Valdez Day 1

July 29th, 2014. Today was just an 80 mile drive to Valdez. Once again the scenery is beyond description. Every time we think it cant get any better we realize we were wrong again. Valdez in Bob's new "Pick City". About 25 miles from Valdez, Worthington Glacier came into view. It looked very impressive framed by two mountain peaks as we drove up higher into the mountain. We almost didn't stop as we have been up close to several glaciers.

The "MilePost" said it was a must see so we pulled in. On the walkway down to the observation deck we met up with friends from the Anchorage District Convention! It was so nice to see Pat Buckingham and her family all together! They were taking her two oldest grand-daughters to Valdez to check things out as they planned to move there to pioneer. It was very exciting! I couldn't believe it that I didn't think to get a group photo. I hope I meet up with them again. At the observation deck for the glacier there was a well beaten path going around it. It didn't seem particularly difficult or dangerous so we headed closer. We crossed a stream of runoff water and kept going until we were right beside / barely under one leg of the glacier. Water was rushing in torrents from under the glacier walls. You could really see the blue reflecting light coming from it and best of all, we got to touch it!

Crossing over the mountains through Thompson Pass we began our long decent into Valdez. A point of interest stop was an old railroad tunnel. The tunnel was complete but the railroad never was. A Hatfield/McCoy type feud between competing railroad companies complete with gun battles brought the project to an end. The railroad was never completed through this pass. Just across the roadway was the remains of a giant snow bridge. This was the scene of the huge avalanche last winter that closed Valdez to vehicle traffic for 2 to 3 weeks. Later we found out that the debris field in front of the railroad tunnel was the result of that avalanche.

We stopped for pictures at two waterfalls, having lunch sitting below Bridal Veil Falls. The other was Horsetail Falls. Next we continued down to about 4 miles before Valdez. We turned left on Dayville Rd. It passed a fish hatchery with a day use lot, camping lots overlooking the port for fishing and wildlife viewing and at the end the Valdez Pipeline Terminus. It was too early to set up camp so we went back to the main road to continue into town. We noticed the sign pointing toward Old Valdez so we drove in. There was a memorial to the 32 people who died near the harbor in the 1964 earthquake. It completely devastated Valdez. It was determined that the ground was unsafe to rebuild at this location. The memorial plaque was on the foundation of the old Post Office. Nothing is left at the old town but a few boards and informative posts indicating locations of some of the former buildings. New Valdez is another 4 miles down the main road heading up the west side of the bay in a more protected and sound spot. We stopped at the Info Center, the local Eagles Club and finally the only Chinese Restaurant in town. (We are still looking for good chinese food.) After dinner we walked to the docks. Saw lots of happy fishermen with their catch. Climbed the towns observation tower to get a great view, then drove a few miles out past the airstrip to Glacier Campground near Valdez glacier! A nice quiet night here. (still dry camping)