Winter Driving in the North
Winter driving is no fun anywhere, but in the North it can be truly dange-rous. Before you hit the road this winter, make sure your winter driving kit is up to snuff. Have the following items on hand in case of car trouble:
A car that has been winterized by a mechanic familiar with winter driving conditions in the North. Make sure you keep your gas tank full and that your jumper cables and ice scrapers are in good condition. And make sure they're in the car, not the garage.
Weather reports. Check the road conditions and weather reports before you leave. Change your travel plans if the weather reports aren't good. Make sure the ferry is running or the ice-road is ready at any water cros-sing you intend to make. Let someone know when you plan leave and when you plan to arrive at your destination.
Winter outerwear rated to 40 degrees below zero that goes from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Don't trust your car heater to keep you warm.
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A shovel and a bag of gravel. The gravel will give your car extra weight in slippery conditions. You can also use some of it under your wheels for traction should you get stuck. The shovel will also help you out of a rut.
A flashlight and extra batteries. You'll need the light to peer at your en-gine or flag down cars if you are stuck on a dark winter's night. A reflec-tive pylon will also alert drivers to your presence.
A winter sleeping bag. If worst comes to worst, you might need the extra warmth as you wait it out. Cars can be few and far between on Northern roads.
A big thermos of tea. You need to keep up your liquids to stay warm. Think about bringing a small stove to heat water or melt snow, but don't use it inside your car. If it's very cold, pull your water bottle into your parka to prevent it from freezing.
Candles. They can warm the inside of your car nicely, and shed some light, but be sure you have adequate ventilation.
Food. Pack a selection of high protein, high calorie foods like nuts, cho-colate, granola bars and dried fruit. If you get hungry, you'll get cold.
A first aid kit. Make sure it contains any medications you need on a regular basis.
Ice Road Photo: Archive
Best places for coffee or breakfast in the North
from UP NORTH MAGAZINE
The warm, wonderful world of the Northern coffee joint
There's no question
about it, if you want to catch up on news in the North - the real, uncensored
version - you have to head to the local coffeeshop. You know the kind:
a no-nonsense waitress, endless coffee, a good breakfast. For a few bucks,
you can jaw with the locals, hear about what's happening around town,
and get a steaming plate, piled high with the best comfort food around.
For our money here are some of your best bets:
The Diner in Yellowknife: nowhere else will you find a nicer plate
of bacon and eggs, or a better pile of peroghies. Sit next to a group
of prospectors or diamond company bigwigs. There has never been anyone
faster with the coffeepot than the waitresses at the Diner.
You'll find the Big River Restaurant near where the ferry crosses the mighty Mackenzie River at Fort Providence, NWT. Stop at the Big River not just to wait for the ferry, but to sample a tasty buffalo burger. It may be your first, but it won't be your last.
Mom's Kitchen in
Whitehorse beckons you with nothing less than "full Canadian
cuisine". Stop for a leisurely breakfast on your way to work or before
you hit the road. Breakfast is served from 7:00 a.m., all day, seven days
a week.
Look for the Moose Creek Lodge between Carmacks and Dawson City, Yukon. The Lodge serves a great cuppa bean and comfort food that you'll never tire of. If you need directions, call the radio operator in Mayo, Yukon and ask for the Stewart Channel; the Lodge number is JL3-9570.
The Carcross Corner Caf, found south of Whitehorse at Mile 904.5 on the Alaska Highway, is one of those Northern nooks that makes the drive worthwhile. As you'd expect, they do a super all-day breakfast to quiet the beast within. But the Caf goes a step further, into the sublime: they offer true-to-life home baking.
If you find yourself
cold and hungry in Arviat, Nunavut, call in at Neevee's Coffee Shop.
Follow your nose to the warm offerings of home cooked meals like burgers
and chicken. Neevee's is open until midnight, holidays and all, even on
the coldest nights.
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Enjoy Wintertime
Make ice lanterns to line the pathway to your door, and light them when
you expect company
Try a new outdoor
sport, like dog sledding or kite-skiing.
Enjoy an old favourite - tobogganing is always fun.
Wrap yourself up in a warm blanket, turn the lights off, and park yourself
by a window with a view of the sky. Try to identify all the constellations
you can, and keep your eyes peeled in case the Northern Lights drop by.
Cook a big pot of chili and invite friends over for dinner and a movie
or games.
Go for walks when the sun is brightest and soak up the rays.
Take a course in something that's always interested you but you never
seemed to have time for.
Look for animal tracks in the snow; try to figure out what animal made
them and where they went.
Get some friends together and plan a weekend of skiing or snowshoeing
or ice-fishing or whatever works for your group.
Catch up on your summer reading.
Ice Bar Carnival in
Quebec Photo: Archiv