June 16, Kennecott Base Camp to Valdez (new post, on July 7th)

Still trying to get caught up here...

On June 16th, we made a 178-mile drive from our campsite in McCarthy, where we really enjoyed seeing the Kennecott copper mine and taking our hike on the Root Glacier, to the port city of Valdez, on Prince William Sound, where the Trans-Alaska Pipeline terminates. Of course, since we later drove to Prudhoe Bay, where it originates, we can say fairly accurately that we drove the entire length of the pipeline.

(When we were in Prudhoe Bay, we bought a coffee-table picture book on the creation of the oil fields and the pipeline. I didn't have a chance to look at it until last night. What an amazing, still ongoing effort, to create this source of energy for our country).

The early part of the drive out of Kennecott was terrific, seeing beautiful views we had seen a few days before but from the other direction...

This is the Copper River, below...

Looking back at the Wrangells...

On the way to Valdez, we had a chance to stop at Ernesto's again, and have some more simply fantastic Mexican food for lunch.

Here's a copy of our driving plan for the day, so you can get a feel for what we were doing...

After lunch, he headed in a more southerly direction, towards Valdez, needing to traverse the Chugach Mountains on the way. We had no idea the treat we were about to experience! They are stunning...

Mt. Billy Mitchell, below...

We stayed at an RV Resort in Valdez, an easy walk to the harbor where we went out onto Prince William Sound for over three hours with a fisherman/guide/tour conductor named Josh. He has been in Valdez for forty years, and taught high school there. Here are some shots of that experience...

Had dinner at the Fat Mermaid in Valdez. Busy, but not great. We all ordered halibut and it was a great disappointment. (Ann and I ordered some for lunch when we were in Talkeetna, pan seared over a salad, and it was terrific. I am backtracking, but here's a picture of that great meal...

Our captain, Josh, had been out fishing in the morning, catching some cod. He shared a goodly portion of that catch with us, which we enjoyed later over the course of two meals. It was good, but nowhere as good as the halibut above.

We are having dinner tonight in Anchorage, at a place famous for their seafood, Simon & Seafort's. I hope to have Alaskan King Crab Legs. Should be fun. Laundry and shopping tomorrow, getting ready for camping the nights of July 9th through the 20th. On the 21st, we will be at the Alyeska Resort to celebrate Ann's 64th birthday. Couple of massages that afternoon, a nice dinner at the Double Muskie, and a comfy bed in the resort.

On the 9th, we'll be heading out on this route...

On the 21st, we'll retrace our steps back to Girdwood.

On the 22nd, we'll start a three-day trip to Dawson City. Here's the driving plan for that trip, minus the final leg to Dawson City. For some reason, GoogleMaps wouldn't show it...

Lots of great places yet to visit! Thanks for following along!

Davis, Ann, and Tuck