Chugach Mts

Morning in Valdez between museums and memory of the disaster

Probably the locals will not judge badly the weather we find upon leaving the Blessing House after a hearty self-service breakfast. There is some haze but visibility is decent. Too bad that to fully appreciate the position in which the town is located one would need the sun, but in these parts it seems to be a very rare commodity. So we go to do some shopping and dedicate ourselves to visiting some indoor places in the hope that a breeze will carry away this autumnal haze.

We see the Valdez Museum and the Remembering Old Valdez Annex. They are two museums connected to each other and deal with the common threads, as well as the themes that have most affected local life: the history of the natives, the gold rush, oil with the construction of the pipeline, the 1964 earthquake and the Exxon Valdez disaster.

Valdez, salmon and the pipeline terminal

A tangible sign of how seismic risk can always be current is seen from the signs indicating tsunami evacuation routes, that is the ways to follow in case of earthquake. It should be remembered that what is seen of Valdez dates back at most to '64, since the city was moved 6 km to be rebuilt in a safer position.

Leaving the town we go to the platform for observing the salmon that spawn (Crooked Creek Salmon Spawning Area) on the Richardson Hwy. We quickly glance at Old Valdez, nothing more than a grassy clearing, everything was dismantled and moved to a safer position after the tsunami. We see many campers parked in every available space and we understand that the moment coincides with the peak season for salmon fishing. Perfectly organized with large cooler bags, the fishermen stand with their feet in the low waters of the rivers waiting for something to bite. When they pull up a catch they find themselves with a meal assured for a few days. The bears essentially do the same thing, with the only difference that they immediately stow the catch in their stomach and do not preserve it, while some campers even have the equipment necessary for smoking.

We go to see the terminal of the pipeline on the opposite side of the bay: amidst strict safety rules we manage to take a couple of photos but unfortunately one cannot enter and we say goodbye to the pipeline that has faithfully accompanied us for almost a week. Following the incident that caused one of the worst environmental disasters due to oil spills, measures have been taken aimed at improving safety. But not all have been implemented yet, for example double-hulled tankers will not become mandatory in Prince William Sound until 2015. Currently it seems that the damage has been repaired and that flora and fauna have returned to master the area. However, the die-off caused by the black tide remains and a pollution that, although mitigated by the interventions, remains latent under the sand of the beaches.

From Thompson Pass to the Glenn Highway

The road that climbs to Thompson Pass cuts diagonally across the mountain and has few curves. It seems designed specifically to easily evacuate snow and facilitate transit in an area where snowy precipitation dominates for most of the year. It is the only road that connects Valdez with the rest of the world and must therefore be maintained with all care. As per the script, once past the pass, the fog gives way to clear skies.

We take a walk that will not turn out to be too long to reach the Worthington Glacier, with its numerous crevasses. Seen up close it loses some of the imposing quality it has from a distance, where one can see the entire front. We go back up the Richardson Hwy to Glennallen and from here we travel west on the Glenn Hwy to go and visit the last piece still missing from this memorable mosaic: the Kenai Peninsula.

In the meantime we enjoy a beautiful day with unforgettable views along the road, especially to the south, where the chain of the Chugach Mountains runs parallel. Very panoramic is Eureka Pass at 996 m, with a wide view of the glaciers that descend forming streaks tens of km long.

Matanuska Glacier and return to Palmer

One of these is the Matanuska Glacier, more than 25 miles long, with a characteristic white glacial floor, whereas glaciers of this size usually “dirty” along their path until they disappear under high layers of debris. A one-mile walk takes us toward some panoramic points on the glacier that explanatory panels help to better understand.

One of these explains how during the last glaciation the Matanuska Glacier reached the Palmer area, so the entire alluvial plain of the area was a glacial site and was formed precisely because of this. Therefore, the fertility of the soil is thanks to the sediments left by the ice, making it more favorable for cultivation.

We reach Palmer (about thirty miles before Anchorage) to spend the night in the same motel as the first night. It is a place that does not know luxury, but quiet and parking the car in front of the room feels very American. This evening we change restaurant to go to Rusty's, where we are lucky enough to have an exquisite grilled salmon, crème brûlée and pudding with whiskey cream. The whole thing is sealed by a particular beer flavored with raspberries. It is not an emotion that will change my habits but it should be counted among the positive experiences.

Evening in Palmer

I also make an impression on a blonde. Too bad she has pants twice my size and is dead drunk. In this case fortunately there are no explanatory panels to provide answers to any whys.