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20050615 Stewart BC/Hyder AK 39/72 Cool but warmer. Partly cloudy. Picture Link
Another interesting day. We hopped up and headed west on the Yellowhead Hwy (16) toward the Cassiar Highway and the far north. The 70 miles to Kitwanga BC on 16 were more of what we've just done - nice scenery, sparse population.
We turned north onto BC-37, the Cassiar, and stopped. They're working the bridge over the Skeena River. When we got going, we found the first 10 miles or so to be slightly bumpy from patching but the next 90 miles were in beautiful condition. We could have done any speed on that section.
Just before Meziadin Junction we saw a black bear and one cub. We couldn't get pictures because mommy bear took the cub into the brush too quickly.
At the juction we topped off the fuel. It talking with the lady attendant, we found out that:
1. Stewart BC population is still declining due to lack of work.
2. The big double-bucket trucks (if full) are taking gold from here to Kitwanga for shipment to Quebec. The load's value is about $250,000. There were only a few trucks today (three?) but that's still decent money.
3. The mosquito population is much higher this year, probably the highest in five or six years.
With all that in mind, we headed to Steward and Hyder (they're nearly adjacent). Bear Mountain and Bear Glacier and Bear Lake are all still beautiful, right next to the road. We took many pictures.
We set up the trailer in the Bear River RV Park, where we stayed two years ago at Fourth of July time. Then we went into downtown Stewart, where we found one shop burned down and a few others closed. Continuing to Hyder, we found most of the shops closed, so we're probably (I hope) ahead of the season and they haven't yet opened.
We scooted out the Fish Creek road. There's a bear-viewing place there that operates in July and August when the salmon are running here and the bears come down to the creek to get them. There's nothing there at this time of year. We continued out the road which was originally a mining road that allowed ore to be hauled to the docks for shipment. There are no active mines up this valley, but the Salmon Glacier is located at the upper elevations of it.
We went up the narrow gravel/rock road past the "travel at your own risk" signs. The road was noticably worse than two years ago. Perhaps they are just starting after the snow melt. Several small rockslides narrowed the road in places. We arrived at a place where a snow-slide covered most of the road and Dolores called a halt. So we turned around and went back down. Last time we were able to reach a point with an excellent view of the upper part of Salmon Glacier but not this time.
We stopped at the Sealaska Inn in Hyder after we got back to sea level. I had Alaska Amber & Dolores a white wine. We got our laptop linked via "wifi" to the Sealaska server. The only problem is that the server is linked to the outside world by a 56kbps phone line. Slowest wifi I've ever experienced.
Then, our bank's check processor had had a power outage so I couldn't pay the one bill I wanted to pay. I'll go for it again tomorrow.
We wandered back to the little house and watched the news until time for dinner. Then we went downtown to the Bitter Creek Inn. Dolores had an excellent salmon & my halibut was very good. We returned to the little house for dessert.
In reviewing the notes on the handout this campground gives you at check-in, we find a couple of oddities. One is that you should not walk around the park after dark due to bears and wolves which occasionally visit.
Another requests you report all bear sightings or incidents to the park staff.
The campground does not allow tents or soft-sided trailers. Hmmm...
We decided that there wasn't enough to hold our attention for another day, so we elected to pay for only one night. Tomorrow, we'll go to Hyder to "Wildflour" for breakfast (our favorite last time), then hook up and head for Dease Lake.
I ran into a couple setting up their trailer who had mud all over their 92 Dodge W250; they just arrived from Dease Lake. He said there are pot-holes and mud and wet gravel above and below Dease Lake. Nuts. Last time we went this way it was dry. We'll just have to grin and bear it (terrible pun intended).
Dessert, for those who keep track of such things, was Ben & Jerry's "Cherry Garcia".
Later. At 10pm, the sun can still be seen on the top of the mountain behind us. Getting closer to the Arctic Circle.
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