An essential aim of this drive north was to reach Alaska by EV, and so the day arrived to use some of my precious battery energy to cross the border into Hyder. There’s no border crossing run by the U.S., but one must pass through Canada’s border security before you re-enter Stewart.

A mile up the road Iceman and I entered Hyder and claimed Alaska as one more state on the tour.

There was something too interesting to pass up a few miles further along the road, and so we pressed on. The U.S. Park Service operates a facility at Fish Creek, where salmon come to spawn and bears come to eat the salmon.

In theory the bears cross the highway on the left side, and the people stay safe within the wooden structures on the right side of the stream. Iceman stayed in the Tesla during this activity.

For best results, double-click on image to expand to full resolution, and you will see the river filled with 20-25 lb. chum salmon (with the occasional pink salmon thrown in). It’s an active place as males fight for spawning opportunities and expired salmon become food for the gulls. A few hours after this photo was taken, a big grizzly showed up, pulled a big chum out of the river, tore it apart and ate it, then repeated the process two more times. 

After visiting Fish Creek, we returned to Stewart to complete the charging before our trip back south.