Yukon Ho – Dempster Day 3 – Mountain Biking on Sapper Hill and the Arctic Circle

Day 3 Ride on Sapper Hill, Gas at Eagle Plains (369km), drive through the Arctic Circle (405.5km), camp at Rock River Campground (445.8).

We had a great clear night at Engineer Creek with Northern lights to give us a show. We got up early to attempt to ride Sapper Hill. The lower part is covered in White Spruce and Tussocks, becoming rockier in the spires near the top. It makes a great hike and a challenging bike ride even for those who like Euro hop turns with views towards the Ogilvie River and mountains. After our ride we continued our drive North up 7 Mile Hill to another great view of the Ogilvie Mountains. From here we are on the Eagle Plains plateau, stopping at Eagle Plains to get gas for $1.70/litre, then continuing on to the Artic Circle and our next campsite.

Inside Passage Ferry and Intro || Stewart Cassiar Hwy to Dempster || Dempster – Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3 – Day 4 – Day 5 || Dawson to Kluane, the Kluane Flight and Golden Circle || Riding in Whitehorse and Carcross || Northern BC – Nonda Ridge  and Stone Mountain Provincial Park

Riding at the Artic Circle – Sapper Hill and Peel River Gorge, Northern Yukon and NWT from Lee Lau on Vimeo.

Engineer Creek Campground.

Riding into Engineer Creek Campground

Engineer Creek – Iron Hydroxide colours the water, it has a sulphurous smell and is not pleasant to drink.

We start the trek up Sapper Hill

Pretty steep

Offers great views, the bend in the River is where the Campsite is.

Lee goes up a bit higher to get some more vert.

Lee rides down

So so rideable in the lower Tussock regions.

Riding back along the road, Sapper Hill is a unique rock formation along the Dempster.

From the top of 7mile hill you have a great view of the Dempster meandering along the plateau

Eagle Plains Lodge (369km) Buy gas here even though it’s expensive. You can also stay at the hotel here and eat in the restaurant. Past Eagle Plains you enter the Richardson Mountains.

Approaching the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic Circle (405.5km)

The difference a couple of days make on the Dempster!

417km along the Dempster. This could be a good area for biking! Near Mt. Hare.

We camp at Rock River Campground. In case you were wondering, don’t bring your dead game here…

Our campsite for two nights. This is a great campsite! We could drink the water here.

The next day we drove to the Continental Divide at the Yukon/NWT Border and did a hike, then we drove 25km into the NWT to the Gorge. Past this point you are out of the Richardson Mountains and entering the flat Peel/Mackenzie Valley after descending 853m in 51km. More in the next installment …