Day 72: On to Valdez

Leaving Glennallen we took the Richardson Highway and headed through the Wrangle-St. Elias National Park, passing waterfall after waterfall, seeing all sizes of glaciers and more beautiful scenery than you can imagine. Our first stop was at the Wrangle-St. Elias National Park Visitor’s Center to learn more about all the massive mountains and glaciers we were seeing. We learned that the National Park is the largest in North America and has 9 of the 16 highest mountain peaks in the United States. It also has more glaciers than any other place in the US. In fact, it has one glacier larger than the state of Rhode Island. For hikers the park offers trails for beginners up to the most advanced hiker/climber. The park also has movies such as: "Crown of the Continent" an unforgettable movie about the mountains and the surrounding area. Near the visitor center is the Ahtna Cultural Center where mock-ups of many tools used by Natives in the past were displayed. Some of these tools like the fish wheel are still being used today.

After leaving the park we traveled through the little borough of Copper Center which has been by-passed with the new route of the Richardson Highway. While we were in Copper Center we had the opportunity to stop by their town hall and have some pictures made. Away from Copper Center and back onto the Richardson Highway it on to the Worthington Glacier. This is a glacier that is close to the highway and can be accessed through a state park. And access is what we did…

We climbed down and then up and down and up some more until we reached the glacier trail (where the glacier once was) and then through gravel, rocks and water; dodging a waterfall at the foot of the glacier. It was a unique experience to be standing at the bottom of the glacier (wishing we had warmer clothes on) with all the cold air coming down from the top of the glacier. We were shivering as we watched glacier ice in all the streams forming ice dams in numerous places. Linda and I really liked this hike; but, Gypsy loved it…bouncing from one stream into another, knocking loose an ice dam and then trying to eat the ice and all over again. We almost had to carry her away. Thompson Pass was next in our pursuit of Valdez. Thompson Pass is the highest elevation on this stretch of the Richardson Highway and in the winter is often closed with many feet of snow. The record snowfall for Thompson Pass for one season was measured at 974 inches in 1952-53 season. The record in a 24 hour period was 62 inches In December 1955. Once leaving Thompson Pass it was clear sailing (driving) into the little village of Valdez.

Our visit to the Cooper Center Town Hall

Some scenes from the Richardson Highway in Wrangle-St.Elias NP

Notice the large glacier behind the cars

Up close to the glacier

Glacier ice from Worthington Glacier

More glacier ice and ice dams

Linda freezing, Gypsy enjoying

Whoops, there goes another ice dam...

Gypsy enjoying a piece of glacier ice

Bridal Veil Falls along the Richardson Highway

Another view of Bridal Veil Falls

Horsetail Falls along the Richardson Highway

More views along the Richardson Highway

Notice the poles beside the road. These poles are so you and the snow remover personnel will know where the road is when the snow begins to pile up. This section of the Richardson Highway is going through Thompson Pass

Day 71 and on the Road Again: Anchorage to Valdez

We left today headed to Valdez for a few days and then work our way down to Haines for the ferry ride to Bellingham, WA. The past couple days we have been staying on Ft. Richardson at the Black Spruce Fam Camp. While on base we have seen several moose and a fox. Today as we were going to the commissary, we met a large bull moose who was right next to the parking lot. After taking some pictures, doing some shopping and filling up with Diesel (4.21/gal) it was nearly 12:00 when we left Anchorage. We made our first stop in Eagle River to pick up a couple items at Walmart and then on to Palmer for lunch at a place we were told about from some friends who made the same trip last year. If you ever get to Palmer, try the Noisy Goose restaurant, we think you will be glad you did. The food is excellent and of course their homemade pies are extraordinary. Palmer is also where the Alaska State Fair takes place later this month. The drive from Palmer to Glennallen, AK where we stayed for the night was a beautiful drive of rivers, lakes, mountains and glaciers. I hope the pictures we have taken shows just a little of the beauty we have enjoyed today. The Glenn Highway is mostly a two lane road in fairly good condition. There are a few places that are gravel where the road is being repaired. The longest stretch of construction is about 9 miles which is gravel but very smooth and no problem. Just watch the curves and shoulders if any in places.

Our campsite at Black Spruce Army Camp on Ft. Richardson

Some of the moose we met while staying on Ft. Richardson.

I think this one is going to the commissary to do a little shopping

Where we had lunch in Palmer

Get ready, the fair is coming

Scenes from along the Glenn Highway

Road construction; however, the road is very good

These poles are for the snow machine operators so they will know where the road is.

This glacier used to reach down to Palmer...Now there is just a large valley between the highway and mountains where the Matanuska River now runs. I wish everyone could see and read about these glaciers.

This is a fire weed that grows all over Alaska. The Natives say that when the flowers at the top bloom it is six weeks until first snow. We have seen several that have fully bloomed and the flowers have fallen off the plants. Today at 3PM while we stopped to take some pictures of the glacier it was 44 degrees.

Linda loves these fire weeds

Gypsy trying to be like her mom...

Our campsite for tonight at Northern Nights Campground in Glennallen