7/24 – 7/25  

Indian Statue # 40 by Peter Toth

Valdez Harbor from Dock Point Park

Spent most of the time salmon fishing and loaded the freezer with about 30 lbs of scrumptious fish. Walked around Valdez; it has changed quite a bit since 2003, it’s more touristy, crowded and noisy. Hiked the Dock Point Trail and drove along Dayville Rd; saw a black bear with 3 cubs scrounging for salmon on the shore.

Moma and cubs

And here’s where salmon come from

7/23  

Muddy Matanuska Glacier

Rt 1 near Sheep Mountain – Gypsum colored with iron oxide

Hiked to the Matanuska glacier; it’s amazing how dirty and messy glaciers really due to the huge amounts of ground rock which covers everything at the base in a muddy coat . Continued on Glenn Hwy (Rt 1) and onto Richardson Hwy (Rt 4) to Valdez.

The scenery is spectacular, especially from Thompson Pass and the Worthington Glacier to Valdez . Camped at Bear Paw RV Park in Valdez

Mt Drum

7/22

Matanuska Glacier

Arlyne on hiking trail

Another gray, cool day; started towards Valdez along the Glenn Hwy (Rt 1). Detoured onto a side road to Seventeenmile Lake, a rather pretty and isolated lake where I enjoyed fishing for grayling, caught and released several small ones. Stopped at Matanuska Glacier SRA and hiked a short distance to a viewing stand to see the Glacier, a pretty sight. Decided to camp at the State Recreation Area campground, very small (9 sites) but nicely set up.

7/21  

Flatop Mountain Spruce

More Flatop Mountain Spruce

A rather overcast day but good for going to Flatop Mountain and hiking a trail or two. Many of the spruce trees are quite misshapened by the fierce winds that sometimes buffet the mountain and look like beautifully grotesque caricatures from a nightmare. Afterwards we walked through the Anchorage Botanical Gardens, a different type of beauty and very nice.

Painted Tongue, Anchorage Botanical Gardens

Masterwort, Anchorage Botanical Gardens

Dena’ina Trail Marker, Anchorage Botanical Gardens