Day 28-29 Matanuska Glacier and Valdez

We got to Matanuska Glacier at 7 pm. It was too late to do the drive and hike out to the glacier so the proprietors generously let us park our rv in their parking lot for the night. In the morning, we drove the 2 miles down the side of the hill on a pretty scary road with warning signs all the way down saying “unsafe road – proceed at your own risk”. And when we got to the gate to pay, we had to sign a lengthy release form – these people don’t want to get sued for sure! Even though the glacier is in a national park, a private party owns the road leading out to the glacier.

We were the first ones to go out on the glacier in the morning and had the place pretty much all to ourselves for most of the time that we were there. First of all, it’s awesomely beautiful, huge, peaceful and quiet except for the sound of the running water. There were orange cones that were set up to show us the safe route to get to the ice. But thank goodness they were there because there was lots of runoff and slippery mud before getting to the ice so we appreciated knowing that someone had scoped out the path before us and left us a clear indication of where it was safe to go.

It was chilly when we started in the morning but we warmed up quite quickly as we walked up the incline to get to the glacier bed. The landscape where we first started was kind of stark – lots of rocks and debris that had been left behind by the glacier as it receded in the past hundred years or so. Lots of silt in the beds and lots of water running off the glacier currently. It looked kind of like a moonscape.

Once we got up to the actual ice, we realized that part of what we were seeing from below as being just earth was actually ice with dirt on top of it. When you looked down on it, you could see the ice in the cracks and begin to feel it crunching under your feet.

We didn’t go far on the actual glacier white ice part because we aren’t experienced ice climbers and there are lots of crevices and soft spots that are dangerous. So we played around for a while and took pictures but didn’t go far at all onto the dangerous areas. We still felt pretty special being there and doing this. Seeing a glacier from the road is awe-inspiring. Walking on one is a real thrill!

After the glacier experience, we hooked up the car and took off in the rv for our next destination – Glenallen and down to Valdez. We hadn’t really planned to go to Valdez because it’s quite a ways south. But we had such a good time in Homer and figured we better invest some time in going to Valdez while we are in the neighborhood. Who knows when we will come back this way again.

The drive to Valdez, like all our drives was beautiful. But we realized that we were going a long ways downhill to get out of the mountains and down to the water and that meant that in a day or two, we would have to come back up that hill. But still, it was gorgeous scenery, mountaintops, glaciers, valleys, waterfalls – everything you could ask for and more.

We went through US customs and Canadian customs several times over these few days as we crisscrossed the border between US, British Columbia and Yukon Territory (controlled by Canada).

Arriving in Valdez, we were captivated by the harbor and the fishing village feel. We loved our little rv park. It was overrun by bunnies. As a matter of a fact, everywhere we went, we saw bunnies in Valdez. They are so cute and you see them in the most unexpected places. It was a fun touch.

We visited the Peter Pan Seafood outlet store and bought some delicious fresh silver salmon steaks and cooked them in garlic butter on the rv stove. It was one of the best meals that we’ve had on this trip. So simple but so good! We also bought some canned smoked salmon to take back with us. Have to laugh because Peter Pan is headquartered out of Seattle but there is no Peter Pan store in Seattle – only in Valdez, Alaska which I guess makes sense as that’s where the fishing and the processing is done.

Unfortunately, it was pouring buckets when we got to Valdez and the next morning it was still raining cats and dogs. We haven't been eating out much, choosing instead to cook in the rv or on the bbq, but it’s Sunday morning so we decided to go out to breakfast. I had a yummy Crab Eggs Benedict – oh so good! After eating, we decided that the long, hard slog up out of Valdez was best gotten out of the way sooner rather than later considering that it looked like the weather down by the water was going to get worse instead of better.

I actually drove the car separately up about 30 miles out of Valdez because it was so much easier to get the rv up the hill without towing the car. We stopped at another glacier – Worthington Glacier – for a short walk and quick look and then hooked up the car and went on our way. It was a very interesting drive as we went through several different weather patterns from the pouring rain down by the ocean to the fog on the mountain tops and nicer weather as we got back up to the Wrangell Wilderness area.

In the late morning, we saw the clean-up in progress from what looked to be a pretty bad accident. A camper rear ended a tour bus. The camper was in bad shape and the bus, which was in the process of turning left was imbedded in a dirt bank next to the road it was turning into. (We found out later that 13 people were seriously injured in the accident with some airlifted out for medical treatment.) Made us count our blessings that our trip has been going so well and say a prayer that we continue safely on back home.

The rest of the drive was beautiful especially once we got up out of the coastal rain. We skirted Wrangell Elias National Wilderness area for most of the afternoon. Stopping at a Visitor Center to stretch our legs and learn a little about the area, we found out that this park/wilderness area is bigger than Switzerland and has higher mountain peaks! It was quite windy there but I enjoyed sitting outside and listening to the “Whispering Birch” trees. They make a lovely whooshing sound when the wind goes through them!

It was great to see the borders of the park for about 4 hours as we finished off the Richardson Hwy and rejoined the Alaska Hwy at Tok, AK. We were here about 3 weeks ago when we finished the Top of the World Highway and were headed to Fairbanks. Gosh – that seems like so long ago. We’ve done and seen so much since then.

We spent the night in a roadside pullout. We haven’t really done that much but Craig was really tired, we were both hungry and there wasn’t a town with an rv park anywhere close enough for us to keep going. It was a nice wide pullout in a somewhat remote area but we agreed it felt like a safe place to stay and it was a quick overnight. About 6 hours of sleep and we were back on the road the next morning.

One thing about the mosquitos that I hope we can safely say now that we are back down in Yukon Territory. They weren’t that bad. We were expecting the worst and pretty good about putting on bug spray before we went outside especially at the beginning of the trip. But other than a few places (Artic Circle, Tok to name a couple of significant ones), we didn’t see a lot of mosquitos, and when we did see no see ‘ums and black flies, they left us alone. Craig got one nasty bite on the back of his hand that swelled up pretty badly. We think it was from a black fly judging from the size of the reaction.

Life is good! We are blessed! All is well! And as much fun as we are having, we are glad to be heading back towards home.

Shout out to Craig! He does all the hard work when we pull into or get ready to leave wherever we are staying for the night. He has to make sure the coach is level, hook up the water, sewer, garbage, cable (in the few places it's available). And then he has to undo everything to unhook everything and stow away all the hoses and cables before we get on the road again. It's a lot of work - he rocks!

 

The light green swatch in the photo, we are told is an avalanche area. The trees have been swept away during the avalanche and it takes 10 years or so for them to regrow.

 

Ponds form in areas where the glacial ice has melted and left depressions. With all the rain they have been having this summer, the ponds are full almost to overflow even up in the mountains.

 

As we drive along, we go through multiple weather conditions. Here are the top of the mountain pass we are driving in the clouds.

 

Times like this I wish I had a naturalist traveling with us. These look like lily pads in the pond but we are up in the mountains.

 

At the entrance to the Matanuska glacier. We spent the night in the parking lot here.

 

This river close to the glacier is already turning fall colors even though it's only early August.

 

Wooden bridge on the road to the glacier entrance.

 

View from the parking lot as we prepare to go out on the glacier.

 

Moonscape - silt and glacial runoff make a mucky mess to get through before getting to the glacier.

 

Looking down into the glacier. Lots of rock debris and water running off.

 

Cracks in the glacier make it dangerous because you don't know if the area is stable or ready to give way.

 

Craig looks like he's up to his waist standing in a crack in the glacier but actually he is standing on a lower piece of ice.

 

Picture of the glacier from the road coming in.

 

Craig bravely walking on the glacier.

 

Another view along the path to the glacier. Silt in the water makes it highly reflective and a beautiful turquoise blue.

 

Another view as we are walking out onto the glacier.

 

Icefield in the distance. The tops of these mountains and all the glaciers in this area are connected to one of the largest icefields in the world.

 

Back on the highway.

 

Horsetail falls just outside of Valdez.

 

Bridal veil falls also just outside of Valdez.

 

Valdez Harbor - right across the street from where we stayed.

 

Bunnies everywhere in Valdez!

 

Lots of brown bunnies!

 

My yummy breakfast - crab benedict!

 

Bluejay eating peanuts.

 

Small waterfall coming down out of the tall snowy mountains above. Then all these trickles get together and form huge lakes and fast moving rivers.

 

Light somehow making it's way through the heavy clouds to highlight the hills next to the road.

 


US/Canadian border. You can stand with one foot in each country! We will be criss crossing US and Canadian borders for the next few days.