fun showing some of them the Ninja. Some were from Florida and others from England. It was fun to greet people from so far away in this remote environment where we were all strangers looking for adventure.

Back on the road, I had a great ride, now in the warm sunshine, I flew along as it passed by many large lakes and streams. The landscape is dotted with thick packs of pine and poplar trees as far as the eye can see. I like the way the darker pines contrast with the lighter poplar. It reminds me of something Bob Ross would paint and fits the “happy little tree” description he always over-referenced while painting on PBS.

My Ninja H2SX SE parked on the side of highway 2 near Fox Lake.

After a few more hours I spotted another porcupine on the road and flew up beside it for a closer look. This one had all its quills and was hustling down the steep shoulder towards cover before I could get a photo. Man, they are funny little guys to watch waddle around.

Finally, after many hours I spotted a sign indicating the Dempster Highway was only 21 km away! That immediately sent my pulse racing! The DEMPSTER! The road to Tuk!

My Ninja H2SX SE at the marker sign for the Dempster highway.

I pulled onto the start of it with the Ninja and rode about 500 yards just past a bridge before turning back and taking a photo with the highway marker sign. There we go!

I’m sure this is the only Ninja H2SX to ever ride SOME part of the famous Dempster Highway.

My Ninja H2SX SE parked near the beginning of the Dempster Highway.

That’s my claim to fame, folks. I can go home proud now.

Panoramic shot of the tailings piles outside Dawson City.

 

A large pipe used to move water to mining dredges near Dawson City.

I carried on to just outside Dawson City and noticed the huge mounds of stones everywhere that are leftovers from the old days when gold mining in the area produced all this waste rock. It was dumped here in long caterpillar-like rows that are visible on Google Maps if you call up Dawson City.

The Google Earth view of the tailings piles outside Dawson City.

My Ninja H2SX SE parked beside the piles of tailings outside Dawson City.

Arriving finally in Dawson City proper I was intrigued by the old style buildings painted with pastel colors, the wooden sidewalks, and the fact there are no chain stores here.

The welcome sign for Dawson City and my ninja H2SX SE.

No big box stores or anything not branded with an original name or looking like a small business. How quaint it is, but where do you go buy something like toothpaste?

Colourful buildings line the street of Dawson City.

I toured around on the Ninja to take it all in. It’s a clean and historic town with dirt/gravel roads and real character even just on the surface. It seems a bit frozen in time, yet has all the conveniences camouflaged under an old-time veneer. Very touristy and almost every name has the word Gold, Bonanza, Klondike or Eureka in it around here.

Wooden sidewalks and old style buildings in Dawson City.

It feels good to be at the halfway point of my trip aboard the Ninja, and I’ve enjoyed it so much thus far.

Wade Bauck, his wife Tammy and their friend Matt met me at the historically-rich Downtown Hotel where I’m staying the next couple of days before we load up and start the ride up the Dempster. I enjoyed visiting with them and hearing about how organized they are with getting me and the other riders safely up to Tuktoyaktuk.

The famous Downtown Hotel in Dawson City.

Photo Lorne Baxter

I got to trade my Ninja for my new ride: a 2017 Honda Africa Twin. It’s fully outfitted with sticky, gravel road-ready dual sport, Mitas E09 and E10 tires, crash bars, a bash plate and other protectors for whatever we encounter out on the Dempster. I hear it snowed in Inuvik today, so this potentially could be a wicked ride coming up.

My Honda Africa Twin parked outside the Downtown Hotel in Dawson City.

I’m playing tourist in Dawson City tomorrow and the big ride starts the day after.

I couldn’t be any more excited.

Keep Reading
Day 7: The Yukon Territory Experience

8 Comments

  1. Michael L McCrary
    July 18, 2018
    Reply

    Jim, agree 100% on the Sidi Adventure 2 boots. My own trip to Tuk was within a few days of yours, and our group of four encountered ALL conditions – dry, dusty, wet, muddy, rain, sleet, snow, cold. The Adventure 2 boots kept my feet absolutely dry, as well as comfortable.

    • Jim Pruner
      July 23, 2018
      Reply

      You had a much tougher ride on the Dempster than I did Michael.
      I’m in awe that you rode it in the snow.

  2. David Rohwer
    July 23, 2018
    Reply

    Yay! great to read of your adventure and glad you completed your mission as I’m sure you are.

    • Jim Pruner
      July 23, 2018
      Reply

      It was a really unforgettable adventure for me!
      I think I’m hooked and am already plotting the next crazy ride.

  3. Rob Wunsche
    August 10, 2018
    Reply

    Amazing write up. I found a quiet corner to sit and really enjoyed reading through your adventure. When does Part 2 get published?!

    • Jim Pruner
      August 12, 2018
      Reply

      Hi Rob!

      Thank you for the feedback and I’m so happy to hear someone read that novel I wrote.

      Part 2 has been finished for about a week, but our editor is on holidays so things have ground to a bit of a halt around the publishing area.
      Everyone needs some time off so we can’t get upset.

      The second piece is actually longer than the first if you can believe it and twice as dramatic.

      To call the ride to Tuk life changing is completely accurate. I’m not the same rider I was when I left home June 5th that I am now. What a place. What an experience. What a road the Dempster was and still is!
      Have you ridden up that way yourself?

      The boss tells me it should be on the site in the next few days. Trust me, no one wants it in print more than I do.

  4. Rubert
    March 4, 2021
    Reply

    Nice writeup! I’m planning for this June and would love to read part 2. Probably tomorrow I’ll continue reading.

    Do you have any tips for me? I’ll be on my own from Vancouver to Tuk and back, so, tips like place to stay, must see places on way etc… Thinking of covering a max of 800km a day but take a day or 2 break in place like Whitehorse or Prince Rupert.

    BTW, why didn’t you continue with your Kawasaki? Is it because of gravel road from Dawson city to Tuk?

    • Jim Pruner
      March 9, 2021
      Reply

      Hi Rubert!

      Sorry I took so long to get back to you.

      There are quite a few tips in part 2 that might be useful for you. It’s a good idea to make contact with my friend Lawrence Neyando who is up in Inuvik and runs a tour company called Arctic Motorcycle Adventures: https://www.arcticmoto.ca/ he can really get you prepared for the final leg up to Tuk from Inuvik should you need anything.
      I should warn you presently I believe the borders into NWT require you to do a 14 day quarantine after you cross, even for residents returning from other provinces. Go ahead and plan you trip but be prepared to face that obstacle.

      If you read part 2 you’ll understand why I left the Ninja in Dawson City. The Dempster is no place for sport bikes. It’s not your average gravel road. It’s a test of your motorcycle and will.
      I’m considering a return to Tuk myself this year, so I’ll be watching the borders too.

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