Visiting Salmon Glacier and Fish Creek
By the time I arrived at Stewart it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon. It was cloudy and had been raining on and off most of the day. Staff in downtown visitor center told me it was not too late to go to Salmon Glacier that was 23 miles away crossing the Canada-US border. So I did.
Salmon Glacier is Canada’s largest glacier accessible by road and the fifth largest of all kinds. Salmon Glacier Road is a combination of dirt and gravel route beginning at Hyder, Alaska and leads to glacier’s summit at British Columbia. The last 5- 6 miles from glacier toe to the summit viewpoint was narrow, steep and winding. The rugged scenery was spectacular on the way up to the top. Surprisingly, there were not many vehicles coming this way and no tour bus was seen the entire time I was there. This was the first time I was standing on a summit looking down a gigantic glacier and no one else was around.
On my way back to Stewart/Hyder I stopped by at Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site. This is the place where visitors come watching bears fishing salmons from the creek on the boardwalk. Each summer female salmons swam upstream here to lay eggs. And male salmons were around to protect them. Professional photographers and visitors set their cameras on the deck ready to capture amazing scenes. I was lucky and did not have to wait long to see a black bear strolling down the riverbank and Salmons swimming at the other end of the river. Suddenly, I had the uneasy feeling of witnessing the cruel fact of animal food chain happening in front a group of cheering audiences. I left - felt my own hypocrisy.
By the time I arrived at Stewart it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon. It was cloudy and had been raining on and off most of the day. Staff in downtown visitor center told me it was not too late to go to Salmon Glacier that was 23 miles away crossing the Canada-US border. So I did.
Salmon Glacier is Canada’s largest glacier accessible by road and the fifth largest of all kinds. Salmon Glacier Road is a combination of dirt and gravel route beginning at Hyder, Alaska and leads to glacier’s summit at British Columbia. The last 5- 6 miles from glacier toe to the summit viewpoint was narrow, steep and winding. The rugged scenery was spectacular on the way up to the top. Surprisingly, there were not many vehicles coming this way and no tour bus was seen the entire time I was there. This was the first time I was standing on a summit looking down a gigantic glacier and no one else was around.
On my way back to Stewart/Hyder I stopped by at Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site. This is the place where visitors come watching bears fishing salmons from the creek on the boardwalk. Each summer female salmons swam upstream here to lay eggs. And male salmons were around to protect them. Professional photographers and visitors set their cameras on the deck ready to capture amazing scenes. I was lucky and did not have to wait long to see a black bear strolling down the riverbank and Salmons swimming at the other end of the river. Suddenly, I had the uneasy feeling of witnessing the cruel fact of animal food chain happening in front a group of cheering audiences. I left - felt my own hypocrisy.
Continue travel Cassiar Highway to Stewart. Beautiful Mountain views near Bob Quinn Lake Airport.
It is a rainy day. I tune up the mood of my internal weather: listening to Yo-Yo Ma's Cello music.
How much better you can get - driving in the rain, watching distant glaciated mountain through the smoke-like white cloud and listen to Mr. Ma playing Vivaldi. I am a woman of abundance...
Stop at Bell II Lodge, a classy resort, for a cup of hot tea. Cashier told me it is free and wish me luck. I was puzzled then gladly accepted her kindness.
Turn in Stewart-Hyder Access Road (Highway 37A West), Bear Glacier is 15 miles from the junction.
View Bear Glacier from the picnic area.
View Bear Glacier from a turnout of the Highway.
Arriving Stewart, BC
A quiet town at Canada-US border. I obtain a 12-point self-guided auto tour information from visitor center to visit Salmon Glacier that is 22 miles away from Stewart.
On the way to Salmon Glacier, Hyder AK is just 1 mile west of Stewart BC. There is no paved road in Hyder. This very laid-back town calls itself a friendliest ghost town. I soon to find out why...
Cassiar Highway connects Hyder to Yukon Territory.
Will you buy me ? - Hyder house for sale
An old mining site along the auto tour route.
deserted old mining equipment
From the toe of the glacier to the summit is a 5 miles winding narrow gravel road. But the spectacular view of the glacier worth the trip.
along the road up to the summit
At the Summit - It is 6:30 in the evening under cloudy sky and misty rain. This picture can not tell the magnificent grand view I saw. Wondering if I should come back again tomorrow.
Views on my way down from the summit...
Chinese call glacier the "river of ice". And this one does look like a flowing river.
The mountain scene looks like a water painting.
Fish Creek is one of the popular stop point of the self-guided tour.
Visitors can see wildlife from the boardwalk and see salmons upswim in the shallow water in spawn season.
I am pretty lucky to see the black bear strolling the creek.
I did not stay long enough to see black bear fish salmon, male or female...
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