Alaska – Page 28 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

The Worthington Glacier, Alaska (8-11-16)

Days 12 & 13 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska.

Lupe’s adventures in the Yukon were done for now. Only yesterday, she’d enjoyed an epic day climbing Mount Decoeli (7,650 ft.) in Kluane National Park. From afar, she had seen Canada’s highest mountain, Mount Logan (19,541 ft.). Today was going to be a well-deserved day of rest for the Carolina Dog. Lupe would spend much of it snoozing in the G6, while SPHP drove N.

Lupe was on her way to Alaska!

Lupe's morning on 8-10-16 started near Kluane Lake in Kluane National Park in the Yukon. Mount Decoeli, which Lupe had climbed the day before, is seen here on the far (L) across Kluane Lake. Photo looks SE. — Lupe’s morning on 8-10-16 started near Kluane Lake in Kluane National Park in the Yukon. Mount Decoeli, which Lupe had climbed the day before, is seen here on the far (L) across Kluane Lake. Photo looks SE.

Lupe at Kluane Lake in the Yukon. Photo looks SSE.

Lupe and SPHP made frequent stops along the way. Sometimes Lupe stopped at scenic highlights. More often, SPHP was forced to stop due to road construction. The Alaska Highway had buckled and heaved in many places. Lupe & SPHP spent a good deal of time following pilot cars across dusty, torn-up, sections of road. All the way, fascinating Yukon scenery was right outside the window of the G6.

Mountains of the Saint Elias range. Not a bad bit of scenery to enjoy while waiting for the pilot car to appear! Photo looks SW.

When Lupe crossed the mighty Donjek River, SPHP was stuck following a pilot car and couldn’t stop. Farther N, she did get to stop and see the White River.

The vast floodplain of the White River. Photo looks downstream toward the NE.

The frost-heaved road, and all the construction made driving slow, but there was no real hurry. By early afternoon, Lupe reached the border crossing from Canada into Alaska. SPHP was disappointed when there was no colorful “Welcome to Alaska!” sign Lupe could pose by, only a dull, wordy, official sign at U.S. customs. Oh well, at least there were no problems crossing the border.

Just being in Alaska was exciting! Lupe had technically already been to a tiny piece of Alaska at Hyder on her way to see the Salmon Glacier, but now she was about to travel hundreds of miles across America’s largest, wildest, and most remote state. The feeling was almost spine-tingling. Who knew what adventures awaited Lupe in the Last Frontier State?

At Tok, Lupe left the Alaska Highway when SPHP turned S on the Tok Cut-off. Near the SW end of the Tok Cut-off, Lupe got to see the Copper River from a high bluff. If there hadn’t been so many clouds, Lupe might also have seen some of the giant snow and ice-capped peaks in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park & Preserve.

Lupe at the Copper River in Alaska. Photo looks W or SW in the downstream direction.

The Copper River from a pullout along the Tok Cut-off. Clouds prevented Lupe from seeing giant snow-capped peaks to the S in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Photo looks upstream. — The Copper River from a pullout along the Tok Cut-off. Clouds prevented Lupe from seeing giant snow-capped peaks to the S in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Photo looks upstream.

Near Gulkana, Lupe reached the Richardson Highway (No. 4). SPHP took it going S toward Valdez. By late evening, Lupe was approaching the Worthington Glacier. It was an impressive sight, even from the highway!

Upper reaches of the Worthington Glacier as seen from the Richardson Highway. Photo looks WSW.

Worthington Glacier. Photo looks WSW using the telephoto lens.

Lupe’s long day of rest traveling through the Yukon into Alaska was almost over. Tomorrow she would have several options, among them the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. Where she would go would be decided tomorrow morning. Until then, Lupe and SPHP settled in for the night.

The next morning did not bring good news. The sky was socked in with low clouds. A light mist was falling. Conditions did not seem conducive to a hike near the Worthington Glacier. SPHP drove over Thompson Pass toward Valdez. In Keystone Canyon, many amazing, beautiful waterfalls tumbled down the mountainsides. Lupe stopped briefly for a closer look at Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls.

Lupe at the base of Horsetail Falls. Both Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls can be viewed from pullouts along the Richardson Highway in Keystone Canyon on the way to Valdez. They are no more than 0.5 mile apart, but on opposite sides of the highway.

By the time Lupe reached Valdez, it was raining harder. The rain wasn’t heavy, but it was steady. With the rain falling, there wasn’t any urgency to do anything outdoors. SPHP dropped by the local Safeway store, and bought a roasted chicken to share with Lupe. Oddly, she wasn’t hungry. She refused any chicken. That seemed strange, but OK. Lupe and SPHP watched the rain fall, while SPHP consumed part of the chicken.

It was soon apparent why Lupe didn’t want any chicken. Without warning, she threw up. Poor, Loopster wasn’t feeling well! SPHP cleaned up her soiled blanket, then took Lupe out for a short walk in the rain to let her get anything else bad out of her system. She seemed to feel better.

There were a couple of awesome adventures near Valdez that SPHP was hoping Lupe might be able to do. One was to take the trail to Shoup Bay to see the Shoup Glacier and Kittiwake rookery. To do the whole trail was a long day hike, but maybe Lupe could do it tomorrow, if the weather cleared up.

The other adventure had been suggested by Richard Baker, whom Lupe had met on Mount Decoeli in the Yukon. Richard had highly recommended taking a cruise on Prince William Sound aboard the Lu-Lu Belle to see the Columbia Glacier, the second largest tidewater glacier in North America. Whales, eagles and other wildlife are sometimes seen from the Lu-Lu Belle, too.

Lupe had to wait in the G6, while SPHP went into the Lu-Lu Belle office to inquire about the Columbia Glacier tour. The receptionist was very courteous and friendly. She said the Lu-Lu Belle goes to the Columbia Glacier every day in season, pretty much regardless of the weather. The cost was $125 per person for an approximately 7 hour long tour aboard the luxury yacht.

It all sounded wonderful! Time for the big question. What about Lupe? Bad news. Lupe couldn’t go. They had dog-sitting services available, but the tour was a no-go for poor Looper.

No doubt it would have been a fantastic excursion, but if Lupe wasn’t going on the Lu-Lu Belle, neither was SPHP. This isn’t The (Mostly) True Adventures of SPHP, you know! So that was that, but before leaving the Lu-Lu Belle office, SPHP asked about the weather forecast.

The receptionist looked up the Valdez forecast on her computer. 100% chance of rain today and each of the next four days, then dropping to only 80%, 70%, and 40% for the three following days. She then said it had already been raining in Valdez for 3 straight weeks.

Yikes! That changed everything. Lupe and SPHP were willing to wait out a day or two of poor weather, but sitting around for more than a whole week of rain made no sense. SPHP returned to Lupe with the glum news. No Lu-Lu Belle, no Shoup Glacier, no Worthington Glacier. What to do?

If the Alaskan coast was going to be socked in with rain for another week or more, the only thing SPHP could think of doing was to head back inland. It meant Lupe wouldn’t get to do any of the cool stuff near Valdez on this trip, but Alaska is a huge place. There were other adventures in store for Lupe elsewhere.

Unfortunately, there was no point in hanging around Valdez. Amid rain and mist, Lupe and SPHP left town to start the long drive inland again on the Richardson Highway. Once again, Lupe traveled along the Lowe River, up Keystone Canyon, past Horsetail, Bridal Veil, and lots of other gorgeous waterfalls. She crossed Thompson Pass, and took a last glance at the Worthington Glacier as SPHP drove on by.

Wait a minute! The sky was still completely overcast, but only the tops of the mountains were in the clouds. The Worthington Glacier was in view. It was barely misting here. SPHP turned the G6 around. Lupe was going to get to see the Worthington Glacier after all! If the rain would hold off for only a few hours, a little mist wouldn’t stop an American Dingo!

SPHP drove back to the Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site. A dozen other vehicles were in the parking lot. People were coming and going. Nearly all of them were taking the short nature trail down to a viewpoint where the toe of the glacier could be seen. Nice, but not what Lupe had come for.

Lupe was here to take the much longer Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail, which goes W for a mile and a half, or more, on a ridge S of the glacier. Lupe and SPHP could see a couple hikers coming down the ridge trail. When they got to the start of the trail at the parking lot, SPHP talked to them. How were conditions up on the ridge? How far had they gone? Was anyone else up there right now?

Conditions were cloudy, a bit damp and rainy at times. They had made it all the way to what they considered the end of the trail. The glacier views were spectacular. Not another soul was up on the trail now. They were the last ones down.

Wonderful, that settled it! Lupe and SPHP started up the ridge.

Lupe starts up the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. Photo looks W.

The Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail began climbing along the top of a very narrow ridge with steep sides. To the S (L) was a very green valley of mixed alder and tundra. To the N (R) was the valley the Worthington Glacier flows down. The trail followed the ridgeline W. As Lupe gained elevation, the views of the Worthington Glacier up ahead became progressively more impressive.

The very green mixed alder and tundra valley on the S (L) side of the trail is shown well here. Part of the trail leaves the ridge near unstable cliffs to travel safely through this valley a little way before returning to the ridge. Lupe loved the green valley, but there were mosquitoes down there. They weren't too bad. Up on the ridge, a breeze blew them away. Photo looks W. — The very green mixed alder and tundra valley on the S (L) side of the trail is shown well here. Part of the trail leaves the ridge near unstable cliffs to travel safely through this valley a little way before returning to the ridge. Lupe loved the green valley, but there were mosquitoes down there. They weren’t too bad. Up on the ridge, a breeze blew them away. Photo looks W.

As Lupe climbed, the views of the Worthington Glacier steadily improved. The big rounded hump seen ahead on the L looked like it might be the end of the trail. Photo looks WNW.

The Worthington Glacier has two arms, separated by the ridge of rock seen on the upper R. Near the lower end of the glacier, both arms drop steeply as seen here. A little farther up, the glacier is one big river of ice. Photo looks NW.

Gotta love that beautiful blue glacier ice!

The ridge trail left the ridge temporarily to bypass dangerous cliffs. It entered the green valley of mixed alders and tundra. There were a few mosquitoes down here to deal with, but they weren’t too bad. They were pretty much limited to the valley on this day. A breeze kept them from being much of a bother up on the ridge.

Lupe loved the green valley! SPHP thought it was great, too. The valley was full of wildflowers. The tiny, delicate plants growing on the tundra were fascinating. They were so incredibly varied and colorful!

Bright wildflowers in the lush green valley S of the ridge.

For Lupe, the beautiful green valley was one of her favorite parts of the whole Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. The glacier isn't in view here, but it can be seen from virtually everywhere else on the ridge trail. Lupe was completely convinced the wildflowers and tundra were worth seeing, too! Photo looks E. — For Lupe, the beautiful green valley was one of her favorite parts of the whole Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. The glacier isn’t in view here, but it can be seen from virtually everywhere else on the ridge trail. Lupe was completely convinced the wildflowers and tundra were worth seeing, too! Photo looks E.

Delicate, vibrant little plants of the tundra. They were only an inch or two high.

Before long, the trail left Lupe’s lush, green valley and returned to the ridge. The Worthington Glacier was always in view from here on. The trail headed up toward a high, barren, rounded mound of dark colored soil and rock. It looked like that hill might be the end of the trail. The climb up to the top was steep!

Back on the ridge again, the Worthington Glacier was always in view.

Lovely blue crevasses as seen with a little help from the telephoto lens.

As Lupe climbed the last high, barren, rounded hill, she had this view of the Worthington Glacier as a single river of ice above where the glacier split in two. Photo looks WNW.

Near the top of the last high, barren, rounded hill. From below, this hill looked like it might be the end of the trail. Maybe it is the end of the formal trail, but Lupe found out it was possible to go quite a long way farther. Cairns showed the way. Photo looks W.

Lupe reached the top of the high, barren, rounded hill. The trail leveled out and went right on over it. At first, SPHP wasn’t certain if the trail continued or not. Lupe and SPHP left the ridgeline to explore farther W along the N side of a mountain. Others had been this way, too. The terrain was rocky and uneven. There was no longer a distinct, continuous trail, but now and then Lupe came to cairns along the way.

Part of the time, Lupe was traveling over relatively level, wide, rock shelves. Other times, she had to climb steep slopes. Lupe passed by occasional bright patches of wildflowers. Some places bright green moss clung to dark rocks next to trickling waterfalls. To the S was the mountain. To the N, Lupe looked down upon the Worthington Glacier. And to the W, Lupe’s route rose toward a white, gray and black world of clouds, snow, ice, and dark earth.

As Lupe explored farther W above the Worthington Glacier, she sometimes came to colorful patches of wildflowers in an otherwise bleak world. Photo looks WNW.

Wildflowers bring a splash of color to the Worthington Glacier.

A mighty American Dingo explores the harsh environment of the Worthington Glacier! Actually, the worst Lupe had to face was some light rain and heavy mist that came and went. The temperature wasn't that bad, either - maybe in the upper 40's °F. Photo looks WNW. — A mighty American Dingo explores the harsh environment of the Worthington Glacier! Actually, the worst Lupe had to face was some light rain and heavy mist that came and went. The temperature wasn’t that bad, either – maybe in the upper 40’s °F. Photo looks WNW.

A glacial tsunami surges over the lip of a vast bowl of snow and ice above. Lupe had seen what was higher up from the Richardson Highway yesterday evening, but the upper part of the glacier wasn't visible now. Photo looks WNW. — A glacial tsunami surges over the lip of a vast bowl of snow and ice above. Lupe had seen what was higher up from the Richardson Highway yesterday evening, but the upper part of the glacier wasn’t visible now. Photo looks WNW.

A really big cairn beckons, showing the way ahead. Photo looks W.

Lupe reaches the really big cairn. She kept going for a considerable distance from here. Smaller cairns continued to confirm her route. Photo looks NW.

After traveling a considerable distance along the mountainside, Lupe reached a really big cairn at a high point. SPHP thought maybe the big cairn meant Lupe was getting close to the end of how far she was going to be able to go W.

This wasn’t the end yet, though. Onward! The slope of the terrain lessened. Lupe still had to climb some, but gained elevation more slowly than before. The bold, damp Carolina Dog went on and on. Small cairns marked the route. The farther Lupe went, the more streams of rain and meltwater she encountered pouring over the rocks.

At last, it could be seen that Lupe was nearing a point where she would be surrounded by snow and ice on 3 sides.

Through light rain and mist, Lupe presses on toward the end. Soon she would be surrounded by snow and ice on 3 sides. Photo looks W.

Lupe reached the end of how far she could go W. The view was stupendous, even on a cloudy, drizzly day. Beneath the misty clouds, the sense of grandeur, solitude, and isolation was supreme. Snow, ice, mist, and dark rocks comprised the whole visible world.

To the SW, a big patch of pink snow was close at hand. SPHP was chilly enough, but the hot-blooded Carolina Dog thought a frolic on the snow would be fun!

A hot-blooded Carolina Dog frolics on a patch of pink snow at the end of the line. The glacier, no doubt, melted a little more from this abuse.

Looking back down the Worthington Glacier from close to the W end of Lupe's advance. The Richardson Highway is seen far below. Photo looks ENE. — Looking back down the Worthington Glacier from close to the W end of Lupe’s advance. The Richardson Highway is seen far below. Photo looks ENE.

Lupe at the end of the line. The Worthington Glacier flows down from higher still, but this was as far as Lupe could go. Photo looks NW.

After the Carolina Dog had cooled down sufficiently, Lupe and SPHP stood at the final high point Lupe reached, contemplating the Worthington Glacier and enjoying this rare, exquisite moment.

As SPHP looked around, it looked like Lupe might be able to go back to the SE, and climb 200 feet higher on the mountainside above. Any higher up than that, the mountain was buried beneath deep, pristine snow. Lupe might have seen more from up on the mountainside, but SPHP decided against it.

On a clear, bright day, the additional climb would have been worth it, but everything was wet and slippery now. A cold, light rain was falling. Even if Lupe had climbed higher, clouds and fog might easily have negated any benefit. In truth, Lupe was lucky the weather had cooperated enough to let her get this far. She’d had an unexpectedly wonderful day.

Lupe and SPHP stayed for a while at the far W end of Lupe's advance contemplating this slow-moving river of ancient ice and snow known as the Worthington Glacier. Photo looks NW. — Lupe and SPHP stayed for a while at the far W end of Lupe’s advance contemplating this slow-moving river of ancient ice and snow known as the Worthington Glacier. Photo looks NW.

Lupe thinking deep thoughts at the end of the line – *There hasn’t been a squirrel here in 25,000 years!*

Lupe stands near the small cairn at the end of her Worthington Glacier exploration. Photo looks NE.

There was only one way back, which was to retrace Lupe’s entire route up here. Of course, going in the reverse direction provided a different perspective. One thing didn’t change. Lupe continued sniffing and exploring. Even SPHP stopped to examine a few details along the way.

Bright green moss grew near trickling waterfalls.

The really big cairn is seen ahead, this time to the E.

Lupe explores near a patch of wildflowers. At least there was something worth sniffing! Photo looks E.

Don't jump, Loop! You forgot your SUPER DINGO cape! — *Don’t jump, Loop! You forgot your SUPER DINGO cape!*

Looking NE. The weather wasn't really improving on the return trip. — Looking NE. The weather wasn’t really improving on the return trip.

Lupe back on the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail on top of the high, barren hill. Photo looks ENE.

Uh, Lupe did mention that the route up the high, barren, rounded hill was sort of steep, didn't she? Photo looks E. — Uh, Lupe did mention that the route up the high, barren, rounded hill was sort of steep, didn’t she? Photo looks E.

What makes that glacial blue so appealing, anyway?

Four or five hours after she’d left, Lupe was back at the G6. Her adventure on the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail had been a very worthwhile success! SPHP was so glad she’d done it!

The long trek had cured any remaining queasiness from earlier in the day. Lupe was famished! She made up for having missed breakfast by doing more than her fair share helping SPHP devour every last bit of the leftover roasted chicken. Once full of chicken, Lupe felt a tad sleepy.

Full of roasted chicken, Lupe passed out in the G6.

Digesting all that chicken took awhile. Lupe had a nice long Dingo nap. By the time she woke up, it was evening. There was still time, though, to take the short nature trail to the viewpoint looking up at the S toe of the Worthington Glacier from below.

The trail to the viewpoint took only a few minutes. There were, however, unofficial trails that people had made going closer to the glacier. Naturally, Lupe and SPHP thought it a good idea to go find out what could be seen along them.

The unofficial trails were wet, muddy and slick. They climbed an incredible jumble of rocks. The terrain looked like an explosion had taken place. Of course, there hadn’t been any explosion. The rocks were just as they had been unceremoniously dumped at the not-too-long-ago terminal moraine of the Worthington Glacier.

Among the rocky debris left by the retreat of the Worthington Glacier. Photo looks W.

Lupe got close enough to see the toe of the glacier. Photo looks W.

S toe of the Worthington Glacier in Alaska.

After scrambling over the jumble of rock close enough to get a good look at the S toe of the glacier, there was one more thing to go see. Earlier, on the way back to the G6, while Lupe was still way up high on the ridge trail, SPHP had noticed a very long stream of water cascading down the lower N side of the Worthington Glacier valley.

From above, the stream of water had presented a rather bizarre optical illusion. It looked like the water cascaded up and over a ridge of solid rock! Simply impossible, but that was how it had looked to SPHP. Lupe wasn’t far now from the bottom of that stream. Time to go take a closer look!

Lupe at the bottom of the anti-gravity waterfall. Everything was normal, the water fell down, not up. Photo looks N.

When Lupe got to the base of the falls, everything was normal. The water fell down, not up. Which is how it should be, and always will be. The mystery wasn’t completely solved for SPHP, because the part of the long stream that had seemed to cascade uphill was out of sight much higher up. Illusion that it no doubt was, this stream had earned the nickname “Anti-gravity Creek” as far as SPHP was concerned.

It had been quite a day at the Worthington Glacier for Loopster, but it was getting dark. The rain was starting up again. Almost back at the G6, SPHP thought of one more thing Lupe might want to check out. When SPHP turned and headed toward the glacier once more, Lupe let out a single, no-nonsense woof!

She’d had enough! Time to dry off and get some shut-eye! Meekly, SPHP obeyed. Back to the G6. Sometimes Dingoes know best!

*SPHP, you might want to have your eyes checked! Water falls down, got that? Down!*

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The Salmon Glacier near Hyder, Alaska (8-5-16)

Day 7 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska.

Lupe and SPHP hit the road again early (6:20 AM), still heading NW on Yellowhead Hwy No. 16. A cool, light rain fell under overcast skies. Lupe was happy. Vast forests continued to dominate, but every now and then the Carolina Dog had an opportunity to bark at cows or horses in fields near the road. The miles flew by.

The day seemed to be getting darker, instead of brighter, when Lupe passed through Smithers in rain and fog. High mountains were close to Smithers, the first high mountains Lupe had seen since before reaching Prince George yesterday. Lupe was approaching adventure territory once again!

On the way to New Hazelton, the rain stopped. The skies started clearing. It was going to be a bright day after all! After passing through New Hazelton, Yellowhead Highway No. 16 turned SW for a while. Lupe and SPHP stopped for a short break at Sealy Lake. A sign told of an ancient water-grizzly named Medeek.

This plaque at Sealy Lake tells of the ancient water-grizzly Medeek.

Lupe went down to Sealy Lake. The lake was a small one with reeds near the shore. Impressive mountains were near Sealy Lake to the SE, but they weren’t what held SPHP’s interest. Across Sealy Lake, mountains with large snowfields on them were seen in the distance to the W. Before Lupe reached those mountains, she would turn N on the Cassiar Highway No. 37.

Lupe at Sealy Lake. Before she reached the mountains seen in the distance beyond the lake, Lupe would turn N on the Cassiar Highway No. 37. Photo looks W.

A little later on, Lupe was there, at the junction. Getting to the Cassiar Highway No. 37 was kind of a big deal. The Cassiar was going to be Lupe’s road to adventure!

Lupe at a sign near the junction of Yellowhead Highway No. 16, which she had been following ever since leaving Jasper in Alberta, and the Cassiar Highway No. 37.

Lupe about to head N on the Cassiar Highway No. 37.

As Lupe and SPHP traveled N on Cassiar Highway No. 37, mountains and forests soon took over completely. Gone were the fields of haystacks, cows and horses. The highway went by beautiful lakes and rivers. Lupe missed the cows and horses, and eventually fell asleep.

At Meziadin Junction, SPHP turned W on Hwy 37A, a 61 km spur road to Stewart, British Columbia. Along the way, Lupe got to see the Bear Glacier.

Lupe got to see the Bear Glacier across Strohn Lake from Hwy 37A on the way to Stewart. Photo looks SW.

The Bear Glacier with a little help from the telephoto lens.

Farther on, Hwy 37A crossed a bridge over the Bear River just before entering the small border town of Stewart, British Columbia. The Bear River valley was impressive. Lupe and SPHP got out of the G6 to take a look.

Lupe near Stewart, British Columbia. Photo looks N up the impressive Bear River valley.

Stewart is a small town at the end of the Portland Canal, a long narrow arm (a fjord, essentially) of the Pacific Ocean. Only 3 km from Stewart, Lupe entered the even smaller town of Hyder, Alaska. Alaska became Lupe’s 12th US Dingo State!

Hyder, Alaska has two main attractions, other than being on the Portland Canal. A few miles N of Hyder is the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site. For $5 per day, visitors can view wildlife from a raised wooden observation platform along Fish Creek. Wild bears feeding on salmon in Fish Creek are the big draw.

Although Lupe would have loved barking ferociously at grizzly bears from the safety of a raised platform, this would no doubt have been frowned upon by the park service and every other site visitor. Nevertheless, SPHP stopped briefly at the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site to ask directions to Hyder’s other main attraction, the Salmon Glacier.

The directions were easy. Just keep following the road past the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site. About 16 miles from Hyder, the road reaches an observation point with a tremendous view overlooking the Salmon Glacier. Interestingly, although the road through Hyder, Alaska and past Fish Creek provides the only access to the Salmon Glacier, the glacier itself is actually a short distance over the Canadian border in British Columbia.

The sky was crystal clear blue as Lupe and SPHP drove up the gravel road. The road went N following the Salmon River valley, climbing ever higher up on the mountain slopes on the E side of the valley. Traffic was surprisingly heavy, and raised long-lingering clouds of dust. There were numerous small pullouts at viewpoints along the way. Finally, the Salmon Glacier came into view.

The Salmon Glacier comes into view from the road to the main viewpoint. A helicopter is seen flying up the valley. Photo looks N.

Impressive as it is, this first part of the glacier to come into view is only a small part of the whole Salmon Glacier.

The S tongue of the Salmon Glacier which came into view first was impressive, but is only a small part of the entire glacier. The scene became more and more amazing as Lupe neared the main Salmon Glacier viewpoint.

The main viewpoint was crowded when Lupe arrived. A dozen vehicles were parked along the road and in a small parking area. Two dozen or more people were milling around checking out the view. Lupe and SPHP ignored the dust and commotion, as much as possible. Lupe waited for a turn up on a small rise with a panoramic glacier view.

Wow! The Salmon Glacier was absolutely stunning! The huge white glacier, streaked with dark gray rock and tinges of blue, flows down a high wide valley surrounded by mountains straight toward the viewpoint. Hundreds of feet below, the giant glacier splits into a forked tongue. The larger end flows S (L) down the Salmon River valley. The smaller N (R) end flows into a depression filled earlier in the year by Summit Lake.

Lupe at the main Salmon Glacier viewpoint near the highest point on the access road. Photo looks W.

The Salmon Glacier is in British Columbia, Canada, although the only access road to this amazing viewpoint goes through Hyder, Alaska.

The Salmon Glacier was a glorious sight! What wasn’t glorious was how busy the main viewpoint was. Vehicles kept coming and going raising all kinds of dust. A road which goes 10 miles farther past the main viewpoint, was closed for construction. Construction equipment made more dust and noise as it rumbled by. Several helicopters flew back and forth, apparently in connection with the construction.

A two year old tyrant among the throng of tourists had learned to screech commands every 20 or 30 seconds at his willingly subservient parents. A grandma in the same family pleaded with 2 older girls to please come and stand by her for a photo. After all, grandma had bought them lots of nice things, hadn’t she? With nothing new in it for them, the girls pouted and declined to have anything to do with grandma.

Lupe loved one part of all these goings on – the helicopters! Lupe loves helicopters. In particular, she loves to run below them barking furiously to chase them away. With all the helicopters buzzing around, Lupe was only adding to the general tumult.

Several helicopters kept flying around near the main Salmon Glacier viewpoint, apparently in connection with road construction. Lupe loves barking at helicopters! The American Dingo’s frantic yelping only added to the annoying din at the main viewpoint.

Fortunately, SPHP remembered reading online that there is an unmaintained trail going up the mountainside to the E of the Salmon Glacier viewpoint. The views would be even more spectacular up there! Lupe could bark at helicopters all she wanted to, far from the crowd. Lupe and SPHP left the little parking lot (1:51 PM, 66°F), quickly finding several informal trails winding up the mountainside.

Making the climb above the parking lot was a great decision. As Lupe and SPHP gained hundreds of feet of elevation, the noise, dust, brats and general commotion at the main viewpoint faded away. Helicopters still flew by, even closer than down below, greatly entertaining Lupe. She raced around barking for all she was worth, not bothering anyone.

Lupe and SPHP stopped for short breaks on a couple of hills hundreds feet above the road. Peace and tranquility reigned. Missing these incredible views from on high would have been a shame!

The upper end of the Salmon Glacier. Photo looks W using the telephoto lens.

Lupe atop one of the two hills where she took her first short breaks. Photo looks SW.

Looking NW now. Part of the N tongue of the Salmon Glacier is seen below.

Fields of flowers watered by tiny streams and ponds were in view beyond the small hills where Lupe took her first short breaks. When her breaks were done, Lupe went SSE exploring this vibrant, colorful territory. She climbed even higher up to a massive knob of rock where she found a big cairn. To the SE, Lupe could see the snow-capped summit of Mount Dilworth (5,446 ft.).

Lupe in the fields of flowers on her way to the knob of rock seen on the L. Photo looks SE.

Wildflowers on the slopes of Mount Dilworth.

Lupe on the rock knob. The snow-capped summit of Mount Dilworth is in view. Photo looks SE.

Lupe on the highest rock knob she visited on the slopes of Mount Dilworth. Photo looks N.

The Salmon Glacier as viewed from the highest rock knob Lupe reached on the slopes of Mount Dilworth. Lupe stands by the big cairn she found here. Photo looks W.

The upper end of the Salmon Glacier as seen from Lupe’s highest point of advance up Mount Dilworth. Photo looks W using the telephoto lens.

Salmon Glacier ice viewed through the telephoto lens.

From the rock knob, the views were amazing, not only toward the Salmon Glacier, but in every direction. The day was very warm and sunny. Conditions were ideal. For a little while, SPHP toyed with the idea of climbing Mount Dilworth with Lupe. It looked easy, but maybe the huge snowfield at the top was actually quite dangerous? Falling into a crevasse would be the end. Best to leave it alone.

So Lupe made no attempt to climb Mount Dilworth, despite how tempting it looked. Instead, the Carolina Dog had fun among flowers, fields, and streams on the way back down to the main Salmon Glacier viewpoint along the road. The return trip was a wonderful time full of beautiful sights.

Lupe on the way back down the slopes of Mount Dilworth. Photo looks NW.

Yes, this is what Dingo Vacations are all about!

Salmon Glacier from the slopes of Mount Dilworth. Photo looks W.

When Lupe reached the main Salmon Glacier viewpoint back at the road, a new bit of excitement was going on. Someone had accidentally dropped their camera far down a steep slope, and attempting to retrieve it, managed to get themselves stuck in a precarious position. A rescue operation was in progress.

While everyone else was gathered in one spot talking about the rescue, Lupe and SPHP walked over to a hill offering a better view of the N tongue of the glacier. Every year, typically in mid-July, this part of the Salmon Glacier unleashes a major natural hazard.

In spring and early summer, Summit Lake forms from meltwaters backed up by an ice-dam at the N end of the glacier. As temperatures warm, Summit Lake eventually breaks through the ice-dam. The lake then drains to the S beneath the Salmon Glacier, flooding the Salmon River where water levels rise suddenly by 4 or 5 feet for several days.

Since it was August, Summit Lake had already broken through the ice-dam and drained away. Lupe could still see where Summit Lake had been, though. A small area of gray green water remained at the bottom of a depression surrounded by collapsed ice and snow. The former high water level was easy to see on the side of the mountain above.

Lupe saw this view of the gray green waters surrounded by collapsed snow and ice remaining after the natural draining of Summit Lake under the Salmon Glacier in July. It’s easy to see the typical high water line of Summit Lake along the base of the mountain slope on the L. Photo looks NW.

Collapsed snow and ice around the remains of Summit Lake.

Lupe’s visit to the Salmon Glacier had been a most memorable occasion, but it was time to move on (4:07 PM, 76°F). Lupe and SPHP made a few more stops at viewpoints on the way back to Hyder while the glorious Salmon Glacier was still in view.

Looking WNW at the huge sweeping curve of the Salmon Glacier for the last time.

S tongue of the Salmon Glacier. Photo looks N.

On the way back to Hyder, the G6 said the temperature hit an incredible 84°F outside. SPHP fretted uselessly about the ultimate fate of the Salmon Glacier. Things cooled off closer to Hyder, perhaps influenced by the nearby presence of the ocean.

Lupe hadn’t seen the ocean since visiting the Washington and Oregon coasts during her Summer of 2012 Dingo Vacation nearly 4 years ago. So when Lupe got back to Hyder, Alaska, SPHP drove her over to the end of the wharf to see the Portland Canal.

Lupe stands on a bench at the end of the wharf in Hyder, Alaska. Beyond her is the Portland Canal, an arm of the North Pacific Ocean. This was the first time Lupe had seen the ocean since she was only 1.5 years old on her 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast. Photo looks SW.

Looking NE from Hyder, Alaska toward Stewart, British Columbia at the end of the Portland Canal.

Lupe’s adventure to Hyder, Alaska and the Salmon Glacier was done. Lupe and SPHP went back through Canadian customs returning to Stewart in British Columbia. Although it was late afternoon already, the long Canadian summer days meant there were still hours of daylight left.

Lupe and SPHP left Stewart taking Hwy 37A back past the Bear Glacier to Meziadin Junction. After gassing the G6 up, Lupe’s long journey N on Cassiar Highway No. 37 resumed. Each mile took the Carolina Dog farther N than she had ever been before.

Daylight was fading by the time Lupe crossed a big bridge over a river that looked like it was running very low. Beyond the bridge was the Bell 1 rest stop. SPHP pulled in. Time for a quick dinner before dark. For some reason, Lupe wanted to stay in the G6. Was she just tired, or was it true?

A guy from Dease Lake had been talking to SPHP. He said his big brown dog sensed bears nearby, and claimed these woods were full of bears. He also talked about how the weather was changing. Last winter this area had received only 4 feet of snow. Ten years ago, typical total winter snowfall used to be 15 meters (49 feet). Another bad sign for the Salmon Glacier.

Well, that’s why we are here now, Looper! To see it all while fate and fortune still smile upon us, and these fabulous natural wonders of the world remain.

The Salmon Glacier from the slopes of Mount Dilworth.

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