Stewart BC -- Historic Gateway to Alaska
Trip Start
Dec 28, 2008
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186
Trip End
Ongoing
Stewart BC,
Canada
Thursday, October 5, 2006
Arriving in historic Stewart, BC, even at night, brings with it a certain sense of excitement.
Pumped by the beautiful drive, highlighted by the spectacular sight of the fifth largest glacier in North America -Bear Glacier, this is a no brainer.
Add to that the stunning location of Stewart, at the head of the 40 km Portland Canal and its proximity to Hyder, Alaska and Alaska's Misty Fjords National Park and it makes for a unique venue to enjoy a frontier-type of town steeped in history.
A large sign as one approaches Stewart also of course helps because the list of activities and facilities is impressive, if a bit exaggerated.
Among the virtues of Stewart are listed:
Hanging Glaciers, Breathtaking Waterfalls, Raging Rivers, Dazzling Rock Formations, Giant Grizzly Bears, Wild Spawning Salmon, Majestic Bald Eagles, Elusive Mountain Goats, Bird Watcher's Paradise, World Class Snow Mobiling, Heli-Skiing Opportunities, Deep Sea Port, Ocean Fishing Charters, Boat Launch Facilities, Superb Hotels and Motels, RV Parks and Camping, Bus and Charter Services, Fabulous Restaurants, Hiking Trails, Alpine Guided Trails, Information Center, Estuary Boardwalk, Bed and Breakfast, Grocery, Post Office, Service Stations, Banks, Churches, Museums
And "Don't miss Bear Glacier, Granduc Rd., Salmon Glacier, Fish Creek Bears"
I have traveled to a lot of places and I don't think I have ever seen a list like this before.
Was there anything left out? In retrospect, I can think of only one thing -- they should have added -"Home of Frank Kamermans" (see next entry: The Ripley Creek Inn and the Estuary)
The most relevant historical fact about Stewart is that in the early 1900's as many as 10,000 inhabitants lived here as the result of a gold rush.
01-arrival
Since then the population has decreased considerably and the town has lived a boom or bust cycle tied closely to the fortunes of mining.Major mines in the area which have been the economic engine for the area include Premier Gold, Big Missouri and Granduc Copper.
Great sites for further info:
http://www.stewart-hyder.com/stewart.html
http://www.stewart-hyder.com/hyder.html
http://www.stewart-hyder.com/stewart.html
http://www.stewartbc.com/granduc.htm
