After getting the picture at the fucking sign there was still 530 miles (890 kilometers) to ride back to the pavement, preferably before the rain started up again. Continuing to thread the weather needle right to the end, the day after the Tuktoyaktuk Turnaround looked clear and dry all the way back to Dawson City. Rain was expected that night and into the morning with the heaviest amounts expected around Eagle Plains, lessening in amount and duration to the South. Having previously experienced the mud around Eagle Plains I made plans to leave as early as possible with the intention of camping at Engineer Creek - a campground most notorious for being where people ended up when Tombstone Campground was full. That would leave me with only about 100-miles the next day to get down to the start/end of the Dempster, just outside of Dawson City. A late start to compensate for some overnight into the morning rain would have been inconsequential if I already had a room booked in Dawson City, but I didn't and one of the towns biggest events of the year was approaching this weekend and rooms were unobtainium according to the Interwebs.
With Engineer Creek 325 miles (540 km) away an early start would be ideal but seeing as the Makenzie River Ferry does not start service until 9:30AM not that early. A little rain for the first hour but the skies had cleared and rain gear removed waiting for the ferry on the North bank of the river. A great dry ride down to Eagle Plains through the Richardson Mountains and up onto the ridge. After getting all the gas (sign says next service 360 km), a quick WiFi check confirmed the status quo regarding the expected overnight rain and lack of available rooms in Dawson.
A couple of hours after leaving Eagle Plains a campsite was secured at Engineer Creek campground. With the generous previous occupant leaving a decent stack of chopped wood an actual campfire was initiatied and became a benefit to cut the chill of the approaching overnight rain. This time extra preparations were made to secure the tent against the rain and mostly proved worthwhile as the rain did come in overnight as forecast and continued into the morning.
The Yukon Territorial campgrounds are a pretty good deal. For $20 CAD you get a campsite, firewood, bear lockers/food caches, well kept outhouses and access to covered cook shelters with wood buring stoves. The cooking shelter was welcome this morning as the power of hunger overcame the reluctance to get out of the tent before the rain had abated. A quick check of the weather on the satellite tracking device still showed the rain ending soon but with no cell service it was impossible to check if any rooms had opened up in Dawson. After a rare second cup of coffee, camp was slowly packed up and I rolled out onto the last stretch of the Dempster as the skies started to clear. While glad I didn't have to gave the potential muddy mess behind me up on the ridge, the road was still damp and slick down in the river valley but dried to race track fast as it rose onto the windblown plain leading into the Tombstone Mountains.
Climbing down from the summit I stopped at the park visitor centre knowing there was WiFi. Quickly logging on I found Google Maps showing one hotel room now available. Jumping on the hotel website I booked it as fast as I could pull the credit card out of my wallet. With a room secure the last 40 miles (70 km) were a breeze. I may have even issued an audible sigh of relief seeing the blue bridge and reaching the paved road surface. When i got to the hotel the host noted that the room had only been freed up minutes before I booked it. Timing is everything I guess.
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