Bear viewing area in Hyder, Alaska, closed due to flooding

Bear viewing area in Hyder, Alaska, closed due to flooding

30 metres of viewing platform destroyed, says U.S. Forest Service

The Fish Creek bear viewing area in Hyder, Alaska, suffered major damage in a recent glacial outburst flood, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The area is a popular tourist destination where visitors can observe bears hunting salmon, and also spot beavers, wolves, birds, and other wildlife.

According to a Facebook post from the U.S. Forest Service-Tongass National Forest, more than 100 feet (30 metres) of the viewing platform was destroyed after a dike broke during a glacial outburst flood, or "jökulhlaup."

"There were riverbeds that were closer to the road that were not filled at all before," said Lisa Butler, a tourist from Utah, who visited the site with her husband one day before the incident.

"There was lots of bushes and trees and everything. And now those entire sections were completely full."

Butler says they came across the aftermath on their way back down from the Salmon Glacier.

"Once we realized what had happened was all sorts of emotions ... to come down and realize, oh my God, we we would have missed coming to our favorite place by one day," said Patrick Butler, Lisa's husband.

"Realizing so many people, their lives are going to be changed there in Hyder, and for travellers ... it will have a big effect."

The viewing area is closed for public safety until further notice, as water is still actively flowing through, the service said.

"We do not have any idea of an estimate yet, simply because we haven't had our specialists over there," said District Ranger Cathy Tighe with the U.S. Forest Service.

"We believe that more of the platform is damaged, on both ends of where it collapsed. With the water flow, we don't know if any of the footings are undercut or anything."

People who purchased tickets to the site will be refunded with the process starting next week, the U.S. Forest Service added.

More stories from Northern B.C.

Hyder is located directly on the Canada-U.S. border and neighbours Stewart, B.C. The two communities are closely linked with Hyder getting its utilities, emergency services and school services from Stewart.

The only road in and out of Hyder goes through Canada, with a manned Canadian customs post at the town line.

Catherine Garrett is a CBC News reporter based in Terrace, B.C., covering the province's northwest region. Born in Ontario and raised on Haida Gwaii, she has previously worked in Vancouver, Prince George, B.C., and Grande Prairie, Alta. She has received multiple awards for her work, including a Canadian Online Publishing Award. You can contact her at catherine.garrett@cbc.ca.