FISH CREEK

Three miles north of Hyder, Alaska on the Granduc Road, one will find the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site operated by the Tongass National Forest. There on the banks of Fish Creek throughout July and August, the visitors will have a chance to observe not only the annual migration of spawning salmon, but as well the co-dependent cycle of bears coming to feed on them. Grizzly Bears and Black Bears at the height of the season sometimes virtually line up along the banks taking turns to dine al fresco on nature's bounty. With luck or patience, one might also view an eagle enjoying his share of the banquet by snatching a fish directly out of the creek or the Salmon River nearby, or a mother Grizzly teaching her young cub to fish.

A trip to Stewart, BC is not complete until you have made a trip to Fish Creek. Daily tours are available, see the front desk for details.

Visit the Fish Creek Website - www.fishcreek.org

SALMON GLACIER

The Salmon Glacier - the fifth largest glacier in North America. Drive above this spectacular glacier and take pictures as if you were in a helicopter with the option to stop and take photos or picnic anywhere you want. The road starts in Hyder, Alaska at sea level and follows the Salmon River to its birthplace - the Salmon Glacier. 4,300 ft. up in the alpine located back in beautiful British Columbia. The road goes by several old gold mines including the famous Premier Gold Mine - now called Westmin Gold - which has been in operation off and on since the 1920s.

Please see our front desk for information on the Salmon Glacier Auto Tour and maps.

THE UNKNOWN SLEDDING DESTINATION - Stewart, BC

Stewart, BC has long been known for its extremely heavy snowfall recorded as far back as the early 1900s. The freight companies used to put snowshoes on the horses to give them the flotation they needed to travel in deep snowfalls that would sometimes fall in a mere 24 hour period. The Granduc copper mine area received recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world's record snowfall in 1973 for a recorded snowfall that year of 1199 inches. This sets the scene for some of, if not the best, snowmobiling in the world!

For more information contact:
Bordertown Snowbombers Snowmobile Club
P.O. Box 461
Stewart, BC V0T 1W0

INTERNATIONAL STEWART & HYDER RODEO

Have you ever wanted to visit Alaska? Now's your chance to visit Alaska and attend our rodeo all on the same weekend. The annual Stewart/Hyder International Rodeo takes place the second weekend in June. The rodeo grounds are built at the base of Mount Rainey, which rises 6,000 feet out of salt water, and is capped with glaciers and snow. The beautiful mountains of our valley provide a great background for our "Border Town Rodeo". Hotel reservations are recommended as the town fills up fast!

HYDER, ALASKA

Hyder is located at the head of the Portland Canal, a 70 mile long fjord that forms a portion of the United States / Canadian border. Hyder is just two miles from Stewart, British Columbia and 75 air miles from Ketchikan, Alaska.

Hyder's boom years occurred between the 1920 and 1930. By 1956, all major mining had closed except for Granduc Copper Mine in Canada, which operated until 1984. It has been estimated that over 10,000 people resided in the area during World War I, yet the population was quickly reduced to less than twenty after that time.

Hyder is known as the "Friendliest Ghost Town in Alaska" and as the "Grizzly bear capital of southeast Alaska". Hyder's economy is based primarily on tourism today.

STEWART'S BOARDWALK ON THE ESTUARY

Only two blocks from the King Edward and accessible from main street, is the new Boardwalk on the Estuary.

Take a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk and watch water fowl and many other animals and creatures play in their natural habitat.  Have a seat in the pavilion and gaze at the enormous mountains or simply watch the tide come in.

* photos by Helen Stanchfield