Stikine River

The Stikine River

One of North America's major rivers, the Stikine drains from British Columbia into the ocean near Wrangell, Alaska. During the Klondike Gold Rush, it was one of the routes to the mines. Navigating the Stikine is difficult because the muddy river is extremely shallow and sandbars change constantly. Today many visitors see the lower Stikine from jet boats that navigate these treacherous waters at high speed.

After days of heavy rain, mists part on the mountains edging the mouth of the Stikine River.

At the mouth of the Stikine, harbor seals are barely visible in the morning mists.

Shakes Glacier, named for Chief Shakes of Wrangell, flows into a deep lake close to the Stikine River.

Close to Shakes Glacier, the rugged land has a fairy-tale quality. Here an iceberg calved from the glacier frames the mountains beyond.

Below: icebergs calved from Shakes Glacier are works of art.

Left and right: In this raw and often stark landscape, waterfalls thunder into the lake from all sides.

Left: Life thrives in surprising places. Barren rock recently uncovered by receding glaciers soon gives way to pioneering plants such as this dwarf fireweed.

On the lookout for a salmon dinner, this bald eagle scans the water from a branch along the Stikine.