Everyday for 7 Weeks–Day 21–Whitehorse to Dease Lake

Apparently today is Friday. I had lost track of the days/dates a while ago, but didn’t realize it was this bad. I had no idea it was Friday until I got a #FF on twitter. I slept in again in Whitehorse. I meant to be on the road by 8am, but didn’t roll out of bed until 30 minutes after that. I planned another 400 mile day and wanted to be on the road early to give myself plenty of time. In some ways it worked out because there was a lot of frost on the road after Whitehorse that was just melting by the time I rolled through. An hour earlier might have been more interesting.

Breakfast Part 2 at Teslin Lake:

The road towards Watson Lake was a repeat of the way up. Not very scenic and it was just as cold as when I was on it almost two weeks ago. I don’t think I saw the mercury creep past 40F until lunch time. It made for a chilly ride. I got snowed on several times, but no big deal. I prefer the snow to rain. Snow doesn’t get my nearly as wet and cold as rain. Then again, it could be warm and rainy. It was 95F in Minneapolis today. What a difference.

I found a nice little spot for lunch that was all full of snow on the way up, so I pulled in to try it out. There was a guy sleeping in an orange car near the entrance, so I pulled into the back to give him some space. He woke up and left shortly after I started preparing my lunch.

When I finished making my lunch, a large F350 super diesel pulled in. It looked like he was going to stop in the parking lot up front, but nope. He came to the back and parked less than 10 feet from me in a parking lot the size of a football field. He parked in the one spot blocking my view of the mountain from the picnic table I was at too. I switched tables. He sat in his truck rummaging around and let it idle for a few minutes before he got out, and walked to the front area to enter the walking trail. Really?! Gar. Why not park up there buddy?? I didn’t have any paper, or I would have left him a note.

I eventually made it to the junction with 37, the start of the Cassiar Highway. I filled up at the gas station there, and also took the time to fill up my extra gas can. I didn’t think I would need it today to get to Dease Lake, but might as well fill it.

The Cassiar Highway is far from a “Highway”. It is even less of a road than the Alaska Highway. For starters, it is much more narrow, mostly doesn’t have a shoulder, and there are no painted lines. The trees are also closer to the road. It felt like a small gravel road in the middle of northern Minnesota, but the Cassiar seems paved.

My guide books say there is a bit of gravel, but the guy from florida said he didn’t remember any. The rest stops have little maps which show gravel. I went through one of those sections and saw none. I hope that the guy is correct, and they have finished paving it. I’m not scared of gravel, but I make much better time on a paved road than a gravel one.

The Cassiar was a great road. From the north, it is very rough until about mile 70 and then it smooths out. It starts in the trees, but then turns into a mountain valley.

As any good mountain road, it has plenty of corners and ups and downs.

I really enjoyed the last 60 miles before Dease Lake.

The scenery was great so far.

I hope it continues all the way down to 16. I will probably make a detour tomorrow to visit Hyder, AK.

Daylight shades are awesome up here when it gets dark so late:

Provincial Camp grounds have free wood. I ate lunch in one of these to escape the wind as it was empty on my way up.

 

Day 21 – Full Flickr Album (39 pics)

 

Video: Teslin Lake