Salmon Glacier today
Map showing 71-mile Portland Canal…the border between Canada and USA
Map of Stewart, BC and its relation to Hyder, Ak and the Salmon Glacier
The first town one comes to after last chapter’s shrinking Bear glacier, is Stewart, BC. It lies at the end of the 71-mile Portland Canal (really a fjord) starting in the Pacific Ocean. The canal marks the border between Canada and the US. It was used to ship ore from the local mines long before a connecting road was built. The gold and silver mines near Hyder, AK have been shuttered for many years. Hyder fell on hard times after scheduled ferry service dropped the Portland canal in the 90’s. The population census registered 97 residents in 2000, and 48 in 2020. However, a large copper mine that shut down in 1984 when the price of copper dropped, reopened in 2014 and began shipping ore out in 2016. Because of the odd borderline, the mine is in BC but must ship ore out through the USA strip where the little town of Hyder lies. Some Hyderites now have jobs with the mining company.
Hyder 2010: The Boundary Gallery is open and a few businesses are surviving.
Hyder 2024: Gallery is closed and porch is falling off. Much of the rest of Hyder looks about the same. But the town campground survives and road is paved.
Can you tell we crossed the border into Alaska?
Stewart is managing to stay alive with a population of 517 (in 2021). It has a nice visitor center worth a stop before venturing on. If you plan to visit the Fish Creek wildlife observation site, you’ll need to buy tickets here (or in Hyder). They’re not available at the boardwalk.
Stewart grocery 2010: Apparently Swiss/German owned judging from the flags. Paint is fresh and hanging carts add color.
Same building, looking a bit shabby in 2024. A newer, larger grocery in town is taking a toll.
Outfitter shop in 2010 looks spiffy with its moose Mountie and crossed snowshoes.
Now not looking quite as prosperous. Mountie gone and snowshoes tattered.
Empty lot for sale in 2010 beside orange building.
The lot apparently never sold and is now overgrown. Classic cars are a new addition
Grizzly at Fish Creek viewing platform 2010
14 years ago, the viewing platform was free and uncrowded and it was easy to spot wildlife…grizzlies, ducks, and eagles.
Now it has been expanded to accommodate hordes of tourists and one needs to pay for access. The parking lot was overflowing for at least a mile up the road, so we passed it by. We looked for our previous riverside campsite not far from the platform, but the little road in was so overgrown we could hardly walk in, much less drive.
The 2010 campsite near the river.
Salmon Glacier is the 5th largest glacier in Canada, and shrinking fast. Glaciers in Canada and the US are remnants from a glaciation period 14,000 years ago. Until the mid-1900’s they remained somewhat stable. Now they are shrinking away due to the warmer climate. The rate of shrinkage I wanted to see for myself. When we visited 14 years ago, we spent a splendid day hiking around the edge of the Salmon glacier. The flowers were incredible and hoary marmots were abundant.
2024 Selfies at the glacier overlook parking lot. This is the spot most tourists stop, take photos, use the bathrooms, have a picnic and then turn around and drive back to Stewart.
Hoary Marmot in 2010
We even spotted a least weasel.
Least Weasel in 2010
Then, a local on a motorbike rode down to chip off an ancient piece of glacier ice for us to suck on. This year, not a single marmot squeaked, and the flowers, while lovely, were different ones than those from almost the same date years ago.
Red columbine in 2010
We camped on the old road above the glacier with a spectacular view and great weather. This road was closed by a landslide in the 1960’s and a new one built above for secure access to the mines. Since it’s not a through road, it gets very little traffic.
Camping along the old road. Only 1 bicyclist for traffic.
Looking over the cliff, we can see the dissolving glacier and a new edge road.
The next day we hiked around and down towards the valley bottom. We did see lovely flowers and the colors in the rocks are spectacular.
Dwarf fireweed, an edible plant if you’re lost on the tundra.
Alaska Moss (or Bell) Heather
Rock colors
More rock colors.
Tarn along the trail
Outcropping on the trail near the valley bottom.
Okay, what did we learn about then and now with the Salmon glacier itself.
Salmon Glacier 1975 (internet photo)
Glacier viewpoint 2010
Glacier viewpoint 2024
Same view point with lines showing various years. It’s easy to see from these photos that the rate of melting has increased dramatically. From 1975 it took 35 years to reach the 2010 level.
The glacier flows downhill and splits into two arms, the right arm going up valley and the left arm flowing down. Both are thinner than the main section, so are melting faster. Photos follow:
Right arm, 2010. Arm extends far up the valley and is fed by a side glacier just around the bend.
In 2010 the now hanging glacier fed into the right arm of the Salmon on the valley bottom.
Glacier right arm in 2024. The hanging glacier feeding it has diminished severely. A waterfall from the hanging glacier still feeds the river in the valley below.
Closer view of the waterfall and valley of disintegrating ice below.
The left arm may be shrinking even faster than the right one. Some comparisons follow.
Internet photo of the left arm of the glacier. Notice the BV in both these dated photos.
Internet photo. Not a huge difference from the 2010 photo I took that follows.
Valley shows lots of glacial till along the edges of the wide river draining from the glacier.
Today the river is narrower and the glacial till areas are covered with vegetation.
Left arm leaving the main part of the glacier in 2010
What’s left of that arm in 2024
In 2010, the tip of the left arm still had intact glacial ice reaching the outflow river.
In 2024 the end is just an out-wash of till, the ice has receded.
That’s the end of my Salmon glacier report. We Went, We Saw, We Left…saddened by the extent of global warming and by the realization humans aren’t doing much to curtail the effects. For example, in the lower 48, Glacier National Park is predicted to have no glaciers left by 2030.
Next chapter will be more of British Columbia going south.