RonnieAdventures: RonnieAdventure #0059 - Days 29-35, Las Vegas-Alaska-Las Vegas 2013 Trip

WEEK 5

DAY 29. – The North Pacific Cannery in Port Edwards was established in 1889 and ran almost continuously for 100 years. Today, it is the most complete remaining salmon cannery from the 1800’ in the world. Most of the equipment is still in operating condition and they provide a working demonstration during the cannery tour.

The cannery was established at this location because the bay is the third deepest, ice-free, natural harbor in the world and it is closer to Asia than any other Canadian or Continental U.S. port.

Later in the afternoon we traveled back to Terrace and camped for the night before starting north again. The scenery along the way was spectacular!

Since the sun doesn’t even start to set until about 11 PM, we decide to drive up to Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park and Beaupre Falls. At the lava beds I was surprised to see the lava almost completely covered with moss and it was interesting to watch the salmon "jump" up the falls.

DAY 30 – Kitwanga, Gitanyow, Stewart, Hyder

This part of BC, with its high snow-capped mountains and rushing streams and rivers, is really beautiful. On the drive into Stewart the road passes very close to Bear Glacier, which is unusual because the glaciers are typically located high in the mountains where there are no roads.

After leaving our trailer at a campground in Stewart (British Columbia), we drove over to Hyder (Alaska) and then up to the Salmon Glacier summit viewpoint. Hyder has really fallen on hard times in recent years and most of the retail stores have closed. Hyder now considers itself to be a ghost town!

Bear Glacier

Rush Hour Traffic in Stewart (British Columbia)

Road to Salmon Glacier

Salmon Glacier

DAY 31 – Iskut, Dease Lake, Jade City, Centreille, Good Hope Lake, Watson Lake.

The world’s largest toaster museum is located in Stewart, and they also serve food; so we started the day with breakfast in the toaster museum. If you are interested in toasters, you don’t want to miss this museum. I didn’t realize that there were so many devices invented to burn bread!

We had been warned that the Cassiar Highway going north was in “bad condition,” but I didn’t realize how bad, “bad” can be. This is the first time that I can ever remember using 4WD to get through a construction zone. Now I know what they mean when they say that there are only two seasons in BC – Winter and Construction! However, we had beautiful scenery for the drive!

By the time we reached Watson Lake, I had unfortunately ruined one of my new tires (fortunately I had three spare trailer tires along), broken the TV in the trailer when it came loose and landed on the floor, the cupboards had been rearranged, and the trailer floor was littered with everything that should have been on a shelf or on one of the beds.

While in Watson Lake, we watched a program on the Northern Lights at the Northern Lights Center, toured the airport facilities that had been a WW II base, and visited the Sign Post Forest. The "forest" is now composed of over 76,000 signs from around the world, and we failed to bring a sign along!

Day 32 – Swift River, Teslin, Johnsons Crossing, Jake’s Corner, Taglish, Carcross, and Skagway (Alaska).

After finding a campground we walked around Skagway and looked at the historic buildings. The U.S. National Park Service now occupies the old driftwood building, which has a frontal facade made entirely of driftwood. We even found a giant 106 year-old rhubarb plant when we were walking around the town!

DAY 33 – In the morning we hiked up to Reid Falls and toured the Gold Rush Cemetery where all of the famous and notorious people of Skagway are buried. One man even has a large gold nugget attached to his grave, since he couldn’t take it with him.

Lunch was at the world famous Red Onion Saloon and Brothel Museum. At one time the Red Onion was considered to be the most exclusive bordello in Skagway.

After lunch we attended “The days of ’98 Show,” which is the longest running show in the North. (It started in 1923.) Since we were sitting in the front row, we even got to participate in the show.

After the show, we went with a National Park Service Ranger on a guided tour of the old Dyea town-site. (About 8 miles from Skagway on a narrow, dirt trail.) Very little is left of the original buildings and the land disturbance is quickly being reclaimed by Mother Nature. The open fields were blanketed with wild Irises; and, as it turns out, there are more different types of moss found in this area than anywhere else in the world!

Although we didn’t ride the White Pass & Yukon narrow gauge train this time, we did ride it on our last trip; so I’m including some pictures that were taken from the train. This train one of the last remaining narrow gauge railroads still offering passenger service in North America. The views are breathtaking as the train hangs on the side of sheer cliffs, passes waterfalls, goes through tunnels, and travels over high trestles. A train trip that should be on everyone’s bucket list!

Day 34 – We decided that for a change of pace we would book passage on the ferry from Skagway to Haines. The ferry ride was relaxing, the scenery was great, and it really beats driving the Alaska roads! Plus, it saved about 375 miles of driving.

Skagway Harbor

Haines Harbor

DAY 35 – You realize how small the world is when you run into old friends from Hawaii now living in Haines, Alaska!

After lunch we drove out to Chilkoot Lake to see the bears, but apparently the bears didn't get the message because they didn't show up. We did, however, see some really beautiful scenery and we watched the fishery people catch and tag fish. Also, along the road were some artistic rock sculptures that were quite unique.

Catching and Tagging Fish

Historic Fort Seward was closed and sold after WWII, but the buildings are now being refurbished and sold for housing, bed & breakfast rooms, restaurants, and museums.

Although we didn't go to Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Glacier Bay, and Ketchikan, on this trip; I am including some pictures from our last trip when we did visit these places.