Tuesday, September 25, 2001

Hello from Copper Creek State Park Campground, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Chitina, Alaska!

Start time: 0930

Start odometer: 14232

Weather: Mostly cloudy for most of the day, but some nice sunshine in the late afternoon. Temperature 46 F.

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Highlights:

Stopped at the Valdez Visitor Center, made plans for the day
First stop was a short hike up a hill behind the Valdez Convention Center that allowed a nice view of the city and surrounding area.
Two views of Valdez -
Along the road to the town is a salmon spawning area. While the fish have about completed their activity, there were hundreds of living and dead fish, as well as birds looking for food.
Both living and dead salmon - Hungry birds -
Across the bay, I stopped by the Alyeska Pipeline Company Terminal, but tours of the plant were cancelled due to recent events. Very understandable.
View of the terminal from across the bay -
On the return to Valdez, there is a turnoff to the original site of Valdez. Due to damage received during the 1964 earthquake, the town was moved four miles southwest, a safer location in case of a future tsunami. There are two plaques at the site of the original Post Office commemorating the people who died during the catastrophe.
I stopped by the Valdez Pioneer Field Airport (VDZ) and made lunch (I still like airports!)

An Era Airlines Dash-8

The terminal at VDZ

I returned to town to visit the Valdez Museum, after being escorted for a short distance by a Bald Eagle flying beside me. This is one of the better museums I have visited. They also reference Maine twice! An old fire pump truck was restored in Hope, Maine, and a postcard sent from Maine in support of the people cleaning up after the Exxon Valdez incident was on display.

After my museum visit, I drove to the harbor and walked a bit around the boats. -
Finally, I left town heading northeast on Alaska 4. This is the only land route into or out of town, but as with so many other roads I have driven recently, the view is very different in each direction. I stopped again by Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, and visited a few more places I missed yesterday.
For a better perspective of the tunnel size... -
At Thompson Pass -
Some of the fall colors of the tundra. Much more spectacular in person!
Further up the road, I stopped far a hike to Worthington Glacier -
Back on the road, I was given some incredible scenes to view, including several large rainbows, extremely high waterfalls and fall colors -
I found the cloud formation interesting -
About two hours out of Valdez, I approached Alaska 10, which heads east into the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Thirty six miles of the road are paved before you get to the railroad bed section with the ties and spikes working their way up through the gravel. I decided to go as far as Chitina, (pronounced Chit-na,) which is as far as the road is paved. Looking at the maps and documentation, I noticed a campground located inside the park near Chitina. After arriving at the campground, I decided to stay there for the night. I returned to Chitina to get a snack at Tom's Saloon, since there were no restaurants open. I was also able to get some firewood from Tom, the owner, bartender, cook, and resident story teller. I had an enjoyable evening talking with Tom and another customer of his that lives in the town.
I returned to the campsite and prepared the tent for the evening.
Tomorrow I head back to AK 4, then AK 1 - the Alaskan Highway, into Canada. Thanks for visiting!