Day 18: 09/27/2025

Start time: 9:10

End time:  4:50

Starting Mileage: 90504

Ending Mileage: 90706

Low Temp: 30

High Temp: 34

Total driven: 203 miles drive time 7 hrs. 40 min

Blog Entry:

Woke up to it snowing outside. Rest of the day was flurries on and off with their being  heavy dusting of snow on the ground all the way to Tuk. This time of year the temperature shift isn't much high today was 34 and the low 30. The reason we left so late is because we had to wait for the hardware store to open at 10am so I could go in and by a hydraulic jack so when we go back by Eagle Plains we can drop of the borrowed one. I had to give them a arm and leg, damn that was expensive and had to buy a 20k jack when all I needed was a 10k.  We  left for Tuk at 10:15 am and made it there at 1:22 pm, 3 hrs. 22 min for 86 miles. Usually it takes 2.5 hrs. at the most. That tells you something about the road.

It was beyond terrible, two years ago it wasn't near this bad. Yes broken record…potholes, craters and a very muddy mess as you can see by the pics of the rig at the Arctic Ocean sign. The pics of the road are the good spots, I didn't stop to take pics of the bad stuff had to go into 4x4 and concentrate getting us through 6-7 inches of mud.  Lesa and Kevin 3 times here, Granger twice and Moxee's first at the Arctic Ocean in Tuk. 

We drove out to the point where we got the picture and took some pictures of the ocean, and some of the sights around the area. Also took pictures of some of the Pingo's that Tuk is famous for. Pingo: Basically where water has frozen and pushed the earth up. In 2023 I put the drone up and flew out to those, way too darn windy to do that today. While at the Pingo day use area we all walked into the Arctic Ocean, 8 paw paws, and 4 boots.  Lesa and I have done the barefoot thing a few times not doing it today, boots will have to do.

We have never seen much in the way of wildlife way up here and today was no different. Lots of signs talking about bears and moose but we must be way to late every time we come up. We did see about 3 dozen Tundra Swans in one of the many lakes out here. Was also a first of never seeing any ptarmigan up here. One the way up there are many places where you see snowmobiles along the way. They park them here along the road when the snow is gone until it comes back. According to a couple of locals the Caribou are late this year, but going through town I was able to take a picture of a fresh Caribou hide and antlers on someone's front porch.

Got back to Inuvik filled up the gas tank and picked up a few groceries, put the camper up next to the cabin and pack somethings tonight. In one of the pictures you can see the boxes all the pipping is encased in and of course insulated for the cabins, can't dig into the permafrost to lay piping. Also note the cabins are up on blocks so they can add or take away blocks depending on what the permafrost does.  The plan is to leave here early tomorrow since we know how bad the road is going to be going back, we hope to stay at Granger's place for a day maybe two so everyone can decompress, relax and get some hiking in on the hills.