This is another reason I love Canada! From January to March you can drive on the Mackenzie Delta from Inuvik to Aklavik and out onto the Beaufort Sea ice to Tuktoyaktuk. Driving on these ice roads takes some getting used to. Try stopping quickly and maybe 200 meters later you will stop, depending of course on your speed.
When you head north to the Beaufort Sea, the treed banks of the shore of the Mackenzie slowly fade away beside you as you pass the treeline. The low sun in the south is somehow disorienting and the bright snow and the blue ice under your wheels create a dream world where you almost lose track of time.
In contract, the route to Aklavik heads mostly west through a maze of Delta channels. You wind north, then south and mostly west on an ice road between all treed banks that open out and then close in suddenly, keeping the driver and passengers alert. Give it a try sometime for a unique driving experience few could top!
