Welcome to my website! Enjoy and have a great ride....

3 Reasons why you should ride a motorcycle to Salmon Glacier in Canada

Season 6 : Project Alaska

1 October 2022

By far, my favorite motorcycle ride in Western Canada was to Salmon Glacier, British Columbia. I'd never even heard of this place, so I was incredibly happy I somehow decided to check out this area. In case you've never heard of it either, or are doubting whether to make the detour to see it. Here are three reasons why you shouldn't miss out on this incredible place.

1. You get to enter Alaska to reach Salmon Glacier

Salmon Glacier lies within Canada, but to reach it, you'll have to pass through part of Alaska. The tiny town of Hyder, Alaska sits right at the border here and it's one of those quirky little towns that’s interesting to visit too. A tradition in town is to 'get Hyderized' - meaning you have to down a shot glass of 150 proof everclear alcohol (containing 75.5% alcohol!). So be careful if you still have to hit the road after that and make sure the alcohol has left your bloodstream! You get a certificate after you've downed the shot and it's a fun little souvenir from this place. You can find it in the only bar in town: the Glacier Inn.

2. Unique views on the glacier below

I don't believe there are many places in the world where you are able to ride a dirt road in the mountains, while looking down at a huge glacier. The Salmon glacier snakes its way down from the mountains and into the valley for kilometers on end. To ride next to this sea of ice on a dirt road is simply incredible. The windy, mostly unpaved road prevents the big crowds and tour buses from reaching it. That means it's relatively quiet and you get to enjoy all the sights without traffic jams and huge RVs trying to make it up here.

The dirt road was in a pretty decent state when I was there, so even on a road bike, you can make it if you ride slow enough. I've seen pictures of Harley riders riding up to the Salmon Glacier viewpoint so it definitely can be done. Of course, it will be much more fun on a dual sport/adventure bike, as you don't have to slow down so much for the potholes and the rocks.

After the viewpoint, the road in fact continues further along and I can recommend exploring this part too. I was the only person doing so, which surprised me because the views further down were fantastic too. Eventually, you'll reach an area where there is gold exploration and mining going on and you'll most likely have to turn around. Riding the road back will offer different views and you get to experience it all again, but even better!

Salmon Glacier is the 5th largest glacier in Canada and riding this dirt road gives a great perception of the sheer size of it!

3. High chance of seeing bears

This area is known to have lots of bears roaming around, both grizzly bears and black bears. You'll pass an area with salmon-rich creeks, where the bears like to come during the salmon run and feed on large red salmon, called Fish Creek. There are viewing platforms where you can see the bears while they are fishing. When I was there, there weren't any bears hunting for salmon unfortunately. However, I did see a black bear running across the road at some point.

The bears are here mainly from mid-July through early September so it's a short window in which you can spot them here. It's also the busiest time of the year so if you like to have the place a bit more to yourself, then you should try and avoid coming here around that time!

On the ODO: 36.000 kilometers 10 questions to The Iron Bu...

Comments
(90)

Newest first

Your reply

Wir waren 2013/14 mit unserem Auto und angehängten Wohnwagen für 14 Monate in Nordamerika (Kanada, Alaska und USA). Meine Erlebnisse habe ich in einer 18 teiligen Videoserie auf YouTube festgehalten
(Kanal: F.Schulz-Dresden) Titel: Kanada, Alaska und USA 2013/13 (04) - Alaska über Kanada bis Montana USA.
In diesem Teil waren wir am Salmon Gletscher. Interessant war zu beobachten, wie weit der Gletscher bereits zurück gegangen ist. In diesem meinem Teil 04 kann man auch zu den anderen Gletschern vergleichen, die auf der Zufahrt nach Steward und Hyder liegen. Übrigens auch der Matanuska Gletscher (bei mir im Teil 03 zu sehen), bei Dir S6-E143, scheint mir erheblich zurückgegangen sein. Viel Erfolg beim Vergleich!
Falls Dein Interesse an Nordamerika besteht, entsprechende Berichte sind in meinem Kanal zu sehen. Wir waren bereits 10x in Nordamerika (mehrheitlich USA) und haben mehr als 700 Tage zwischen 1997 und 2022 uns dort umgeschaut. An vielen Deiner Stellen waren auch wir, deshalb sehr schön einige Vergleiche zu ziehen. Jetzt mit über 70 werde ich nicht mehr mit Motorrad fahren anfangen, aber deshalb waren unsere Reisen auch sehr interessant. Auch haben wir mehrere Bereiche der USA im Westen von oben mit einem Motorflugzeug erkundet.
Interessant wäre für mich Deine Rückmeldung ob meine Videos auch interessant sind?
Uns ging es um die Landschaftliche Schönheit.

Weltenbummler | 07 January 2023, 13:37

Noraly,
You are one amazing lady - with just the right amount of crazy.

This is my favorite episode - Salmon Glacier. It does well to capture and convey the essence of your spirit, and the solitude of your experience. This little unplanned side-trip is wonderful. I watch this when I need to smile. More of this in Season 7.

SeeYa,
Scott

sdougher2001 | 01 January 2022, 17:53

Hi Noraly, Thanks to you, I’ve included a visit to the Salmon Glacier as part of our ride up to Alaska from California & back. Excited to see it next June! Thank you so much for the inspiration and information🙏🏼🤗. Looking forward to your next adventure & truly do appreciate the time & effort you take to keep us entertained & informed!

Geri-Sue | 02 December 2022, 16:53

wow noraly how wonderful it was to hear from you never been to the salmon Glacier would love to visit that I love all the places you have filmed so beautiful never have I have adventure rode till I have seen you season 6 I am going to start adventure riding now just learning how to do that but have learned alot watching your episodes if you ever come to Texas would love to adventure ride with you good place is big bend national park in south west Texas well better get back work and you stay safe and get some rest on your journey completed you are one tough lady to ride that far your good friend and fan Johnny

jpena | 15 November 2022, 16:01

I rode to the Salmon Glacier in 2014. It was about 10:00 p.m. when I headed up to the glacier from the campground in Hyder and it was spectacular. There was brilliant sunlight on the tops of the mountain range above the glacier...beautiful! There was a fellow living in a tent in the parking lot overlooking where the glacier takes a right turn. He had taken a bunch of his photos of the area and had them done into post cards. He offered them for sale to anyone that came by. And talking about bears...he had a can of bear spray hung around his neck. He said he ducked into the concrete block restroom there if one of them got a bit more aggressive.

Geoffrey | 12 November 2022, 00:55

Greetings Noraly, Just finished episode 148, the first section of the Dalton Hwy. Now you understand how, when I mentioned that I did a 360 on my bike, how that was possible because of how slick it is when it's wet. That is what the calcium Chloride does to the road, but maybe someone told you, the reason for the Calcium Chloride is dust abatement. There is no dust at all when it's dry, but it does get very slippery when wet.
The views, when not cloudy and raining are still very nice. I never got that far north, I only made it up through, the town of North Pole through Fairbanks, up the same Hwy you were on and then West to Manly Hot Springs. It was on the road, in the rain, to Manly that I did my 360 spin riding a Yamaha Street bike. Very exciting! Absolutely amazed that I didn't go down. Must have had help from above!

19Trebor61 | 10 November 2022, 03:15

I have just watched the upload where the 800 odd Km ride in one day was completed. It is obvious from the videos that Noraly is one tough customer and so far I haven't seen/heard too much in the way of moans/complaints from Noraly. In saying that I'm curious as to how Noraly can do that distance in one day on a seat like the one fitted to the CRF300 without there being any references to numb bum. The best I have done in a day is just over 700km's, but that was on a 1981 Suzuki GS1000E on a seat that I believe to this day is still regarded as one of the best seats to have ever have been fitted to a motorcycle, and at the conclusion of that ride my bottom felt good enough that I felt I could have turned around and done the return trip, staying awake may have become a problem tho lol ... My current m/cycle is a 1998 Suzuki GSF1200 Bandit and I wouldn't even think of trying to do 700 odd kms in a day on that seat!

Rafter | 27 October 2022, 00:22

Today’s first cup of coffee was to the Big Welcome to Alaska! Made my morning thanks Noraly was it emotional for you to yell that?
Ride Safe and take care.

Amazing Henry | 22 October 2022, 05:26

Hi, Noraly,
Like you said, WELCOME to ALASKA...FINALLY and in such particular way in that first place Chiken, where by the tradition you have had to exploit your panties!
First of all, congratulate you for your strength, your great spirit of adventure and your professionalim, without those qualities you would never have achieved it.
As you said, the baby ALASKA has arrived in his land...
Big hug and take care for this last stage...
Ps: Have you already defined your last point to visit in ALASKA, which will be the REAL END OF YOUR ADVENTURE?

Miguel MAK | 21 October 2022, 20:22

hellow Noraly (itchy boots ) Yes I am amazed at your skilled riding and filming of the salmon glacier I am the wrong side of 80 years old now but watching your vidios take me back to my touring days , you have shown me exciting places i would loved to have gone, looking forward to your new ones they make me feel I am riding with you most of all stay safe Rex xx