1006 August 9, 2023 Goodbye Alaska

Last night we had dousing rain.  We woke to find the RV surrounded by huge muddy puddles. 

I walked across the street to the Visitor Center and used the WIFI to post yesterday’s blog. 

There was a stuffed wolf on display that looked exactly like the one I saw in the woods on Nebesna Road a couple of weeks ago.

So today is our least favorite part of the drive.  We began at 10:15am.  This is the portion of the Alcan from Tok to Destruction Bay.  The road conditions were rough on the way here.  Driving today would be tedious and took lots of time and patience.  There were several places where we had to pull over to allow other faster, more impatient drivers to pass. 

As we drove, the smoke and haze dissipated and the sun started to peek out from dramatic clouds.

We took a break at the boundary to the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge.  There was an exhibit there that talked about the 2002 earthquake that left 12-foot-deep cracks in the Glenn Highway.  That wasn’t all that long ago!

We had a 30-mile stretch of roadwork.  For much of it, we waited for and followed a pilot car along with a long stream of other RV’s all heading out of Alaska.  We have noticed small signs of fall and little changes in leaf color.  It is time to go home!

We stopped at the Tetlin Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. 

I loved this quote:

This wildlife refuge is recognized as a Globally Important Bird Area.  Thousands of trumpeter swans and tens of thousands of sandhill cranes fly through here on their way to nesting grounds in Western Alaska and Siberia.  They are travelers just like us!

We took a short hike down to the trapper’s cabin.

For a short while before the US Customs Station, the road was brand new and smooth.  As soon as we crossed the border into Canada, the road was immediately rough; heaving and falling in waves.  20 miles later, we went through Border Patrol and we were officially in Yukon, Canada.  Back to kilometers, liters, and loonies!

We passed Snag Junction where the coldest temperature in Canada was recorded in 1947.  It was -81.4 degrees Fahrenheit…OUCH!

As we bounced and bebopped along, there were lots of lakes and trees and the mountains were still pretty.

There was a pair of nesting swans in almost every pond.

The road conditions made traveling very slow.  Tim said it gave me more opportunity to appreciate the scenery.  😊

The gravel washboard sections were the worst. 

We crossed the bridge over the White River.  Volcanic ash is responsible for its color.

At 4pm, we were tired.  We found the Lake Creek Yukon Government Campground. 

We got a peaceful site on the water and it was the perfect thing after such a long day of driving.  The firewood was free and we had a nice campfire.  We drank some wine and relaxed.  Eggs for dinner and an evening walk and then good night!

1005 August 8, 2023 Heading South

We got up very early and I had clothes in the washer by 5:30am. 

I spent the morning cleaning and organizing.  The tanks are both full and empty.  We have plenty of groceries and supplies.  It is time to begin the long trek toward home.

We stopped for a break at this pretty little lake. 

There was a bald eagle sitting in a treetop.

Pretty scenery with wispy, drifting clouds.

We said goodbye to Matanuska Glacier.

As we approached Glenallen, the Wrangell Mountains started to appear.

We had lunch at the Gulkana River.

Later in the afternoon, we began to notice haze.  We could smell smoke.

About 20 miles from Tok, we saw a she-moose and her calf along the edge of the dense trees.

We arrived in Tok around 4pm.  It started to rain as soon as I got dressed and ready to walk.  I carried an umbrella and went to the post office.  Next, I headed to the Visitor Center.  The ranger there told me that the smoke was coming from wildfires in the north.  He said that we would likely drive out of it shortly after crossing the border into Canada. 

Tim and I went into the grocery store and picked up a few things.  We didn’t really need anything but it was right nest door to our camping spot and it was our evening entertainment.

We will be traveling on the Alcan Highway and may not have enough service to post for the next several days. We will write when we can!

1004 August 7, 2023 Back To Anchorage

This was our last morning together.  We took one more walk.

By 9am, we were on the road, driving toward Anchorage.  It rained most of the way but we did see this rainbow.

We grilled bison burgers and had our last picnic together.

We drove to Anchorage to the airport with partly sunny skies and rain showers.

We had to say goodbye.

This week had been so much fun.  We have seen lots of beautiful places.  We have had some amazing wildlife encounters.  Watching glaciers calve was high on everyone’s list of favorite moments. We have walked and hiked and shared good food.  The memories we have made will last for a long time.  We love sharing our adventures with the people we love and we are sad to see Kyle and Allison go.

1003 August 5-6, 2023 Denali Highway Campout

We enjoyed a nice morning walk to the Jack River.

We then spent the day packing the Jeep and preparing for a rooftop tent/Jeep camping experience.

We drove the Denali Highway stopping along the way to appreciate the scenery.  I love this drive!

After crossing the Susitna River, we found the perfect campsite sitting atop a gravel esker and overlooking the river with mountain views.  This is the same place we camped with Kyle 5 years ago.

We found that we were in the midst of a bear buffet.  The blueberries were ripe.

We actually picked and ate some.

There were also plenty of rosehips and pinecones.

We stretched dinner into several courses and passed a quiet evening by the campfire.

Tim and I slept in the rooftop tent.  Kyle and Allison made a nest in the back of the Jeep. 

In the morning, it was cool and rainy.  When the rain subsided, we packed our gear and headed back to Cantwell.

The rain was persistent on Sunday.   It was grey and gloomy.  We all needed a recovery day and so we read and relaxed.

We made delicious shrimp and scallop piccata with grilled asparagus and roasted garlic clove bread.  It was so yummy!

I was able to spend several hours using the campground’s limited WIFI to publish a few blog posts.  We will gradually get caught up!

1002 August 4, 2023 Denali National Park

Today we took the Jeep and drove the 30 miles from Cantwell to Denali National Park.  We spent some time in the Visitor Center.

Tim and I walked a trail through the woods.

We took the green transit bus into the park.

We saw caribou.

We passed the Savage River.

More gorgeous scenery.

The Sanctuary River.

More mountains.

We passed Teklanika River.  This is where the bus stopped.  Two years ago, the park road was closed beyond this point because of the deterioration and landslide along the road.  The road is expected to be repaired by 2026.

We got off the bus and hiked in the riverbed. 

All day, we had been hearing about the grizzlies in the park.   We found evidence as we walked.

Kyle and Allison had sat down by one of the small sections of the river.  Kyle had his shoes and socks off and had his feet in the river.  They saw a caribou running toward them.  It passed about 10 yards from them.  What a sighting! 

We could see the same animal far across the riverbed.

We got back on the bus and saw more pretty mountains.

We heard from the bus driver that there was a mama grizzly and three cubs up the road a piece.  The bears were high, near the ridge.  What a special thing to see!

We also go to see a moose.  This female was alone, without a calf.  Most calves don’t survive past the first year.  It would be unusual for a healthy female not to give birth.

What a great trip!  We got back to the Jeep and drove another 11 miles north to Healy.  We had a delicious dinner at 49^th State Brewing Company.

The bus is a replica of the shelter for Chris McCandless and sits on this property.  Chris’ story is told in the book “Into the Wild.”  If you haven’t read it, it is an incredible tale.

It was a very long day but we all had a good time and it was worth it!

1001 August 3, 2023 To Talkeetna And Cantwell

We had another long travel day.  We stopped in Talkeetna to break up the driving. 

We had a nice lunch at Homestead Kitchen.  I had reindeer sausage flatbread that was so good.

We walked down to the confluence of the rivers where we could see Denali.

This man was sitting on the rocks trying to catch a salmon as they swam along the bank and upriver.

We tried the fireweed ice cream.  It was bright pink and delicious!

We stopped again at Denali Southview where we could see the mountain.

We arrived in Cantwell in the evening. 

We were tired and happy!

1000 August 2, 2023 Matanuska State Recreation Area

We took another morning walk in town.  We went to Peter Pan Seafood Store and purchased some sea scallops and king salmon.

We packed and left Valdez at 11.

We stopped at a riverside turnout for a picnic lunch.

We spent the afternoon on the road and arrived at Matanuska State Recreation Area in early evening.

It was a quiet evening.  Kyle and Allison hiked the trail on the ridge.  We read and relaxed.  Tomorrow is another long driving day.

999 August 1, 2023 Lu Lu Belle Glacier Cruise

Kyle, Allison, and I started the day with another walk through town.

At 10:30, we boarded the Lu Lu Belle.  Captain Fred was at the helm.  We left Valdez behind.

We traveled into Prince William Sound.

A waterfall.

Sea otters.

Caves and rocky coast.

Birds.

Fishing boats.

A sea lion colony.

A puffin hiding in a cave.

Humpback whales.

A mountain goat.

Making our way through the icebergs up to the glacier. 

Otters on the ice.

Captain Fred got us within a quarter mile of the glacier face.

The Columbia Glacier calving.

On our way back, a school of Dall porpoises surrounded the boat.  They were such fun to watch.

We didn’t return to Valdez until 8:30pm.  We were tired and we were hungry. 

The guys tried the local brewery but it was already closed for the evening.  We went back to the Fat Mermaid and ordered and shared a bunch of appetizers.

What a fabulous day!!!

998 July 31, 2023 Valdez

Allison, Kyle, and I began the day with a great walk while Tim did his yoga and weights.

We wandered down to the ferry terminal.  We spotted a bald eagle.

We found a coffee shop and then walked around the harbor.

After lunch, we took the Jeep and went to explore.  Our first stop was the Valdez Glacier.

Next, we went to the Valdez Fish Hatchery.  The pink salmon were returning to spawn.  There was a huge frenzy of fish in the water.

Huge sea lion bulls sat in the shallow water resting and hunting for salmon.  The picking was easy and the sea lions gorged themselves.

The gulls were content to feast on leftovers.

The old Valdez town site.

Lee and Claudia were in Valdez.  They had an extremely successful fishing charter yesterday for silver salmon.  They came to join us for dinner and to meet the kids.  We had a great evening.

At 9pm, we decided to return to the hatchery.  We were hoping to see bears fishing for salmon.  There were no bears.  The tide was low and the fish boiled and churned with the desperate, writhing salmon. 

Kyle was able to reach in a grab a couple.

What an amazing sight to witness!

997 July 30, 2023 Anchorage to Valdez

Our company arrived last evening!   The four-hour time difference meant it was bedtime when we got back to the RV.

We got up early and got ready to move.  We had a long day of driving and riding to get to Valdez.

We stopped along the way to enjoy the scenery.

We went to Worthington Glacier and hiked down to the edge of the running water.

We stopped again at Thompson Pass and walked along the ridge.

We got to Valdez in early evening. 

We had dinner at the Fat Mermaid.

We walked around the Valdez Harbor.

Even though we drove almost 300  miles, we had a great day!