SATURDAY, JULY 27

SATURDAY, JULY 27:

     We did our Glacier Trek today, on the Matanuska Glacier.   We were kind of tickled that it had this name, as our first ferry trip was on its namesake, the Matanuska, which began our Alaskan adventure.  (At some point in riding the ferries, we realized that all of the boats were  named after Alaskan glaciers.)

       Left a little after 7:00 to be sure and get at the guide outfit’s location by 9:15 (our tour was for 9:30).  We’ve learned that you need to always allow extra time for road repair almost anywhere in Alaska (and northern Canada).  There’s deer season, moose season, salmon season, and road repair season up here! 

     When we left Glennallen, it was warm and sunny.  About half-way there, we were totally enveloped in fog!  Little change in elevation – so must be something about the configuration of the valley.  Anyway, by the time we got there, was pretty foggy & misty, and cool.  Really glad I grabbed my heavier jacket at the last minute – just in case!

     Got us outfitted with crampons and helmets.  When I told the girl who was fitting me for crampons that we were from St. Louis, she volunteered that she was from southern Illinois and asked if I’d ever heard of a place called Camp Ondessonk.  That’s where Beth went to camp for 3 or 4 years, with good friend Becky Somers.  The last year they went, they were workers/counselors and were there for several weeks.  It turns out that they and this gal were there at the same time!  She thought the name sounded a little familiar, but couldn’t place it.  I’ll ask Beth if she remembers a girl named Claire.

       Met our guide, Chris, and the others in our hiking group – a man and his college-aged son who live in Girdwood (near Anchorage), his sister (visiting them from Florida), and another young couple from Colorado.  Hopped in the van and drove for about 10 minutes.  Then got off at a parking lot and started our trek over some rocks and mud, part of the glacier’s terminal moraine (material which was deposited by the glacier as it came down the valley and then was left behind as the glacier receded).  

 

 

 

Chris remarked how eerily beautiful the glacier looked enshrouded in fog.  He said that he’s only seen it that way a couple of times.  

 

      We worked our way closer and closer to the glacier’s surface, soon getting on top of the ice.  As we hiked, Chris gave us some facts about this glacier:  This is the largest glacier in the U.S. which is accessible by road.  A valley glacier, it’s considered the smallest of Alaska’s “big” glaciers:  27 miles long, 4 miles wide.  The ice is probably nearly a mile thick at the top, and about 3-400 feet thick near the terminus, where we were exploring. 

 

  

 

 

 

Chris chopping up some ice to make it easier for us to walk.  

      Chris guided us around for the better part of 3 hours on the glacier’s surface.  He pointed out interesting formations and features of the ice, especially some different views of the most prominent feature we got close to –the ice fall, with its improbable sharp edges and pinnacles jutting upwards.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Was a wonderful experience getting to see what a glacier looks like up close -  exquisite blue colorings in places, streams of melting water called “moulins,” which empty into swirling cavities underneath the top layer of ice, deep crevasses,  distinct black lines drawn into the ice (result of gravel freezing when carried by rushing water through tunnels in the ice when the glacier was actively forming), large areas which reminded me of an old-fashioned quilted satin bathrobe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last place Chris took us to was a small lake formed by the melting ice water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw a couple of different groups of ice climbers.

 

 

MICA tours also offers ice-climbing adventures.  But we thought that was probably a little beyond what we could comfortably do.   We chose the perfect tour for us – a good physical workout, only slightly challenging, paced just right for all of our group.  Never felt rushed or hurried.  Our favorite mix of being educated while thoroughly delighting in  taking in wondrous sights.  And, Chris had a great dry sense of humor, which I really enjoyed.
 

Last looks at Matanuska Glacier:

     As were hiking, the sun was burning off the fog, and by the end of the trek, most of us were quite warm – off with the heavy jackets!  In fact, when we got back to the outfit’s home base, I stripped off all of my warmer clothes and put on a T-shirt I’d brought!  I think it hit over 80 today.

     Had some nice views of the glacier from a distance on our way home . . . on the way in, was too foggy to see it.     

 

 

 

     Got back about 3:30, just in time to pick up a few groceries for our trip to McCarthy & Wrangell-St. Elias tomorrow, and then for Bill to go get the new tires put on the truck.  The guy was extremely helpful in explaining to Bill why those 2 tires in particular took such a big hit on the Alcan, and how he could mitigate that down the road (literally).

     A lovely, balmy evening for grilling salmon and eating outdoors again.  But the mosquitoes are really bad. 

     Seems as if it’s staying lighter longer again – last night, when we went to bed around 11:30, still twilight!  Can’t figure out why, when a couple of weeks ago, it seemed darker at 10:30  . . . as Bill says, “I’ve given up trying to figure out Alaskan weather.”    

FRIDAY, JULY 26

FRIDAY, JULY 26:

     After another leisurely morning , we headed down the road to Glennallen.  This town is located at the junction of the Richardson Hwy (runs north & south to Fairbanks) and the Glennallen  Hwy (runs west to Anchorage).  About 150 miles; took about 3 ½ hours.  First half was bad; second half mostly fine.

     Went to an RV Park that Rob & Karen had recommended.  Very nice.  Owned and run by Natives (Inuit background – what we used to call Eskimo).  As soon as we got set up, Bill took the truck to a tire place.  Back at Tok, the tire store recommended by the RV Park owner (the only one in town) was all out of the size we needed.  But the guy there was pretty sure that we wouldn’t have any trouble making it down to Glennallen, and said we could surely find what we needed there – there were 3 tire stores there.  I had to laugh – as I was in the lounge area back in Tok while Bill was out, another camper came in and asked the owner where he could find a tire store.  The Alcan claims another victim.  

     While Bill was taking care of that, I was on the net and phone, making arrangements for the next few days.  We knew that we wanted to do a flight-seeing trip over Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.  If we only do one flight-seeing trip on this trip, this is the place to do it.  It’s our largest national park – twice the size of Denali.  Yet one of the very least visited, because 1) it’s mostly wilderness; there are very few developed trails not in the backcountry, and 2) you have to really want to get here.  It’s 60 miles off the highway, on a dirt road which rivals parts of the Alcan for ugliness.   But the more we read about it, the more we wanted to visit it.   The scenery is supposed to be absolutely jaw-dropping, especially from the air.  And we had a 2-for-1 coupon for a flightseeing excursion.  So that helped clinch it.

     However, because the tour initiates within the Nat’l Park itself (actually, in the tiny village of McCarthy), and because we also wanted to do some hiking & sight-seeing on foot around the park, we realized that a 1-day day trip into the park wouldn’t be sufficient time.  And we  certainly didn’t want to make the 3+ hour trip in and back twice.  So the search began for an affordable place to spend a night.  Like we did in Gustavus.  Couldn’t locate anything that cheap, but finally did find a cabin which we booked.  Our flight is booked for Sunday afternoon, so we’ll drive in Sunday morning, spend Sunday night there, and return to our home on wheels Monday evening.    

     Tomorrow, we have a glacier trek booked.  Will spend about 3 hours walking around on the Matanuska Glacier (about 1 ½ hours west of here), exploring wherever the guide takes us.   This was about half the price of a glacier trek in Juneau – glad we waited!

     It turned into a beautiful afternoon and evening, so we ate our good leftovers  outside.   They have a free “dessert night” here a couple of times a week –the staff makes homemade dessert.  Tonight it was a couple of kinds of cake.  A very nice touch. 

     Our site has some foot traffic go by, as we’re located right next to the restrooms.  This was one of the last full hook-up sites.  And, we’d asked for a site with good WiFi reception, and this is right by the tower.  So, not as much privacy eating as we’d like, but it’s ok – had a couple of fun conversations with folks as they passed through.

     After dinner, we took Pappy around the park.  Stopped and talked with two Danish guys travelling together (one actually lives in Norway now).  They’re spending a lot of time on water – canoed or rafted for 1 week at a time down rivers.  Talk turned to their high taxation rates and what benefits they received, if it led to lack of incentive to work hard (in their experience, it didn’t).

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, JULY 24 & 25

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, JULY 23 & 24:  

     Well, we’re off on our Alaskan adventure, Part II – off of the ferry, driving all the way now.

     Made 450 miles in our first 2 days – half of what we’d normally do in the Lower 48.  And we felt like that was an accomplishment!  The Alaskan Highway (aka AlCan) is exactly as we’d been told and read about . . . fine in most places, but those sections that aren’t paved, watch out!  Huge potholes and frost heaves, up’s and down’s like a small roller coaster, not to mention dust to rival the Oklahoma Dust Bowl.  Now we see why people proudly wear their  “I survived the Alaskan Highway” T-shirts!

     It was raining when we left Haines, but gave way to sunlight off and on throughout the day.  A gorgeous ride up the Haines Hwy, the first 150 miles north of Haines.  Part of this highway is an eagle preserve, where 3,000 eagles winter every year.  At Haines Junction, Yukon, we turned west on the Alcan.  Still more gorgeous scenery, as we skirted the Canadian Kluane Nat’l Park on our west.

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Shortly thereafter, the fun on the road began and continued all the way until  we staggered into a lovely RV park at Beaver Creek (recommended by our travelling friends whom we met in Wrangell, Rob & Karen) some 185 miles later, weary& bedraggled.    And when we opened up the RV, a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on in there . . . things had fallen out all over the place, most inexplicably some heavy items from the upper living room cabinets, but then the cabinet doors had evidently slammed shut again. Another funny thing was that all of my clothes were on the closet floor, off of the hanger bar.  Thank goodness the laptop didn’t fall . . . but we’ll know to tuck it away somewhere safe from now on, on these roads. 

     All we had energy to fix for dinner was a couple of PB&J’s.  But after eating that and resting for a while, when the park manager knocked on the door to invite us to take a ride on an old Army truck and learn a little history of the area, we decided to go.  Bob, an older guy, gives these “tours” whenever the spirit moves and there seems to be enough interest.  There were about 8 of us, on the back of a vintage 1942 U.S. Army truck which was used to build the original Alaskan Hwy during the war.  He and a Native friend of us found it just lying abandoned in the woods, got it out, took it to Anchorage to get it restored, and now he has a lot of fun with it. 

 

 

  

       He took us on a logging trail through the woods.  He often sees bears here, but none tonight, although we saw huge fresh tracks in the mud.  We did see horses, though!  One came trotting through a clearing in the woods, and a minute later, about 6 or 7 of his friends joined him.  They were as friendly as could be.  Too bad we didn’t have the camera with us.  They belong to an outfitter who takes folks on guided hunting trips on these horses.  Bob said that the horses winter right there.  He also drove us by an old log cabin which was used as a stop-over for the rugged men who carried the mail in between Skagway, Whitehorse, Dawson City, etc.  Bill & I both recognized that story . . .  our old friend who we learned about in Skagway, William Moore, probably stayed in this exact place.  Sort of thrilling when stories you hear while travelling begin to intersect after a while.  Makes them really alive!

     After a good, restful night’s sleep, we decided to just try and go as far as Tok on Thurs (today).  It was only 115 miles away, but everyone who had come south today told us that the road got really ugly on that stretch – worse than what we did today.  Sort of a version of “the best is yet to come!”   Plus, there were construction/repair crews working where you had to wait up to 15 minutes in a couple of places, and had to go thru U.S. Customs again.  Most folks said it took about 4 hours. 

     So we had a nice, hearty leisurely breakfast, and headed on out about 11:30.  Weren’t in a hurry to get going because it was raining hard.  A toss-up which is worse – the dust or mud.  But you at least have better visibility with no rain.   

     They were right about the road conditions and the time.  The Canadian idea of maintaining the highway seems to consist of rolling out the road to even it out, and then laying down a new layer of crushed rock (not the gravel that we’re used to).  Rob had e-mailed us that it has pieces in it as sharp as glass – he’d had a flat.  Once we crossed the border into Alaska again, the road improved tremendously.  It still had some gravel patches, but it was smooth gravel.  I don’t know how Canadian tax dollars are allocated, but not to highways! 

        Found a really, really nice RV Park in Tok.  Looks, feels, and even smells like a real state or national park campground in the forest.  Surrounded by big fir trees, the sites are laid out randomly, far apart.   One of the prettiest we’ve ever been in.  And the nicest elderly owner/manager!   Too bad it’s located in a town that’s just a stop-over.

 

 

 

Before we got settled, took the rig back into town to get a free vehicle wash with gas fill-up.  They know who their target customer is & what he wants!  Bill took a picture of one side of the truck washed and the other not.

 

   Fixed a really nice dinner of grilled ribs, grilled glazed corn, homemade cole slaw, and mashed potatoes.  We were ready for it!  Our reward for 2 days of hard work!

     Bill looked the truck & RV tires over.  We’re going to have to replace both of the outside rear truck tires.  The tread is gone.  Yesterday and today just devoured them .  He’ll see what he can do here tomorrow morning.

      Thank you, Lord, for safety in getting here and for no major issues.

TUESDAY, JULY 23

 

 

TUESDAY, JULY 23:

     If Skagway is the glamorous, flashy sister, Haines is the under-valued, under-appreciated one.   No enormous cruise ships dwarfing everything else in sight here; no high-end jewelry shops; I don’t recall seeing even a T-shirt shop.  But absolutely stunning, gorgeous scenery all around.

     We drove about 10 miles northeast of town, past the ferry dock, to Chilkoot State Park.  It’s a beautiful drive out, along the bay, with spectacular mountain views, especially on a clear, sunny day like today.

It was raining so hard on Sunday when we came in on the ferry that we missed seeing it.

     We came upon Chilkoot River first.  It’s a good salmon stream, and several fishermen were out, as the salmon are definitely running.  That beautiful, glacier ice-blue again.   Against those gorgeous mountains.  Just breath-takingly beautiful.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someone pointed out a bald eagle’s nest high up in a tree across the river.  

 

       Then went on a mile or so further to the lake and put-in dock for small boats. Crystal clear water, and more stunning scenery.    

 

  Saw some kayakers coming in. That prompted us to decide to come back early this evening and take the kayaks out. 

 

       Went back home after stopping to get groceries at the moderate-sized IGA.  The young man checking us out asked the normal friendly questions about where we were from, what brought us to Haines, etc.  He’s been here since age 2, and loves it.  He agrees that it’s under-rated by tourists (ah, but not by travelers), and says that it has some of the best skiing in North America.  

       Read & dozed in the sunshine.  Got up to 76 today!  Haven’t had anything close to that since Wrangell!  I actually got to feeling too warm outside . . . guess I’m starting to get that thick Alaska blood!

     Enjoyed our Mexican dinner leftovers, and then set out again for Chilkoot Lake.  A beautiful evening to paddle around.  Saw a couple of high waterfalls tumbling down. 

 

                                                 

                                            

  

       Back on the beach, we met a single man from New Zealand, and couple from Switzerland, who’ve been in Alaska 1 month and 3 weeks, respectively.  They’re all camping (in rented campers) at the campground here in the State Park, which we walked around a little earlier in the day.  A really lovely location, but of course no hook-up’s.

     A sublimely pretty drive home, against the long-lasting twilight.
 

 

                                                               

                                                                            

.  Saw what looked like a cruise ship sailing slowly along.  Sure hope the passengers are feasting their eyes on the views!