Tuesday July 1, 2014 Valdez, Alaska

Odd tree trunk at Sinona Creek

We didn't unhook the Jeep last night after arriving at Tok.  I had used the cover  on the front of the Jeep and even after the washing I didn't want to handle all the dirt it accumulates.

You may have noticed that yesterday I included URL for some of the sights we visited.  When I published the blog and shared it they were not clickable links.  I won't include them again. If you have a further interest just Google the name.

We got up early and I made coffee and the only thing to do outside was unhook from power.  Inside there is more to do before bringing in the slides.  We had our coffee while getting ready to go.  It had rained more during the night, so there was a water accumulation on the slide toppers.

A dreary view of the Copper River

I found Brad and had him take off the radiator cap so I could add more coolant.  I guess more air had purged because I put in nearly a gallon.  My guess is that I will eventually put in the third gallon the tech left with me.

A long away view of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline

We pulled out at 7:45.  There was a cache 1/3 of a mile from the park entrance.  It was back the direction we had come yesterday so I passed on going that way.  The next closest ones before leaving town were either too far off the road or had inadequate parking.  It was about forty miles to the next cache and I found it easily.  I just had to take a picture of a nearby misshapen tree.  I stopped for one more cache before leaving the area covered by my Tok query.  It was a cloudy view of the Copper River, site of a gold strike.

Even with the rain and cloud cover we constantly were reminded of the vastness of this land.  Even though our view was limited we were impressed.  Well, we were impressed by the mountains and forests, even without wildlife sightings.

At several points we could see sections of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline which terminates in Valdez.  We stopped at a large turnout and Gerri toasted tuna salad sandwiches on the George grill.

Cloud covered mountains, the norm for today

Mt. Billy Mitchell is in there somewhere

Later as I drove, I became sleepy and pulled off at a turnout that had a sign honoring General Billy Mitchell.  There was a mountain hidden in the clouds named for him.  I don't know what his connection to Alaska is but they honored him in a magnificent way.  Oddly enough I had to explain to the Air Force Brat who Billy Mitchell was.

I and this sign had to explain to Gerri who Billy Mitchell was

Worthington Glacier

Thompson Pass elevation  2678'

Further down the road we saw Worthington Glacier.  It has an ice field that spreads over two valleys.  There were other smaller glaciers as we approached the summit of Thompson Pass and headed down into Valdez.  There were too many streams coming off the mountains to count.  The last one we stopped at was Bridal Veil Falls.

Bridal Veil Falls

We arrived at the Eagle's Rest RV Park at 3:15.  And were shown to our site by the staff.  The staff members were very helpful.  They even allowed car washing at the sites, very unusual.

After setting up I went to a nearby pharmacy to have them transfer some of my prescriptions to be filled.