Hyder, Alaska

Our route south took us down the Cassiar Highway.  Near the southern end of this highway, a spur road runs west to the towns of Stewart on the Canadian side of the border and the isolated US town of Hyder just across the border.

Just north of Hyder, a small tributary of the Salmon River, called Fish Creek, is world famous for summertime bear viewing.  Because of the rich salmon spawning area along Fish Creek, black bears, brown bears and occasionally other predators (like wolves) come to feed on this rich source of protein.  The US Forest Service manages a viewing platform built along Fish Creek.   Because we visited late in the season, the action had really quieted down.  We did see a number of black bears that were coming to feed on the salmon that had died after spawning.   The bears have grown used to the presence of people on the platform and did not pay much attention to us.

Fish Creek and the viewing platform.

Black bear sow

and her cub

Mom with dinner

"Does this fur coat make my butt look big?"

"Aww Mom, not salmon AGAIN!"

"Eat up! I can smell winter coming."

"I'll hide down here in the bushes."

Great Blue Heron in a lovely setting

"Mmmm, I like the skin!"

"This moss smells interesting."

"Mom walked up here so easily!"

"Now, what was she checking out?"

"I'm sure I heard a noise in there!"

"Where are the berries for dessert?"

"Maybe over here."

"Trying out my new forest camouflage."

"Dang! the live ones are hard to catch."

"Why are itches always hard to reach?"

Fireweed

A wildflower commonly seen along the roads in Alaska is Fireweed.

The Fireweed plant produces many bright magenta flowers which progressively bloom further up a central stalk.

As summer progresses, the blooms at the bottom die and the cluster of flowers is found higher up the stalk.

Late in the summer the blooming reaches the top of the stalk.

Local customs say "Once the Fireweed blooms to the top and goes to seed we have six weeks 'til winter."  So when we started seeing the fireweed in this condition, we were glad we were about to start south.

The Dempster Highway

The Dempster Highway is a mostly gravel highway that runs 457 miles from the Klondike Highway, near Dawson, up to Inuvik in Canada's Northwest Territory.  We had often read how scenic this highway is.  We were not ready to take the motor homes up this highway, so we left them near the start of the highway and drove the first 72 miles in the Jeeps, as a day trip.

We came upon these Spruce Grouse on the side of the road.

Next we came upon another red fox that seemed very used to being around people and vehicles.

Autumn was obviously very near.

We spotted this Dall Sheep up on a ridge.

It cooperated by coming closer.

Move views along the highway.

Chapman Lake, our turn-around spot.

A few more scenes from the road.