Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

***WARNING: PHOTO HEAVY***

Steve and I spent a week in Valdez from the 12th to the 18th. We were in Valdez when we received the sad news about Sean. When I think back to that trip, it feels a little surreal. I believe the heavens were mourning with us, as sunshine and blue skies became overcast. When the rain began to fall, it seemed to time itself to my tears.

At one point, my thoughts turned to memories of another trip to Valdez: September, 2006. We were there when the news came that my mother had passed.  I remembered that I was walking the Dock Point Trail with Sedona at about the same moment my mother left this world.  It’s a beautiful walk and a great place to find peace and the opportunity for introspection.

So I leashed up Sedona and we took that walk again… alone.  And I did a lot of thinking about Sean, and my mom, and sadness, and family. But at the same time I couldn’t help but notice the immense beauty around me. Mountains, and glaciers. Lushness. Blue skies. Mist and fog.  What a juxtaposition of emotions. How is it possible to feel immense sorrow, and then joy, within seconds of each other?

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FAIRBANKS - VALDEZ

These photos were taken along the way, mostly shooting out the windshield:

Horsetail Falls, Keystone Canyon outside of Valdez:

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Part One: Valdez and Cordova Day One

Part Two: Exploring Cordova

Part Three: Cooper Landing and Palmer

DENALI NATIONAL PARK

It takes 3 - 4 hours to get to Denali from Palmer, depending on traffic and driving conditions. They’ve been doing a lot of roadwork on the Parks Hwy, so there can be delays when the pilot cars are in use.  Alaska always does road repair in the summer months. It’s something we’re used to.

I overheard one person tell another that they got stuck for 45 minutes on the Parks Hwy a few days prior. I am glad that the delay we experienced was only 15 minutes. The stretch of highway that they’ve repaired and repaved is wonderful! It’s so smooth and quiet. Too bad these repairs don’t last too many extreme winters up here.

We chose McKinley RV Park to stay. It’s located in Healy - fifteen or twenty minutes north of the park entrance. This was our first experience with McKinley RV, because I never knew it was there. It’s located down a hill behind a gas station and convenience store. The sites are treed, there is a tree-covered tenting area, and it has full hookups. There was definitely more breathing room around our camper, when compared to our usual: Grizzly Bear Campground 6 miles south of the park entrance. At Grizzly Bear, we’ve always felt we needed a big shoehorn to get into our site. Both campgrounds have pretty surroundings though. It’s a beautiful part of the state.

After setting up camp, Steve and I were planning to drive into the park to Savage River - the farthest you can go with your private vehicle - and hike the trail that follows the river.  But soon after putting out the awning, a strong wind came out of the mountains, shaking the trailer from side to side. We stayed put.

We had reservations on the 1:30pm shuttle to Eielson Visitor Center (mile 67) in the park.  We chose the late trip because we knew there’d be less people on it, and we hoped the wildlife would become more active as it got later in the afternoon and evening.

After breakfast, we checked in at the Wilderness Access Center, picked up our bus passes, and checked out the Visitor Center (photo at left). There are very interesting exhibits at the Visitor Center. The bookstore is a great place to browse too.

Around the Visitor Center are several walking/hiking trails that are an easy or moderate walk for most folks. There are also a few trails that are ADA accessible. All the times I’ve visited the park, I’ve never taken the time to check them out. With more than an hour before we had to catch the bus, Steve and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll (about a mile) through a spruce forest, where we saw all sorts of mushrooms and quite a bit of moss and lichen.

By the time we lined up for our shuttle ride, the skies were clearing nicely and the sun was shining. We all had a good feeling about the upcoming drive.

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Part One: Valdez and Cordova Day One

Part Two: Exploring Cordova

VALDEZ TO COOPER LANDING

We left Cordova under chilly, rainy skies and as we neared Valdez, heavy fog drifted thickly over the water. The mountains around us looked as if they were cloaked in thick, white cotton batting.  It was stunning!  Seeing the many commercial fishing boats dotting the water added even more beauty to the scene.

As we neared the Valdez harbor, the deck hands prepared to toss the ropes to the hands on shore, so the ferry could be moored.

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