Glennallen to Valdez and back

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We left the campers in Glennallen and took Magee's van to Valdez. The first half of the drive gave a better view of the tops of several high mountains that couldn't see yesterday due to clouds. Mt Drum is really BIG with a bunch of glaciers and at 12010 ft, it towers over every other thing in sight, even Mt Wrangell several miles SE of it and a couple thousand feet higher. When we got to the Chugach mountains, we stated seeing snow fields, and a few glaciers. Then we got to Worthington glacier. The State has a state park there with interpretive signs, a ranger station and paved walks to get you pretty close to the glacier. The trails up to the glacier were closed (still snow covered). Got a couple good pictures of Charlie & Kerry. Next up the road was Thompson Pass (~2600 ft). The pass itself was pretty, but the turnout just beyond the pass was incredible - - I'm running out of superlative adjectives !!!. We've seen some pretty great vistas in the Swiss Alps, but this one puts them to shame!!!! While none of the peaks were much over 6 or 7 thousand feet high, they were all glaciated, rugged saw toothed ridges, - - just breathtaking !! We decended into the Lowe River valley and passed through Key Stone Canyon with its many water falls. Then on to Valdez with a stop at a salmon spawning observation station. The salmon weren't in yet, but we did get to see a Bald Eagle sitting on her nest with a couple of babies. We also saw the Valdez Oil Terminal - - with all the incredible scenery, we'd have missed it, if we hadn't been looking for it. Long ride back through the same incredibly beautiful landscape. Tomorrow, Anchorage.

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Photos

Charlie & Kerry Doing the Mo Dance
They were singing a song about Mighty Mo, the Wild animal Foe

Kerry & Charlie at Worthington Glacier
Worthington Glacier is in the background

Magee Glacier
So named by Gena. It lies on the south side of Girls Mtn. Worthington Glacier is on the north side of the same mountain.

Top 1/2 of Bridal Vail Falls
This is a particularly beautiful water fall. It is a couple hundred feet high and produces a LOT of spray mist. It got our camera wet from over 100 feet away.

Eagle On Her Nest
This bald eagle was on her nest across a small side bay just north of Valdez. She has two babies in the nest. Her mate was flying around while we were there

Mountains across the inlet from Valdez
These mountains are up behind the Valdez Oil Terminal visible above the water line in the lower right side of the photo

Comments

[OffOurRocker]

jimmy doolittle mtn
It's really billy mitchell mountain, but it's easy to get those flyboys confused.