2017/15: Cycling from Rancheria to Morley Lake

  Stage 2017/15 [A058]
Rancheria - Morley Lake (Alaska Highway 1)
⇨ 63 mi / 102 km
⇧ 740 Hm (garmin edge 1000)

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Cycling from Smithers, British Columbia to Whitehorse, Yukon.

Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake following the Alaska Highway northbound.
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
Thermometer displays 5 °C this morning. We know that iti s going to be a cold day today, but the sky is blue so hope for little rain. The breakfast in the Rancheria (as of 2017 this place is with room rental and restaurant) is great, but the portion sizes are too much even for hungry cyclists. I order two fried eggs and 3 pancakes, expecing the usual palm-sized American pancakes. I get 3 pan-sized 2 cm thick pancakes with the comment of the waitress: "Honey, what did you expect, we only serve truckers here!" .
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
We go for an early start, there are 102 km ahead of us. The weather is changeable, deep dark rain clouds and blue sky alternate in a short time and we hope for less rain today. Statistically we had more rain than there should be on an average. Since there can not be any negative rain, we will keep this over average to Whitehorse.  
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
The unpleasant thing about today's stage is the fact that there isn´t any place to get food. Not even a village or gas station is on this leg of the Alaska Highway. For dinner and accomodation there is a simple rule: bring with you all you need.  
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
The loneliness we experience every day on the highway is not surprising: A look at the statistics shows that in the Yukon there are 37,858 inhabitants (as of 11/2016), of which alone about 25,000 inhabitants live in the capital Whitehorse (as of 05/2016 ). So there are just a little more than 10,000 inhabitants on an area of ​​480,000 km2. By comparison, Germany has run slightly more people on a smaller area (350,000 km2).
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
On the bicycle there is enough time to do the math and compare the numbers: Germany has 231 inhabitants per km2, the Yukon about 0.08 inhabitants per km2. Presumably people here use a different unit for the indication of the population density.
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
To get an impression the expanse of the Yukon, other numbers should be used: 37,000 inhabitants, 10,000 black bears, 6,000 grizzly bears. This gives a good explanation why we saw more bears than humans on some days.
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
Today's stage leads west. Unlike the last few days, when we cycled north, we are now dealing with a strong headwind. I am always glad to have some change in the daily routine of cycling, but who asked for that?   
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
In the early evening, we build up our tent at shore of Morley Lake. Morley Lake is roughly 500m north of the Alsaka Highway. There is a turn out and rest place having the same name directly at the highway about 1 mi / 1.5 km north of the branch to the lake. This makes the finding of the recreation site something difficult. Therefore: Coming from the south, take the last branch before you reach the parking lot to the right and continue straight until you reach the water. In the early evening we have a heavy rain shower and hence we have to build the tent in the rain.
 
British Columbia and Yukon by bicycle: Cycling the Cassiar Highway and Alaska Highway northbound. Stage from Rancheria to Morley Lake.
The sunset the lake is quiet and peaceful. At night, we saw lights in the sky, which were probably aurora lights. Unfortunally, to enjoy the sight of Aurora the way to the toilet was too far and too cold (this place has two pit toilets but that's where the luxury of the recreation site ends).