Skagway to Stewart, BC/Hyder, AK

Saturday, June 27, we left Skagway with an eventual destination of Stewart, BC/Hyder, AK. I'm writing this from Bear River RV Park in Stewart, BC. A very nice park, but slow wifi, so no pictures today.

As I said before, it was raining when we left Skagway and did partially clear up, then rain, then clear up, then....etc. including some wet snow and sleet. The road from Skagway back to the Alaska highway was good. We took a short trip about 7 miles out of the way to see Emerald Lake again. The first time we stopped it was windy and the lake was not very colorful and reflective. This time we caught it just right. The wind and water were calm and the colors really came through. About 20 minutes after we got there, the wind and rain showed up. What timing. New pics of Emerald Lake to follow when we have faster wifi.

The Alaska highway was also very good at this point and was a very pleasant drive except for the occasional rain shower. We finally arrived at the beginning of the Cassiar Highway, PH37. This is the road that takes us to where we are now. The reason we are going this way is to see the grizzly bears in Hyder. We camped for the night at an rv park at the intersection of the Alaska and Cassiar highways.

Sunday, June28, we got back on the Cassiar highway early with hopes of reaching Stewart that evening. The road was bad, then not so bad, then bad again, then really bad, and so on and on for over 100 miles. Barb had been reading the Milepost and came across a road called Telegraph Creek. It said it was a spectacular drive, but not for rv's. We arrived in the town of Dease Lake where the road started, dropped the motorhome off at a gas station and took off on this 70 mile side trip with the Tracker. Of course, it is a gravel road, but a very good one. We were able to run at 50 mph between the curves, which were many and often. It also has steep grades of 18-20% with sharp switchbacks, and we verified this. However, it was quite an amazing drive with deep canyons and fast rivers and spectacular rock formations. Well worth the trip. However, it took us 6 hours to complete the round trip. Seems like very few of the roads up here are through roads. Most we've been on require you to turn around at the end and go back the way you came. The advantage to this is that the scenery can be quite different on the return trip, as was the case on this one.

Till we got hooked back up and ready to go, it was after 6:00 in the evening and we still had a long way to go to Stewart, BC. I drove till 10:00 pm and found an RV park about 100 miles from Stewart and crashed as soon as we were set up. Along the way however, we saw 10 black bears, a lynx and a moose, which crossed the rosd in front of me. Got pictures of the lynx, and some of the black bears, but was not quick enough to shoot the moose.

Monday, June 29, we left early for Stewart and got here about 11:00 this morning. The Cassiar highway had become very good road and travel was pleasant. The drive into Stewart revealed yet another glacier and snow capped mountains. After setting up, we left to tour the area because power was out and was not to be restored till around 2:00pm. We found a restaurant in Stewart that had a generator and gas stove and had a very good breakfast there. We also met a gentleman, Bob Hutch, who was celebrating his 88th birthday. Stil had a very sharp mind and we chatted with him and his 5th wife during breakfast. Got some really good stories from him, and had a few laughs as well.

After breakfast, we headed across the border into Hyder, AK. (More on Hyder later) We suspected and subsequently learned we are about two weeks early for the salmon to come into the area, so we saw no grizzly bears, a disappointment for sure. However, (that's become a favorite word) we went looking for Salmon Glacier. We asked a highway construction worker about it and he said it was a gnarly road to get there, but well worth the trip. He was right on both counts. The road was a disaster, but the views, of not just the glacier, but the surrounding mountains was, well, spectacular. (another of my favorite words, but can't think of another). This time we drove ABOVE the glacier and looked down on it. Plus, Barb got to playing in the snow. (wait till you see those pics) Words cannot describe it, but I hope my pictures, and there are many, do it justice. It took us about 5 hours to make the 23 mile round (of course) trip.

Exhausted, we stopped in the same restaurant for dinner that we had stopped at for breakfast, had a Grizzly Burger (that'll teach em) and are now back in camp looking forward to a good nights rest. I'll be sorting pictures and trying to pick out a few that represent the sights we have seen, but that will be a tough task. As soon as we get decent wifi, I'll be posting them. Till then, take care, have fun and be safe.

Ron & Barb