Inuvik: Gateway to the Western Arctic

Monday, March 25, 2024
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
HALCYON DAYS IN INUVIK
Farewell to Our Tour Group Friends
After a good night's sleep, we awoke to another sunny, crisp day. Had we really seen the Northern Lights from our hotel room the evening before? It all felt a bit surreal by then. We agreed, however, that our lazy viewing from our bed certainly beat getting dressed in our multiple cold layers, putting on snow boots and cleats, and then taking a long, icy walk in the early hours down to the ice road - supposedly the best place in town for aurora viewing.
Our hotel was lovely. We were warm, comfortable and happy. Our pleasant room included a small kitchenette with a microwave, refrigerator and full coffee and tea-making facilities. So far, we had been very impressed with Canadian hotels. Rooms were spacious and most had two double or one king-sized bed. All had tea and coffee-making facilities, refrigerators and often a microwave. On a few snowy nights when restaurants were closed, it was very handy to reheat some takeaway food.
Breakfast was in the main dining room, which had views out to Inuvik's snow-clad surroundings. The atmosphere was cosy and convivial, and the food and service were excellent. 
Looking out the restaurant window, I noticed blurred, hurried movements of white snow-shoed feet under fluffy avian bodies. A group of around ten plump Ptarmigan was bustling about under naked silver birch limbs, their camouflage so effective that it was almost impossible to see them. Our fleeting view only gave me enough time to take a few rushed photos. But what a treat to see such divinely beautiful creatures.
We bade a warm farewell to our diverse tour group, each with their unique destinations and plans. All were flying back to Whitehorse. Our German companions, Edith and Wolfgang, were embarking on new adventures within the Yukon. Takashi was rushing back to Japan, eager to catch a flight to Mexico for the long-awaited total eclipse of the sun. Others were returning to their daily routines, their minds perhaps still filled with the memories of our journey. It was rather a sad moment, realising that our time together had ended. 
Leo was driving the minibus alone back to Whitehorse, a 1,230 km journey involving some 16 hours of driving. Members of the group, anxious about such a long, lonely, and potentially dangerous journey, asked him to keep in contact during his travels. And he did.
What to do in Inuvik? A Visit to the Supermarket of Course...!
We agreed we were both suffering from supermarket deprivation. It was a given. A visit to the nearby Northmart store was a must-do for the day.
The streets were icy, but at minus 10 °C, it was not particularly cold. I love the sound of snow crunching underfoot. I felt happy and at ease as our cleats dug ferociously into the freshly re-frozen ice and snow. There was no doubt about the Arctic. We were home...
Inuvik was an attractive, modern, bustling township boasting a thriving community and economy. Situated on a flat plain, its wide streets and low-rise buildings painted a vastness that went on forever. I am unsure what we expected of Inuvik, but it was certainly much more sophisticated than we had imagined. 
Once again, the sky appeared disproportionately capacious. It seems that way when you look at the sky over flat lands. And not surprisingly, in a location with little vegetation and low-rise buildings, you see more of the sky. I would still argue, however, that it is bigger! Like the saying about Texas, I mused that everything seemed twice the size in the High Arctic.
Northmart Supermarket & Department Store
Not many people can be blown away by a visit to a supermarket or even a general merchandising store. But we can. We have often said that one of the best ways to understand the life and culture of a local community is to visit their local store.
Northmart, Inuvik was a treasure trove! 
The quality and variety of fresh, frozen, and packaged foods were impressive. Sourced from all over the world, the locals could buy fresh food of similar quality to that we source back home. However, the logistics of supplying perishable goods to such remote places in an Arctic climate were quite extraordinary. 
But it was the general merchandise that surprised us. Racks of good-quality cold gear, including top brands such as Canada Goose and Sorel, packed the clothing area. Not surprisingly, prices were steep. For example, a men's Canada Goose all-weather jacket—on special—bore a hefty price tag of CAD 1,025 (USD 743 or AUD 1,100). Boots and other apparel were similarly priced. 
It did make us wonder how the locals could afford such gear. But how could they not afford to have such quality cold-weather clothing in an extreme Arctic climatic zone, we asked ourselves? And the people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, appeared very well-dressed. Children dressed in delightful designer gear were not an uncommon sight. 
Northmart sold everything from fruit to fish, fleeces, fishing gear, and 4WD all-terrain vehicles. It was an amazingly interesting store. Brightly coloured snowmobiles, or "Ski-Doos," commanding prices around CAD 17,000 lined the shop floors. I looked longingly at the all-terrain vehicles, their sturdy bodies and massive fat snow tyres so practical for the snowy conditions and local terrain.    
Perhaps most interesting for me were the "bits and pieces" needed to live in the extreme cold. Plastic or fibre "jackets" for door handles to prevent hands from becoming stuck to frozen door knobs, anti-freeze guards for car door handles, snow shovels, heated gloves and shoe warmers were just some of the fascinating objects we discovered on our wonderous journey through Northmart. 
These are items that we would never see in our stores back home. I was in my element and could have stayed in Northmart all day...
On our way back through the supermarket section, we bought some cheese, biscuits, apples and bananas. Interestingly, the prices of basic foodstuffs were similar to, or marginally more expensive, than those we can buy back home in Australia. Well, that is except for chicken products. The price of just one thawed whole chicken was a serious CAD 32.18. And I must say that it had rather a nasty purple hue!
The government subsidises basic foodstuffs such as fruit, vegetables, and cheese. Known as the NCC or Nutrition North Canada, the scheme is a market-driven food subsidy program to improve access to perishable healthy food in eligible isolated northern communities. 
We were to appreciate the North and Northmart cooperative stores during our travels throughout the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Northmart and Northern stores offer grocery and general merchandise and various services, including a post office, income tax preparation, quick-service prepared food, commercial business sales, banking, and pharmacy products.  They operate specialty stores in the northern and more remote parts of Canada. 
Northmart is a group of seven larger-sized food and general merchandise stores, whereas Northern (the original store banner of the North West Company) operates 122 smaller food and general merchandising stores.
A BIT ABOUT INUVIK
Inuvik (pronounced In-UU-Vik) means "Place of Man". It is the administrative centre and the only designated town in the Inuvik Region*. Furthermore, it is the third largest town in the Northwest Territories, behind Yellowknife and Hay River. Inuvik is often called "The Gateway to the Arctic West".
*Inuvik Region is one of five administrative regions of the Northwest Territories of Canada. It comprises eight communities, most of which are in the Beaufort Sea area and are a mixture of Invialuit and Gwich'in people.
As mentioned in the last chapter, Inuvik was conceived in 1953 as a replacement administrative settlement for the flood-prone hamlet of Aklavik. Initially named "New Aklavik", it was renamed Inuvik in 1958. In the late 1960s, a school and hospital were built, and people, including the Invialuit and Gwich'in, began living in the community.
Inuvik achieved village status in 1967 and became a full town in 1979, with an elected mayor and council. In the same year, with the completion of the Dempster Highway, Inuvik was connected to Canada's highway system and became the most northerly town to which one could drive in Canada.
Between 1971 and 1990, the local Canadian Armed Forces Station (CFS) supported the town's economy, followed by a communications research/signals intercept facility and then by petrochemical companies exploring the Mackenzie Valley and the Beaufort Sea for petroleum. These economies collapsed in the 1990s for various reasons, including reduced government military subsidies, local resistance to petroleum exploration and low international oil prices. 
Inuvik is now a major commercial centre for transportation, hospital and hotel facilities. The economy is also based on minor tourism and subsidies provided by the Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (INAC), Health Canada for the regional hospital and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Who knows, with an unfortunate restored "Cold War" with Russia, Inuvik may become a key military location again.
Inuvik is located on the East Channel of the Beaumont Sea - Mackenzie Delta, the largest delta area in Canada. It is approximately 100 km from the Arctic Ocean and around 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. Interestingly, the tree line is north of Inuvik, and the town is surrounded by taiga or boreal** forest.
**Taiga, boreal or snow forest, is a biome characterised by coniferous forests consisting mainly of pines, spruces, and larches. The taiga or boreal forest is the world's largest land biome (Wikipedia).
The climate is subarctic. Summers are typically wetter and cool, with great temperature fluctuations. Winters are long and cold. The coldest month of the year is January, with an average high of minus 22.8 °C. The coldest winter low was minus 56.7 °C, recorded in February 1968.
Inuvik is linked by road by the Dempster Highway. In winter, ice roads provide transport while the rivers are frozen. In Summer, however, two ferries operate to cross the Peel River near Fort McPherson and the Mackenzie River at Tsiigehtchic. The Mike Zubko Airport connects Inuvik to various regional centres in the NWT and also south to Edmonton in Alberta. When the Mackenzie River is ice-free, it provides barge transport to and from Hay River on Great Slave Lake. An annual sea-lift transports supplies east to Nunavut and west to Alaska.
DAY TWO: A TAXI TOUR OF INUVIK
Meeting Mohammad Ali
It was a pleasure to have time to do nothing. Our trips are often complex, requiring numerous stops to reach our destination. We used to laugh that it took us six days door to door to arrive at some of our Russian settlements. A sleep-in to 7:00 am with no deadlines was a true luxury.
Rather than take a tour, Alan suggested hiring a taxi to take us around town for an hour or so. The helpful reception staff immediately suggested a suitable taxi driver. "Oh, Mohammad has been here forever!" they enthused. He knows EVERYTHING about Inuvik. We'll dial Taxi 8 now. "We smiled to ourselves. Mohammad was not exactly an Invialuit or Gwich'in name, but he sounded interesting, and we were more than happy to use his services. 
Mohammad Ali was fabulous. A migrant who left his home country of Lebanon with his family some thirty years before, he married a woman from Inuvik and settled there. Mohammad proved to be an excellent driver/guide. A great ambassador for Inuvik, he knew everything about the town.   
Walking around Inuvik the day before, it was not hard to see that multiculturalism is truly embraced in this remote outpost town. Today, the township boasts a population of around 3,400 people, of whom around 65% identify as Indigenous. There is also a significant (36%) mix of international cultures, including Asian (many Thai or Philippine), Indian, African, Middle Eastern, Latin American, or European. 
Our first stop was, of course, the Aklavik Ice Road. But it was a good opportunity to revisit and for Alan to take some shameful tourist photos of me. Once again, the sky was a feature of our visit. As we stood looking at the vastness of our surroundings, a low, dappled mauve cloud bank moved in over the ice road. It was a strange sensation, almost as if we could almost touch its billowing surface.
Our drive then took us along the ice road close to Duck and Boot Lakes and the Inuvik Hospital. Elevated water and sewerage pipes accompanied us on our journey. Reminding us of scenes from Siberian Russia, the pipes are built well above the ground to prevent freezing - and to provide a "thermal break" between the unstable permafrost soils and the pipes. Having elevated pipes would also eliminate the need to drill into permafrost soils should there be any issues to fix. 
Meanwhile, Mohammad chatted away, promoting the quality of life as a resident of Inuvik town. "There is everything here that you need. We have good sporting stadiums, indoor heated pools, a ski club, a public horticultural hydroponics centre, a modern multi-use conference and function centre, a college, schools, a good hospital, quality hotels,  restaurants and cafes. What else could you want?" he asked. 
Leaving your home country for political reasons must be devastating. But hearing Mohammad's comments and heartfelt gratitude to Canada for providing him and his family with a beautiful and safe life was uplifting. Today, I wonder how pleased he would be away from the shockingly sad, war-torn situation in Lebanon. So unnecessary. So tragic...
Our drive took us through the lower reaches of town, past urban housing and apartments, and then past the Midnight Sun Conference Complex, an Invialuit Cultural Complex, the Inuvik Ski Club, and the Inuvik Community Greenhouse Hydroponics Centre. 
The hydroponics centre is a community greenhouse that allows residents to take advantage of the 24-hour sunlight to grow vegetables and fruits in summer. It is known as Canada's northernmost commercial greenhouse. 
As we drove up and toward the airport, Mohammad chatted happily about attractions and events in Inuvik, emphasising that tourism is beginning to emerge as a significant contributor to the economy. 
In early January, visitors can experience the return of daylight at the lively Sunrise Festival*** or attend the world-renowned Great Northern Arts Festival, which brings in artists, crafters, and performers from across the circumpolar north.
*** "Inky darkness grips Inuvik in the winter months, and for nearly 30 days the community is blanketed in polar night. Locals rejoice in the year's first sunrise with a bonfire, fireworks and the Inuvik Sunrise Festival." (Spectacular NWT, "Living in Inuvik")
Other tourist activities include watching the caribou migration north toward Tuktoyaktuk, hiking, camping, snowmobiling, skiing or sightseeing in the nearby Richardson Mountains.
As we drove back to Inuvik town, Mohammad asked if we had tried any local cafes and restaurants. We had not yet, but we had read about the famous Alestine's before heading on our Canadian journey. A fish and chip cafe that also served Mexican food, specialty reindeer dishes and desserts, it has achieved quite a reputation in local and international Inuvik travel information guides. Mohammad obligingly drove us past the cafe on our way back to our hotel. 
A large yellow bus parked on the grounds served as the kitchen, and a tiny house as the dining room. It sounded like a place we might visit that night. To our delight, a large hand-written sign outside read "Open". But like many things in the Arctic north, the sign must have been casually left out for the next time it was open. Sadly, the cafe was closed.
Our taxi trip was exactly what we wanted: a no-fuss, easy car trip that took around an hour and a half. Mohammad charged us a very reasonable fee, and we were all happy. We would highly recommend Mohammad - or Taxi 8 - for a very enjoyable and informative taxi tour of Inuvik town. 
On our return, I offered to walk down to the liquor store. Alan warned me it was a long way, but I needed a walk, and anyway, we were becoming short on drinks. Why we had not thought to ask Mohammad to drop us off there on our way back to the hotel is beyond me...
Alan was right. It was much further than I thought—and steep. The variety of beers was limited, but I found a small bottle of gin and some tonic. Pleased with my purchases, I set off back to our hotel. The steep climb carrying a heavy load was exhausting, but I knew Alan would be pleased.
But no... I had bought "the wrong beer". Note: Alan nearly "wore the beer"... 
LAST DAYS IN INUVIK
Another free day and a good opportunity to walk and buy gifts for friends. Buying gifts when we travel in the Arctic during winter is almost impossible. Our cold-weather gear uses most of our suitcase space - which is always close to the allowable weight for small aircraft. My most favoured gifts have become the ubiquitous key ring holders, fridge magnets and small jewellery pieces. Unimaginative, I know. But practical... Alan was happy to stay back at the hotel and read, and I was delighted to get out and about and explore Inuvik.
Again, the weather was beautiful. An expanse of endless azure blue skies greeted me. The night had been cold, and the soft and fluffy snow made walking much easier. Even so, I still wore my cleats. What a blessing, not having to take them off in shops as we had to in Greenland.
Thankfully, Inuvik was home to some charming gift shops. Some, quite quirky, displayed lovely mammoth-bone earrings and a variety of quality tourist bits and pieces. Furthermore, the staff was lovely and genuinely interested in helping me choose my gifts. Yes, our advice from friends back home was correct. The Canadians really were friendly people. 
On returning to the hotel, I passed the igloo-shaped Our Lady of Victory Church. Initially built in 1960 by volunteers, this gorgeously attractive Catholic church is one of Inuvik's most photographed sites. Alas, it was closed... 
Interestingly, with a Muslim population of only just over 100 people, Inuvik also has its own mosque "The Mosque of the Midnight Sun". Colloquially known as "The Little Mosque on the Tundra", this non-denominational Islamic house of worship was built in 2010 for the town's small Muslim community. North America's northernmost mosque was transported some 4,000 km by truck from Winnipeg in the south to Hay River and then by barge along the Mackenzie River to Inuvik. An incredible feat.
The mosque operates Inuvik's food bank, most of which is stocked with Halal food donated from elsewhere in Canada. It is available to all people, regardless of faith, and serves hundreds of families in the Inuvik area.   
Our last night in Inuvik was celebrated with a lovely seafood meal at the Mackenzie Hotel restaurant and bar. We enjoyed our stay in Inuvik and were so pleased that we chose to spend our spare few days there rather than in the unremarkable township of Whitehorse. It was exotic and exciting, yet friendly, safe and comfortable. 
Tomorrow would be the day of our journey to our next destination, Yellowknife. Lying in bed that night sadly, there was no sighting of the Northern Lights - but plenty of time to contemplate our next adventures. 
Some, thanks to Alan, were quite unforgettable...
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Comments

Vivienne
2024-10-25

Fascinating! Would you go in summer?

crowdywendy
2024-10-25

Thank you, Vivienne! We visited Artic Siberia in summer, and somehow, it wasn't quite the same. Also, the midges and mosquitoes can drive you quite mad in the summer months.

Sergei Baikov
2024-10-26

Thanks a lot

2025-02-13

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