|
Stewart
Stewart is located 316 km (196 miles) north-west of Terrace
on Hwy 37A and is situated at the end of a large inlet on the coast
of British Columbia called the Portland Canal. Located right next
to Stewart is the small community of Hyder, Alaska and Alaska's
Misty Fiords National Park.
Getting
Here
To get here you can either travel north 156 km (97 miles) from Kitwanga
(Gitwangak) or come south 335 km (208 mile) on Hwy 37 from Dease
Lake to Meziadin Junction.
Once at Meziadin Junction you still need to travel another 65 km
(40 miles) on 37A to Stewart past the Bear Glacier with the highway
going along the Bear River.
Bear Glacier
This drive is absolutely incredible. Hwy 37A takes you to a viewpoint
of the glacier where you can watch nature in motion as the glaciers
melt. There is also plenty of wildlife viewing along Hwy 37A with
bears, bald eagles and spawning salmon being seen throughout the
year.
Ice Free Sea Port
Stewart is Canada's most northerly ice-free deep sea port. This
port facility in Stewart helped create economic impact in the past
with an asbestos mine located at Cassiar.
Today this ice free port facility is the economic driving force
of the Stewart/Cassiar Region with the export of ore concentrates
and raw logs.
King
Edward Hotel
The small town of Stewart has a gas station, grocery and liquor
store, motel and a hotel. The main entertainment for nightlife centres
on the King Edward Hotel which features Casey's Pub. The King Edward
also has a café and a restaurant which specializes in a famous
crab dinner.
Stewart
Museum
For historians you can visit the Stewart Museum with some great
photos of Stewart's mining past, and then walk through town where
some of the buildings date back to 1910. If you are in Hyder, have
a look at the small museum at the Hyder Community Association building.
Hyder,
Alaska
A very unique thing about Stewart is the close proximity to it and
Hyder Alaska. Located along the Portland Canal as well Hyder is
a land small-locked community with the only way out besides Stewart
by a small plane from Ketchikan with scheduled flights by Taquan
Air offered on Mondays and Thursdays.
"Friendliest
Ghost Town in Alaska"
To visit Hyder is to reminisce what the Wild West must have felt
like. The town motto is "Friendliest Ghost Town in Alaska,"
and you will definitely be catapulting back in time. If you do come
to Hyder visit the Sealaska Inn and meet some of the local folk
and try the famous alcohol drink of being "Hyderized."
Wildlife
Viewing
Take the time for wildlife viewing when you are in Hyder. The Hyder
community has built a wooden walkway at Fish Creek 6.5 km (4 miles)
up to the Salmon Glacier Road for bear watching in the wild.
Salmon
Glacier
If you travel another 26 km (16 miles) from Fish Creek you will
come to the Salmon Glacier - the fifth largest glacier in North
America. The road, which is now travelling back in British Columbia,
travels past gold and copper mines sites that have been established
as far back as the 1920's.
Granduc Copper Mine
One of these mines was called Granduc Copper. Located approx 48
km (30 miles) away from Hyder the mine was shut down in 1984. The
Granduc mine was unique in that you have to drive through Alaska
then back into British Columbia to get to it. Lots of memories of
Hyder and the drive must be familiar to many of the people who worked
at Granduc Copper from all across Canada.
Stewart
Accommodation
Stewart itself does have some accommodation if you want to be right
in town. If you need a room to stay, there is the King Edward Hotel,
Ripley Creek Inn and Anne's Guest House. For campers there is Rainey
Creek Municipal Campground and RV Park plus the Bear River RV Park
and Camp Run-A-Muck in Hyder.
BC
Hydro
During the late 1980's BC Hydro put Stewart on its electrical grid.
In order to do this BC Hydro built an electrical transmission line
from the community of New Aiyansh up Hwy 37 through the Bear Glacier
Pass.
Snowslides
in Bear Glacier Pass
One engineering problem was the problems encountered by snowslides
through the pass on the transmission towers. You can view these
special steel towers that were designed for the heavy snowload as
you drive along Hwy 37A near Bear Glacier.
Meziadin
Lake Provincial Park
If you want to camp near the Bear Glacier, try the facilities at
Meziadin Lake Provincial Park located at Meziadin Junction. Meziadin
Lake features some great fishing, excellent scenery and has a very
nice campground. Just remember to be 'animal aware' as this country
is still quite wild.
Bell
II
Located just north of Meziadin Junction by 94 km (58 miles) is Bell
II. Named after the 2nd river crossing of Hwy 37 over the Bell-Irving
River, Bell II was historically a small service station that served
travelers on Hwy 37. Today Bell II still has fuel but has also transformed
itself into a major heli-skiing destination providing "Canada's
Most Exciting Heli-skiing Destination."
Information
on Stewart
Accommodation
Recreation
|
