7/31/207, Valdex, Alaska

Hello from Valdez, Alaska. We have had some problems posting pictures on the blog and also sending pictures via Email, so you will not be getting an illustrated travelogue.

We had a pleasant trip to Valdez from Tok. Although it was only 250 miles, sections of the road were very rough, with lots of frost heaves. Also there were stops to admire to admire the spectacular scenery --- lots of mountains streams and quite a few moose wading in the streams. To get to Valdez, it was necessary to cross a costal mountain range, which while not very high (about 5,000 feet), crosses alpine tundra, and very close to a big glacier. From the pass on top of the mountain we descended into a canyon, characterized with rain-forest type foliage and many very beautiful waterfalls.

The first few days we were here were sunny days with a daily shower in the evening or late afternoon. In the morning, the fog would gradually rise over the surrounding mountains, and we would be treated to views of glaciers (nine of them surrounding us) and several waterfalls tumbling down the sides of the mountains, many of them probably fed by high glaciers.

Valdez is an interesting town. The harbor is noted for being one of the most northern harbors that do not freeze. The town was started during the days of the Klondike Gold Rush, the last years of the nineteenth century. An “All American Route" to the Klondike up over the Valdez Glacier (which sits astride a mountain) was proposed as an easy way to transport supplies need to start mining, by pulling them on sleds up and over the mountain. The route was ill-fated. The trip was extremely difficult; would-be miners fell in crevasses, and suffered from the extreme cold. The trip down from the summit on the other side was nearly as difficult as the trip up. Rather than take several days to cross the glacier, it took several weeks. The town started as a point of departure, and later as a refuge for those who did not succeed.

In the 1960’s there was disastrous earthquake in Alaska, and it hit Valdez particularly hard. There were many deaths, and many buildings destroyed. When it came time to rebuild, study showed the “old town” was built on unstable soil, and it was decided to move the whole town (what house that could be moved and rebuilding the rest) to the present town site about four miles away. So mow the present town of Valdez (population of about 1400) is fairly new and modern.

The Alaska pipeline ends near here, across the bay. Of course the harbor is the site of the infamous oil spill from the Exxon Valdez tanker. Although the memory of this mishap is burned into the memory of the residents here, the actual site of the spill is perhaps fifteen miles away beyond the mouth of the harbor. Although the oil spill devastated a large part of the coast of Prince William Sound, much of the sound is still pristine and in good shape.

This is the height of salmon fishing season now. People line up on the shore of the bay and cast a red spoon out into the water. One can see the salmon out in the water, jumping about. Apparently the salmon are schooling in preparation for a run up the creeks to spawn. A daily fishing license costs twenty dollars, and that allows you to keep ten fish. The fish are about a foot long. People in the know say they only keep the female fish, as the flesh of the male fish is a little soft. The fishing seems to take place an hour before to an hour after high tide.

Every little steam, river and creek is full of salmon going upstream to spawn. These fish are turning red, and getting a long under slung jaw. The fish are pretty beaten up, with gashes in the skin. In one place there is a creek leading up to a power plant. A large screen has been placed over the stream to keep the fish from going up and interfering with the plant. The fish are so thick below the screen, one could really walk across them, if they wee not so slippery. Around the edges of the stream, the fish pile on top of each other, attempting to get up the stream. Of course, in a relatively short time all these fish will die. In most streams, I gather, they make it to some point, spawn, guard the eggs a few days, and then die.

We have seen other wild life here. At certain times of day, there are eagles, sitting in trees; I suppose getting ready to fish, when everyone is gone. One morning we saw a bear, out fishing. Madeline, actually saw the beat catch a fish!

We took a boat trip one day, out to see the glaciers and wildlife. The glaciers were a sight to see. The ice was all a light blue. One glacier was sending out a significant amount of icebergs that extended out several miles into the sea.

Tomorrow, we return to Tok. Then we will work our way down to Haines, Alaska, where we will meet some friends, and later visit my cousin Henry, who lives in Juneau