Taking Hyder's only road past the Fish Creek viewing platform, we entered British Columbia once again. There was no sign to that effect, at least not in 2004, it was just understood that there was a border somewhere along the road. It was a well maintained dirt road for about twenty miles, which is where most people stopped to view Salmon Glacier from a stunning overlook. Even before reaching that point, the scenery was spectacular.
Our road followed a river created by glaciers melting in the higher elevations, crossing the river on occasion. Changing elevation and huge boulders created countless cascades and waterfalls. As we got higher, there were hanging glaciers almost everywhere we looked. Alpine heather and fireweed enhanced the scene in many locations. The highlight came when Salmon Glacier hit the mountain we were on and divided into two separate glaciers going in opposite directions. Standing above that phenomenon was a thrill that I cannot adequately describe.
Beyond the overlook, there was obviously less road maintenance. However, we wanted to explore as much as possible, so on we went, passing a tunnel or mine shaft through the mountain and even a significant rock slide. Eventually, the road deteriorated into a narrow two-track with trees and bushes scraping the side of the Pilot. Ever onward until we couldn't go farther due to a bridge that had been washed out by flood. There we stopped for lunch and enjoyed views of more glaciers. We had been told there was a tunnel underneath that last glacier, but we had no clue where the entrance might be. We did spot some grizzly footprints in the mud as we explored the area, but the only actual wildlife we saw was a hoary marmot trying to hide from us.
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