The Treloar Herald

Vancouver to Inuvik in the Arctic Circle.

After four glorious days in Vancouver, we spent our fifth and final day preparing for our last scheduled trip to our ultimate destination, Inuvik in the Arctic Circle, the rendezvous point for the 2022 North American Epic.

Our first leg was a four hour flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse with Air Canada, followed by a 7 hour stop-over at Whitehorse Airport, which we spent in the lounge, with a few other passengers.

The next day, our final leg was from Whitehorse to Inuvik via Dawson City, however this didn't start off well! Firstly the Airline threatened to bump some of our luggage off the flight due to weight restrictions and secondly the flight was delayed by 4 hours due to mechanical issues of the turbo-prop plane.

However all's well that ends well, we arrived safely at Inuvik, having landed and taken off again at Dawson City en route and none of our luggage (three bags and two bikes, had been bumped, whew!). We managed to get to the Hotel in Inuvik with all our luggage, with the kind assistance of a local resident, who offered us a lift in his pick-up, for which we were extremely grateful.

Inuvik is the Land of the Midnight Sun and Gateway to the Beaufort-Delta. It is located 2 degrees above the Arctic Circle, on the scenic Mackenzie River and Delta. It is Canada's largest fresh water delta so close to the Arctic Ocean, with a spectacular view of the Richardson Mountains. It is nestled between the treeless tundra and the Northern boreal forest.

Inuvik (place of people) is the homeland of the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in aboriginal people. It is also the main headquarters for the oil and gas industry operating in the Beaufort Sea/Mackenzie Delta.

We booked in at the Mackenzie Hotel and spent the rest of our first day in Inuvik sourcing food and doing some quick sightseeing around the Town.

In town, the local inhabitants were suffering from a rare heatwave, with temperatures in excess of 30 degrees, it felt like home to us, so we were not too perturbed. Although the 24 hour sunlight is definitely going to take some getting used to!

Turbo-prop plane for our flight from Whitehorse to Inuvik.

Arriving at Inuvik Airport.

Other small planes on the Inuvik Airport apron.

Welcome to Invuik!

The land of the Polar Bear.

Waiting for a lift into Inuvik Town, 14 km away.

Arriving at the Mackenzie Hotel.

Mackenzie Hotel our home for the next three nights

Downtown Inuvik.

The Lady of Victory Iglo Catholic Church.

View of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police building outside our window at 2 am in the morning!!

Cheers.

Mike T & Judith

Vancouver Day 4 - The Shipyards and trip to Gastown

We take some time in the morning to do some last minute shopping, before taking a trip in the afternoon, down to the Shipyards. The Shipyards is a unique, year-round waterfront destination which features restaurants, cafes, breweries, concerts and markets. We walk around the Shipyards sampling the sights and smells, before having lunch at the Tap & Barrel Brewery.

In the evening, we take a bus down to the Shipyards, where we catch a SeaBus (passenger ferry that crosses the Burrard Inlet, connecting North Vancouver to Downtown Vancouver). The SeaBus takes us to Gastown, Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood, with stunning Victorian architecture, a friendly food and drink scene, where the adjacent Railtown district is home to edgy fashion studios.

Two Canadian Navy Boats

The Tap & Barrel Brewery

Mural on the Market Building

Two privately owned Yachts.

Kegs & Barrels at the Brewery

Enough taps in this Brewery?!

Cheers - The Ladies enjoying their Sangaria's

The SeaBus

Leaving North Vancouver for Downtown Vancouver.

The seating in the SeaBus

Vancouver Container Terminal

The Rail Yard

The Steam Clock in Gastown

Gastown's own "Outa Lappies"

Cheers
Mike T & Judith

Vancouver Day 3 - Whistler Experience

Today is Canada Day, a popular Public Holiday, we make an early start to the day, have some coffee and breakfast buns in the Village, before boarding the Gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain (Round House Station). Travel through the tree line into the snow line, it's Summer, but there is still plenty of snow at the top.

Enjoy a craft beer, before walking to the Whistler Peak Ski-lift, where we catch the Chairlift to the top of Whistler Peak. Quite a heart pumping and white knuckle ride in an open chair (a "hand me my new brown trousers" moment for me) but we reach the Peak without any mishaps. At the top, there is a Sky Bridge to the Peak itself, Judith gives it a go, but I decline and spend some quality time with the stone Inukshuk cairn (built by the Inuit people of the Arctic Region).

We then retrace our way back down on the Chairlift, to the Ski-lift Station, where we walk back up to the Round House Station and buy ourselves some ice-creams (eating ice-cream in the snow!) before boarding the Twin Peak Gondola.

The Twin Peak Gondola runs between Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain, it is the longest and highest single span cableway in the world. The view between the two mountains from the Gondola is absolutely spectacular. There is still enough snow on Blackcomb Mountain for some serious skiing to take place. We enjoy lunch at the Peak to Peak Station, before boarding the final Gondola trip back down to Whistler.

Down in Whistler, do some last minute sightseeing, before making our way back to Vancouver. The highway leading to Whistler is jam-packed with cars as everyone seems to be heading to Whistler.

We stopped off at Britannia Mine Museum, in Britannia Beach. The now defunct Mine, was an important source of copper ore for 70 years, and during the 1920s and 1930s it was one of the largest mining operations in Canada.

Close to Vancouver we go up Cypress Mountain, to the View Point, for a 180° view of Vancouver and surroundings, before heading home.