stewart

Road into Stewart

Abbreviated version of my conversation with the caretaker at the Ripley Creek Inn, Weds before the long weekend:

Me: "Hello, I'd like to inquire about any vacancies you have for the long weekend.  We're looking for 2 pet-friendly rooms"

Hotel lady: "This weekend?  You know it's supposed to rain?"

Me: "Yes, that's ok.  We live is Rupert.  Rain isn't a problem.  Do you have any rooms?"

Hotel lady: "There's still snow here.  You can't do any hiking.  The bears aren't here yet.  There is only one restaurant open.  There might be avalanches."

Me: "Ummm.  Ok.  That's fine.  I'm just wondering if you have any rooms"

Hotel lady: "Yes we do.  I just want you to realize what you're getting yourself into."

And so begun our Easter weekend in Stewart.  I'd never had someone try so hard to convince me not to visit.  No matter, our minds were made up.  After our road-trip along Highway 37 (read about it here!), we arrived in Stewart, BC.

Streets of Stewart 

Stewart Scenes

The truth is this:  if you're only going to visit Stewart one time in your life, late April may not be a prime time to go.  You'd probably want to choose mid- to late-summer when the bears can be seen pouncing on salmon in Fish Creek, the trails up to the mountains and glaciers are open and the Stewart Toaster Museum (for real, this exists) is open.  But there was a certain charm about visiting during this quiet time of year.  We walked down the middle of the road.  We ate at the two (the hotel lady lied) restaurants in town.  We had the boardwalk in the estuary to ourselves and even spotted a mountain bluebird.  We drank beer on the back deck of the charming Ripley Creek Inn and watched the newly arrived songbirds try to make sense of the still chilly landscape.  It didn't rain at all (hotel lady lie number 2).  It was kind of great.

Boardwalk through the estuary

MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD! YES!

Estuary paparazzi

Estuary

Deedee the wonder corgi

Stewart is an old mining town that is in an endearing state of disrepair. Rusty relics and chipped-paint wood siding decorate the streets and buildings. The mountains loom large on all side of the town. Next door is the somewhat less charming-more creepy town of Hyder, Alaska (another post that you'll just have to wait for); both are situated at the end of the Portland Canal.

The drive into Stewart is one of the highlights.  We were lucky to have clear weather on the days we drove in and out, and had a chance to ogle at the 20 glaciers that dot the mountains along the road...and the avalanches (hotel lady was right about that).  Most spectacular of the roadside glaciers in the Bear Glacier- located across a small lake from the road.  The Salmon Glacier, located past Hyder, is even larger and more stunning but unfortunately due to late the snow we couldn't access it.  Next time.

Avalanches along the road 

Bear Glacier

Should you be heading to Stewart, here are a few things to know:

• There are two hotels in town.  Choose the Ripley Creek Inn if you can.  It's cute and charming and homey.  The other choice may be less so, I hear. 
• The BC Liquor Store is tiny but has an incredible beer selection and tons of stuff on sale.  We were like kids in a candy store.
• All postcards in Stewart and Hyder were printed in approximately 1974.  This makes them awesome.
• Brekkie at the King Eddy cafe isn't terrible.  Dinner is a different, less pleasant story.  ;)