The Cassiar Highway (Hwy 37) lies appoximately 14 miles west of Watson Lake and extends south over 400 miles until it intersects the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16). While the Alaskan Highway has been in wonderful condition for the last 3 summers that I've been there, the Cassiar is a bit rougher and long stretches of chug holes and rough riding are not uncommon. The never-ending problem is the fact that the pavement is repeatedly washed away by the winter snows and spring rains. The first summer we drove the Cassiar, we ran into a group of RV's that had just reached the end of their trip up the Cassiar, and the leader of the pack was not quiet with his determination that he would NEVER drive a house on wheels over the Cassiar again. Yet, compared to the Dempster Highway, the Cassiar is a breeze, and each year, it improves.
There are beautiful sights to see along the Cassiar. But the most interesting are the bears that one can't miss along this highway. We hadn't been driving for long this summer before we spotted a mother and her three cubs along the side of the road. We stopped, and when she was assured that we would cause her no harm, she started across the highway - 
and as many mothers know when facing a crisis - there's always one who seems to take his own time, oblivious to his surroundings. 
Approximately 393 miles down the Cassiar Highway lies Stewart, British Columbia. Stewart lies off the Cassiar highway approximately 42 miles through a narrow mountain pass. Outside the small community is "Bear Glacier" which served as the background for the movie, INSOMNIA, starring Robin Williams and Al Pacino. 
Both stars had yachts that anchored in the Stewart harbor after sailing up the Portland Canal, and Robin Williams entertained the townfolk in a bar with his comedy one evening. Needless to say, the town are great fans of his.
A short drive from Stewart lies Hyder, Alaska, which is a virtual ghost town that lies on Fish Creek. At the end of July, the salmon begin running up the Creek, and bears appear along its banks to fish. Hyder has built a walkway over the Creek and tourists can walk up and down and wait for the bears to appear for meals. 
The fish are plentiful and the bears seem to care less about the excited audience watching their every move.
During the 2005 summer, a mother bear and her cub came along the creek while I happened to be there. The mother had no problems wading into the creek and catching 3 salmon. Her young cub, on the other hand, resembled a bull in a china shop - racing up and down the creek with the salmon fleeing in front, beside, and behind him to safety. In spite of the "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience - and the obvious home court advantage - the cub was left empty handed.
His mother never shared her fish, and after 40 minutes or so of trying to catch a bit to eat, the cub ambled off with his mother into the bush. One got the impression that the mother was a bit disgusted.
Other bears ambled along the creek. One afternoon, an old grizzly came along, fished for a time, and then found a tree to rub his back on. 
After a good rub, he seemed ready for a nap and quietly disappeared into the bush. Other bears soon took his place.
Bears love the berries on the bushes around the creek - especially the black bears.
Another wonderful part of the Stewart/Hyder area is the Salmon Glacier that lies past Fish Creek and up to the top of a mountain. The first year we visited the area, I needed to put the car in 4 wheel drive to make it a bit easier to get up the winding, narrow road. But in the last year or so, the town has put a lot of money into the improvements - and reportedly, the drive is better. In 2005, the day was cloudy but the glacier was still magnificent. 
The Cassiar Highway is a great experience and one of the most exciting places to travel in the North.
