June 4 and 5--Tok to Ekdutna Lake, Alaska

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June 4th, Saturday 57 degrees, partly sunny Sourdough Campground, Tok starting mileage 9027

Drove a couple miles or so, back into town to fill up the gas tank and buy some groceries. I also wanted to check out a shop that had advertised that they sold only Alaskan made items and was an outlet for the nearby Athabascan Indian reservation. Got gas at $4.29 a gal took 17 gals and mileage at 9030. Went by the local, one and only, grocery store and bought just a couple of items as prices were higher than high, and felt we could hold out until we got to Anchorage. Tok is a major intersection of 2 highways. We left the Alaskan Highway and started down the Tok cut off toward the Glenn Highway, which we planned to take to the Kenai Peninsula. Most of the group were going south the same way, but to Valdez, and taking the ferry across Price William Sound to Whittier.

As usual, we followed a river valley as we went south through the mountains. Pulled over to take a picture of the sharp point of one of the mountains, and a man and very young boy came up a path out of the underbrush, with the boy carrying a 12 inch or more fish. It looked like a trout, but the man said it was a grayling.

Went along several areas where the river flattened out and widened into a slough or wetland area. At Slana Slough, stopped and watched the ducks. We ID’ed canvassback and widgeon ducks. Environment looked perfect for moose, but saw none. Had lunch at a turn-out that overlooked 3 lakes and the Wrangell Mountains.

Suddenly started to see lots and lots of long gondola trucks in front of us, in back of us, and going by in the other lane. Came to the road construction and there were many more putting down a complete new layer of asphalt.

When we got near to Glennallen, we started looking for a place to spend the night. The first State Park we went into was completely deserted and so wet that the mosquitoes were swarming all over in the air. We said no thanks to that one. Next we went into 2 private campgrounds in Glennallen and they wanted $35 per night. We again said, “no thanks,” and drove on.

Looking at our map and our milepost book, we decided to try going about 11 miles north of the main road to Lake Louise State Park. It was situated up higher in elevation and the narrow road went through an area that was just full of small lakes---one after another, after another. Picked out a campsite right on the edge of the huge Lake Louise and settled in for the night. Just as we were relaxing another Roadtrek couple stopped by. They had started way behind the group, and we were the first of the group they had met up with.

June 5th Sunday rained in the night and rainy still. 46 degrees 9219 starting mileage and started out at 9:50.

This was a day for seeing animals right off the bat. Before we had left the campground, there were rabbits hopping to get out of our way and into the brush. Big rabbits with brown fur and white ears and big white feet, which we have since learned are snowshoe hares. As we slowly made our way back to the main road, now the Glenn Highway, a family of three caribou crossed in front of us. The male was first, then the female, and then a youngster that looked like he was born the year before.

Looking out from our vantage point on this road, we had a great view of the Tazlina Glacier and the lake in front of it. When we reached the main road, Valerie took a picture of the buildings that once was a café business. From the start of this trip, the number of businesses and concerns that have been shut down and abandoned is great. Sometimes the business has been the only gas station, campground, or store for miles and miles.

Several glaciers could be seen from the road as we traveled along the Chugach Mountains. We stopped for gas at Eureka Lodge and looked at Nelchina Glacier. Lots of folks out with ATV’s in this area. There are lots of trails in Alaska that are set up for ATVs in the summer and then used by snowmobiles in the winter.
We had lunch at the King Mountain Lodge Roadhouse at Chickaloon. Cost for a hamburger and a grilled ham and cheese sandwich and a piece of blueberry pie was $31. This area and sights along this road are absolutely gorgeous.

Dropped down quickly into Palmer and spotted a Fred Meyer store, which is part of Kroger. Stocked up on groceries even though they weren’t cheap---they were cheaper than where we had been and we were heading into the boonies again. Filled up with gas in Palmer at Fred Meyer gas station ---$4.10 a gal and took 23.77 gals. (we got it for 10 cents a gallon less because we spent $100 at the store). Mileage 9351. Drove about 20 miles out of Palmer, into the Chugach National Forest to a very nice campground by Ekdutna Lake.

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