Travel Across USA: Valdez, Alaska

Saturday May 3^rd – Monday May 5^th 2014

(Saturday) Our morning schedule was not (possibly for the first time) arbitrary. J. always tells me that I make silly time tables etc. - this time we actually had to catch the opening for the tunnel and the ferry. We left the house at 8:01 am. The same drive along the Turnagain Arm. It was a bit foggy in Anchorage. Got sunny. Nice and pleasant drive. It was actually pretty nice and exciting because we could see some green grass and trees turning green as well. Spring/Summer is for sure coming. It seems that I just cannot wait. It is quite intriguing to watch the land changing. We started at the end of winter (still freezing with snow) and we are going though the changing season and will leave Alaska in summer. Sun was painting really amazing pictures with waking up nature, green colors, and blue ocean. It was fourth or fifth time that we drove this way, there is limited number of roads in Alaska. Whittier tunnel – we had to pay the toll and park in the staging area. About 15 minutes of waiting. Drive through the one lane tunnel to Whittier. http://dot.alaska.gov/creg/whittiertunnel/index.shtml and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portage_Glacier_Highway It is apparently the longest combined single lane tunnel in the US (the one lane is also train track). After exiting the tunnel we drove a bit into the town of Whittier. Small harbor. One big building – apartments. When we got closer we saw that the building is pretty run down and looked like something in communist Czechoslovakia. A bit further was another building – possibly abandoned by the army. Kind of sad sites. Small part at the end of the road. Few cottages and houses. A lot of small boats. Strange town. Mountains all around. We checked in with the Alaska ferry, walked around a bit (less then ten minutes) as there was not much to see. The tourist season is just starting. We got our id's checked three or four times, lined up in the parking lot and waited for the ferry. Apparently we traveled on the new modern boat that can go up to 36 knots (whatever that speed is). When checking this route I found there was this boat traveling less than three hours to Valdez and other ferries that traveled five and half hours. Get on the ferry. Passenger deck – actually really nice and pleasant. Only small “solarium” - outdoor space - on the back of the ferry. The scenery was spectacular. Ocean and mountains (covered with snow for the most part). We saw some wildlife – dolphins, birds, seals, whales. We also saw pieces of ice from Columbia glacier. I talked to an older gentleman that used to work in Valdez. It was pretty interesting talk. For a moment I talked to a woman who drove from Florida and was commercially fishing in Cordova. She spends winter in Florida and Bahamas. She and her partner drove in Subaru and they fit everything they need in the car. Hot darn. According to the man all the glaciers around Valdez retracted quite a lot, he said he used to have Valdez glacier in his backyard. Valdez at 2:15 pm. There was not much too see as we approach the town. It was relatively large “valley” surrounded by really tall snowy mountains. The town. Small. Quiet. Laid back. We saw many people in shorts and shirts, some even in swimsuits, enjoying the temperature of 65 degrees or so (and full sun). Visitor center closed. Safeway store. Harbor. Valdez museum – quite interesting (surprisingly there were 3 other people visiting the museum). Some historical artifacts, history of people, transportation, earthquake and oil spill (Exxon Valdez in 1989). The mountains around were still covered with snow but there were signs of spring in town – patches of green grass, trees budding, and daffodils blooming. Strange. In the museum, we were told that “Old Valdez” museum is open. Warehouse like building close to the ferry dock (open Friday and Saturday during spring). Nice lady there gave us nice tour and told us the story of Valdez. At one point Valdez was as big as Anchorage. Again, we heard the story of earthquake. Valdez lost the most people in Alaska. It was really interesting visit. The town. Motel – old big house serving as some type of bed and breakfast (without breakfast in winter). Strange but just fine. We saw bunch of rabbits in the town – not the wild ones but the ones someone would have as pets. Funny. We drove to the small harbor and the park next to it – Dock Point. Nice walk – the path was still partly covered with snow and at the same time we saw trees budding and bunch of plants growing. The park was on the small hill, there were some nice views of the bay, the mountains can be easily viewed from anywhere in the town. It was really pleasant and enjoyable walk. Snow – spring – sun – mountains – bay – plenty of time. It looked like we might be the only “tourists” in the town.

Tunnel to Whittier.

Whittier had some nice sites ...

... and also some strange and ugly ones.

We saw some animals from the ferry ...

... and obviously the views were amazing.

Two museums in Valdez - this is fish wheel for fishing.

Walking on packed snow there was spring.

Valdez has plenty of mountains.

(Sunday) Sun was up, bunnies outside were hopping around, and J. was still sleeping at 9:28 am. Super slow and lazy Valdez morning. Western edge of the town, there were two hiking trails, unfortunately both of them were still covered with snow. No luck there. We returned to the town and went to the Maxine and Jesse Whitney museum http://www.mjwhitneymuseum.org/ that is part of the community college in Valdez. Really large collection of native art and artifacts. Also many pieces of taxidermy. Two polar bears, moose, wolves, birds – impressively well done. Something to consider for the living room. Nice and sunny day in sleepy town of Valdez. We stopped by the motel and made sandwiches. We drove on Richardson Highway (the only road to and from the town) to see few sites along the way. Nice mountains, unimaginable number of “snow” waterfalls – melting snow is creating those streams rushing down the mountains. Bunch of green – still quite shy – grass, trees, side of the mountains. Unfortunately it is still quite gray and “wintery”. Left turn: airport, shooting range, dirt road, lake with the view of Valdez glacier. The only thing we could hear was water running down the mountain. On the way back we stopped by the picnic site with another waterfall flooding the road. So pretty. Right turn – the road to oil terminal http://www.alyeska-pipe.com/TAPS/ValdezTerminalAndTankers – the terminal is closed to public. Great views of the bay, the town in the distance, fish hatchery (closed), Solomon Gulch trail – apparently one of the greatest trails according to the National Geographic website. We parked and followed the trail – covered with packed snow after snow machines (in Alaska that is the name for snow mobiles). We got to the intersection with the pipeline maintenance road and gave up there as we were falling through snow so often. It was still very pretty. Back to the main road, railroad tunnel (no railroad), Horsetail falls, Bridal Veil falls (both next to the road and river), both falls really tall and impressive. We were in Keystone canyon – we parked and walked along the goat trail – it was fine for a while but then we encountered snow again. We tried for a bit but gave up and enjoy sun sitting on the rock. Back to the town, dinner in Old town burger (very good). I was thinking that Valdez might be real town without fast food restaurant (we did not see any), unfortunately after we left within half a minute we passed badly marked Subway – so sad. We drove back to western edge of town and walked for a bit along the bay trail – again too much snow. Back to the motel. Bunnies still running below our window.

Whitney museum - bunch of animals ...

... and artifacts and tools and art.

Waterfall (or just melting snow) next to the airport.

Industrial side of Valdez.

Natural side of Valdez.

Site of old Valdez.

(Monday) Heading back to Anchorage. Foggy morning, some sun, bunnies still running around, bottom and top of the mountains visible – middle covered with fog. We left at 8 o'clock. Monday was not really different from Sunday in the town of Valdez. Kind of strangely interesting small town. Fog was “goofing” around – covering almost everything, appearing and disappearing, staying low, and later we just left it behind. We climbed up Thompson Pass and (once again) experienced winter another time. The mountains were completely covered with snow and there was no sign of spring. Few settlements and closed lodges along the way. Worthington Glacier (apparently one of the most visited sites in Alaska – easily accessible). We turned off the main road (Richardson highway), drove about 100 yards and were stopped by snow covering the road up to three feet. We saw something blue-isch in snow so we believe that was the glacier. We attempted to walk closer (where we could drive in summer) but after a moment we gave up because our shoes were getting wet. Stops along the way. Cooper River – small town/village – kind of empty and sad looking. Some signs of spring. Wrangell National Park visitor center (just off the main road) – some native exhibit and park info. Views of Wrangell range – not the greatest (haze) but still visible and very impressive. Few places where the pipeline was visible. One dedicated spot with some information posted – not the greatest place for pipeline picture. Glennallen – small town, the intersection of Richardson and Glenn highways. Gasoline in Valdez was 4.41, in Glennallen only 4.28 (swearing). About 180 miles to Anchorage (this was the road we drove the very first time in Alaska). Similar views. Not much else. Few stops along the way, no wildlife. Way too long drive. Winter on mountains. Signs of springs along the road. Matanuska glacier – everywhere presented as one of the most accessible roadside glaciers. “Glacier Park” sign – we drove down the hill, crossed the river, and hit the gate. J. asked and was told it was private land, there was another 2 miles of dirt road and small walk to the glacier – 20 dollars a person. Crazy. A mile down the main road was state park with a mile walk offering views of the glacier. Pleasant one. The smell of spring. After that we just drove home and really enjoy birch trees with new green leaves – what a change.