June 13, 2015

While the last few days were outstanding, it is time to move along.  Heading out once again on the Glenn Highway, we stopped just a few miles up for a quirky photo op.  It has become local tradition for people to stop along the highway and spell their names with white rocks on the black shale hillside.  So, since we are celebrating our 25th anniversary we put a B followed by a heart and an E.  OK - you can say Awwww....and our kids will gag....

Just a side note as we drive by the Long Rifle Lodge again, our waitress was a young college student from Wisconsin, who is working here for the summer.  We have met several students doing this and yet hear that businesses do have a hard time finding summer help.  What a neat opportunity for these kids we are meeting!

Back on the road now, we pass many interesting sites:  Gunsight Mountain which looks like a gunsight!  Nelchina Glacier; a creek where recreational gold panning is done; and on and on.  At Milepost 129 from Anchorage, there are these strange poles that go up and over the edges of the roads.  These are guide poles marking the edge of the roads for those plowing in the winter.  

As we continue on, reaching about Milepost 165 you start getting magnificent views of The Wrangell Mountains.  There are three peaks especially prominent:Mt. Drum, Mt Sanford, and Wrangell Mountain.  Wrangell Mountain is still an active volcano, and at times you can see smoke spewing from the top.  An interesting note - most of the mountains in Alaska do not have names! And many of them are so remote and so rugged they remain untouched at this time.  

Continuing on, we reach the Junction of Highway 1, The Glenn Highway, and Highway 4, The Richardson Highway.  Right at this Junction is a little town called Glennallen.  This is actually a busy little town, with a State troopers post, a school, a library, a grocery store, a general store, gas stations, two churches that we noticed, a four year Bible College, and businesses to meet tourist needs.  The Hub is well mentioned in tourist information packets, but we were not too impressed with the trinkets they sell.  We were appreciative of being able to get gas though!  Be sure to plan ahead and to make sure you have gas for your planned travel as gas stations are few and far between!

With the desire to run down and see Valdez, we headed South on the Richardson Highway.  Just out of town there is a nice overlook of the Copper River Valley and the Wrangle Mountains.  Then just a bit further is the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Visitor Center.  This is worth the stop to learn about the Park, and the general area.  http://www.nps.gov/wrst/index.htm

It's salmon season!  And the fishermen are out in droves to catch their yearly supply of salmon.  This is a picture of the Klutina River and the activities going on there.  

So many sights today! We frequently catch glimpses of the Alaskan Pipeline, various rivers, and mountains  as we travel on.  The next thing of special interest would be the Worthington Glacier and Thompson Pass.  We felt the glacier was anticlimactic after the grandeur of the Matanuska Glacier, but it was still worth the stop to see it. (http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/worthglsrs.htm)
(http://www.alaska.org/detail/worthington-glacier)  Thompson pass offered many more stunning views, interesting historical information about early gold rush and explorers in that ares, and many, many waterfalls. (http://www.alaska.org/detail/thompson-pass) On down in to Valdez, which can seem to be a sleepy little town, but actually has quite a bit going on.  If you have time there are many tour options involving kayaks, glaciers, the ocean, and marine animals.  Then for those who prefer to stay on dry ground there are plenty of opportunities to hike in to falls, or other areas of interest. (http://valdezalaska.org/) We walked the waterfront, then hopped back in to the car, heading back north on the Richardson Highway to find a place to camp for the night.