8/1 - 8/10 - McCarthy/Kennicott, Valdez, and the route out of Alaska

8/1 - 

I love this reflection

Big Bertha and Jerillyn's rig

J headed towards Homer and I headed north with plans of showering and doing laundry.  I stopped at Girdwood Brewery as I wanted to get some of the No Woman No Cryo beer that I had had at Swell Taco in Seward.  I ended up getting a different beer called Galactic Tornado.  I like the name and it's a double NEIPA and only 25 IBU.  This IBU thing seems to be fairly new and I love it because it indicates how bitter the beer is, which is good for me to go on the low end of that.  They had 2 food trucks and I should have gone with the Japanese one, but instead went for a pork shoulder sandwich.  It was really good, but I had asked if the meat was lean and I was told that it was.  Well, it wasn't, so I had to pull apart a bunch of it.  I just have this thing about biting into a glob of fat.  It makes me 🤢🤢 and always has.  I remember Mom loving the fat on the amazing lamb roasts she made.  I liked the crispy outer layer, but not the soft part.  🤢

After the brewery, I headed north towards the shower/laundry spot.  Nearby was a park, so I walked Zoe there first, then went for the shower.  Cheapest laundry I've experienced!  Only $2/washer.  They were small, so I used 3, but still.  And the dryers were $.25/10 min.  And $2.50 for the shower.  They apparently don't clean the showers between uses, but still better than a campground shower, which are far and few between anyway, since I mostly stay in state rec sites.

It was about 6:30 when I left the laundromat and I'm normally situated for the night by this time.  I drove North past Palmer and stopped at Moose Creek campground, but didn't like it.  It had been raining and there were lots of mud puddles.  I had really planned to stay at a spot along the river where Kings River meets the Matanuska River, but they were calling for possible flooding and that just seemed like a bad idea.  So I drove on.  I should have stopped at a pull off a long the river, but I decided to go to a campground so I could more easily walk Zoe.  It cost $25, so no biggie, but the camp host said I could just pay him, since he was going to handle it anyway.  I'm actually not sure that's true, so I think I just padded his pocket with $25.  I'm hoping to find a State park employee and ask, because in the past, in other states, I've been told that the hosts don't handle the money.  My site was actually super close to the road too.  I didn't realize it because of the trees.  Thankfully it doesn't bother me much as the roads quiet down at night.

It rained all night.  I dreamt that water splashed on my face from a leak and I was very happy when I realized it was a dream!

8/2 - The rain mostly stopped by the time I got Zoe up to go out, but it rained for much of my drive.  It was still a beautiful drive, but probably nicer on a good day.  Oh, well - can't have sunny days every day.

The Matanuska glacier

Muddy river from the rain.  I'm going to guess this river is either blue or gray normally.

Sheep mountain, composed of Jurassic aged volcanic rock.  The reddish tint is gypsum (I think?), not copper or gold as some people might think.  There was runoff from this area that was almost orange, matching what you see in the pictures.  It was pretty cool.  No photo...

I guess this is also the Matanuska glacier?  It was farther east along the Glenn Highway.

I can't get enough of this fireweed, especially in the foreground.  😆

Beautiful views as I drive.  So much of Alaska offers amazing views!

I'm not sure what I'm looking at, but I suspect it would be quite impressive if the clouds would go away.  Hopefully I'll get a better view on the way out.

I heard that the Alaskans monitor the fireweed and when the top buds flower, it's a sign that winter is coming.  Yikes!

I stopped at the Wrangell-St Elias visitor's center and because they said that the road to McCarthy was graded today, I decided I'd like to go.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to hike to Root Glacier, like I'd like to (almost 6 miles) because of Zoe, but I'd still like to go to McCarthy and Kennicott.  I did read that the road can have railroad spikes in it, so I'm nervous about that, but I'm hoping the odds are in my favor.  I did just read that flats are more likely after the road has been graded since everything has been disturbed...  I'll stop in at the Chitina ranger station and get their thoughts on the matter before I head out.  

While at the visitor center, Zoe and I took a walk on the trails they had there.  So many mosquitoes!!!  Ugh.  I left there not knowing where I'd end up for the night.  I ended up stopping at a paved pullout near Kenny Lake.  I can hear the ducks on the lake and have a bit of a view of some mountains, but nothing spectacular.  It's a pullout on the side of the road, but probably 100-150 feet from the road.  I considered going further as I had another place I had noted, but what if that wasn't good or too many people?  I'm sure I'd find something else, but this is fine.  And I realized there is a 4 wheeler track on the other side of the road here, so Zoe and I got to go for a walk too.  And the mosquitoes aren't bad here.  Super important!

8/3 - I called the visitor center and asked about the road again.  She didn't know when it was last graded, but ended up recommending going to Valdez while the weather is good, so that's what I decided to do and I'll hit McCarthy on the way back.  

Last night a class A RV pulled in and shared the spot with me.  I met Dave and Martha and their cat, Noodle.  They're full time (4 yrs, I think) and are from Michigan.  Such a nice couple and awesome cat.  They have another shy cat, but we didn't meet her.  They are also headed to Valdez.  Martha plans the trips ahead of time almost completely.  She said they have reservations thru May 2026!!  Maybe in a class A, I'd be more apt to plan ahead.  

The drive to Valdez was just incredible!!!

Worthington Glacier

Wow, just WOW!  Thompson Pass

Bridalveil falls.  Probably one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen.  I'm not quite sure why, maybe the different sections

Horsetail falls

Port Valdez

Sea lions

I stopped at the Solomon Gulch Hatchery.  SO MANY pink salmon trying to make it up river to spawn and die.  I left Zoe in the van while I investigated.  I'm glad I did as there were so many dead fish and it was pretty stinky.  I wouldn't have wanted to worry about where she was stepping too.

It's incredibly how many fish there are in the shallows.

In the ladder

Sea lions getting lunch

It was cool watching the sea lions and birds and the salmon groups swimming out of the way of the sea lions.

I'm not sure if Zoe even saw the salmon in the water when she got a drink.  I had gone back to get her so I could spend more time watching the sea lions.

After the hatchery, we went to Valdez Glacier Lake.  Super cool to see all the icebergs on the lake and it was so pretty!

Floating rocks.  Glaciers have lots of rocks that travel with the ice and when the glacier calves, sometimes there are rocks on the top.

The ice sometimes looks like mica with the way it shimmers

The ice is so clear

After the lake, we headed to downtown Valdez to find our campsite.  I had actually booked a site for two nights.  It's a tent site that says max of 20', so I fibbed a little (Big Bertha is 22'9").  I had looked at google maps and could see there was plenty of space since it's a parking lot.  I wanted this site because I don't need hookups, it was less expensive, but mostly because I thought it would have a good view.  I was right!  I think I had the best spot in town.  After walking around town and seeing the other RV parking lots with no views, I was so glad I picked the place I did.  And the people at Valdez RV park couldn't have been any nicer.  

View from windshield

View from side door

Where I'm parked vs

the RV section

After a busy day, I thought I'd just hang at the campsite, but we ended up walking around town and stopping at the brewery.

Stopped at Valdez Brewing for a so-so beer.  Zoe was a crazy woman pulling to meet and play with all the dogs.

Lots of bunnies around town.  

The RV park started this fire for the evening.  If it's calm and nice enough, they start one every night.

Morning view

Valdez Harbor

I walked over to the Bear Paw Adult RV park, where Martha and Dave were staying in their 36' class A.  Anja and Bob had stayed here, so I had considered it, but found the other one instead.  They had amazing views too.

Martha and Dave in their fulltime home.  This is how the other half lives!  😃

View from their windshield/picture window.  Normally you back in, but how could you pass up this view?  

After visiting, we did the Dock Point trail, which was shaded, so good for Zoe.  I had stopped at a fish cleaning table and used the sprayer to wet her down as she was so hot - even though it was only about 60.  The sun is so strong!

View from the start of the Dock Point trail

View of Valdez from the top

Zoe decided to move over and hang with my German neighbors, Britta and Dirk.  Super nice folks and we visited for quite a while.  They came to Alaska last year for 9 days and had rented a truck camper and came back this year for 3 weeks.  After this they head to Vancouver island for 2 weeks.  They made me want to go there, though I had not been considering that...

8/5 - I had time in the morning before today's activities to give Zoe a bath (I had turned on the hot water heater for her).  The gravel in in the RV park was perfect for this as it wasn't dirty, but just pea sized stones.  And then I ran to the vet in town to pick up some Carprofen for her.  When I ordered meds for her and had them delivered to Palmer, I forgot to order this.  I was able to contact the vet in Port Townsend we had seen for them to send the prescription, so that was great.  They only have chewables and Zoe never likes chewable medicine (this was no exception even though it smells super fishy), but thankfully cream cheese works.  I also picked up some omega 3 stuff for her with hopes that it helps with her joints.  I am about to run out of the salmon bellies, which I'm sure she'll be sad about!

I had wanted to do a kayak tour, but it was 10 hours and I couldn't find care for Zoe.  Sadly, there is no kennel in Valdez, which is crazy as I would imagine it would be great business.  The tour operator I talked to had suggested Valdez Stay and Play as you could just rent a kayak and paddle Valdez Glacier Lake, but I couldn't/wouldn't do it alone.  While I was visiting with Martha and Dave yesterday I suggested we go paddling there (they have their own kayaks - I'm not sure I would have thought to ask them if they didn't) and they said yes.  So, I had the rental company drop off my kayak and give us the rundown of paddling around icebergs.  What an amazing day.  I left Zoe in the van and since it was only for a few hours, I was good with that.  Also, I had the temperature monitor and it was cool out.  In fact, pretty darn cold.  I was a bit chilled all day and that was after going back to the van for another layer.  Even in the full sun, around all that ice, it was quite chilly!  We were on the water for almost 3 hours.  

The ice/rocks on the left look a bit like a whale

Martha

I ended up getting too far under this while taking photos.  It's scary as there are rocks falling off as the ice melts.

Dave and Martha

This had a big overhang, but I mostly kept myself out from underneath it.  Rocks kept falling here too.

A turtle?

The Valdez glacier

This looks like an animal dug it out.  I'm not sure what would have done this.

So cool!  Not all the ice looks like this.  I guess it all depends on size and lighting.

This looks like a burm, but it's an iceberg

This iceberg is covered in fine black dirt, not at all like the rest of the chunky rocks.

me!

My parking spot for the night.  

Doug and Martha hanging out after our paddle

I met a young couple who are full timing, who have folding kayaks, which they say are great, but have now started to leak after 2 years.  They said they paddled on the lake 3 days in a row and that each day it is surprisingly different.  I wish I could do that to see how the icebergs move around.  

I'm heading out today and will meet up with Anja and Bob again tonight.  I never expected we'd meet up again so soon!  I think about staying another day here since it's so nice, but I kinda want to do the drive again in nice weather.  Tomorrow is supposed to rain.  I've been so lucky to have fabulous weather here!  Valdez has certainly been one of my favorites.

8/6 - Leaving Valdez today.  I wouldn't mind staying longer, but it's a beautiful day and I want to do the drive again on a nice day.  Tomorrow is supposed to be gray.  I stopped by Old Valdez before heading out.  After the 1964 earthquake and tsunami, the town was pretty much dead even though it hadn't really been destroyed like many other towns.  After a few years, they moved some of the remaining viable buildings 4 miles down the road to where the town of Valdez currently resides.  

Some remaining wood in the road from the old road

So many gorgeous views on the drive.  I'm happy I drove this on this perfect day.

Met up with Anja and Bob again at Gakona Lodge and Trading Post

8/8 - Felt under the weather yesterday, so didn't do anything and thus no photos!

Gorgeous bathhouse!  

They had a runway at the lodge.  This is Cory taking off.

I stopped in Tok and got some excellent Thai food.  Alaska seems to have lots of good Thai, but I haven't eaten it so I decided to go for it here.  It's a coffee shop/thai restaurant, which seems odd to me.  This was easily 2.5 - 3 meals

Cool mushrooms.

I had pulled into Lakeview campground, but decided I didn't really like it and though I didn't get out of the van, it seemed buggy.  So, I pulled out to head to Deadman Lake CG and ended up stuck for 20 minutes for construction.  At that point I questioned my decision to not stay at Lakeview CG.  When I had pulled in there, a white pickup followed me in and they were the hosts.  When I finally pulled into Deadman Lake CG, they were behind me again.  I did my loop through the CG to find no available spots (it was after 5, which isn't a good time to find a site).  As I drove past the hosts, they said, "You probably wish you stayed at Lakeview, huh?"  I said Yes, and they said I could park in the no RV parking spot.  Lucky me.  I didn't know at the time, but found it is definitely the best site (for views) in the CG!

I felt a bit guilty parked next to that sign as people probably think I'm just ignoring it and not knowing that I got permission.   

There are some mountains!

Free canoes, paddles, life jackets, firewood and CG is free.  I donated though!

I was only going to stay one night, but since it was so lovely I decided on another.  I left a note with the hosts to make sure it was OK to stay in my illegal spot and never heard from them, so I guess so.  The CG filled up again, so why not?!

morning view from my spot

Zoe chilling in the sun

This enormous dragonfly hung out on my tank for a full 24 hours, even with me opening and closing the rear doors (where tank is mounted)

Bob and Sherry saw me (we met at Byron Glacier) and we ended up going out for a paddle.

And saw this moose and her baby.

Since the days are getting shorter, I actually caught a sunset!

8/10 - Christine let me know that Patti, a mutual friend, was heading to AK with her friend and would love a photo of us in AK together if we managed to meetup.  I didn't think it would happen, but Patti and Bithy (?) managed to stop in at Deadman Lake CG on their way to Tok before I left!  So we got to visit for an hour or so and then we were both on our way.  This was my last stop in mainland AK, so onto Canada!

There is so much information on how bad the road from Tok, AK to Destruction Bay, Yukon is.  It was way better than the US border to Chicken to Tok!!!  You do have to pay attention at all times for the many dips, but there wasn't much for potholes.  There were a couple of long construction delays, but they are doing a great job improving the roads, so I was pleased.