Quick Update

We have been thru several areas since the last blog update. I'm using a public computer at the moment, so won't upload photos or detailed blogs. However, here's the "Reader's Digest" version--we went thru Palmer and "stocked up" on electricity and WIFI and did laundry and then headed to Valdez where we stopped along the way overlooking a glaciated mountain in the sun before continuing on in the rain the next day :(. We stayed in Valdez at a free primitive site near the Valdez glacier after exploring the town's museums, fish pier, small boat harbour, and salmon hatchery--where thousands of salmon were venturing up river and either making it into the "ladders" or getting their eyes gouged out by seagulls. Surprisingly we didn't spot any bears here, but there were a couple of bald eagles. From there we went up to the Wrangell-St. Elias Nat'l Park after fixing a diesel fuel leak. We drove in the 60 miles to Kennicott on an old railroad bed dirt road with huge potholes and washboard areas in the pouring rain. Not the highlight of our trip, but if it had been clear, the scenery that I imagined in my mind would have been spectacular. The drive took 4 hours each way!
We then headed up to Tok--a jumping off point to head back into Canada along the Alaska Highway. We had a wonderfully clear day there, so headed back for a drive to the south on the Nabesna Road into Wrangell-St. Elias, which was FABULOUS! Contrary to the other road, this one was much better without the risk of old railroad spikes stabbing one of your tires. The scenery was magnificent--with towering mountains, golden aspens (the leaves are already changing up here) and beautiful glaciers. The road crossed thru a few streambeds to end at a working gold mine. Unfortunately, we couldn't just walk up and pick up a bit of gold to help pay for the fuel on this trip.
From Tok, we crossed into Yukon in Canada and then headed toward Haines, Alaska. We plan to spend a few days in Haines until, as Alan says, we've had our fill of watching bears gorge themselves on salmon in the streams. It is FABULOUS! Although the weather is a bit overcast, you can still see the snow-capped peaks and this place is loaded with waterfalls. Watching the bears feeding up close and personal is an incredible experience!
More when we have internet with our own PCs--along with some photos.

Kenai Peninsula - Cook Inlet & the Sea

We were staying in a campground along the famous Kenai River which attracts tons of fishermen each year during the various salmon runs. We ventured over toward Soldatna, Kenai, and Clam Gulch to see Cook Inlet. Alan spent his time on this part of the Kenai and down to Homer with our friends, Nancy & Dick, while I was up in New England. I got the "Readers' Digest" version :).

Exit Glacier Hike

While in Seward, we hiked up to an overlook of Exit Glacier. This is one of the few glaciers that are still accessible via a reasonable hike from the road. We decided to take the longer trail up to a meadow near the treeline to overlook the glacier from a higher vantage point after taking the short 1.2 mile ranger led hike to the face of the glacier. (The glacier is receding so quickly, you can no longer "touch" the glacier from the most developed hiking trail.)
Our additional hike was 5 miles round trip after which we also walked across the river outflow to the toe of the glacier so that we could see it from the "bottom" and also touch it.

Unfortunately, our late start didn't allow us to hike the 8 1/2 miles up to the Harding Icefield so that we could get a glimpse of the origins of all of these glaciers in the area.

Kenai Fjords National Park - Seward, AK

We camped in Seward and took a 9 hour boat excursion to view the various marine mammals and birds against the stunning backdrop of the moutains, fjords, and calving glaciers. It was great to be back on the water--even for a short time--and the day was perfectly sunny with nearly flat calm seas!
We saw sea otters, stellar sea lions, harbor seals, orcas (killer whales), fin whales, dall porpoise, humpbacked whales, puffins, gulls, bald eagles and other sea birds (which I can't remember the names, but our captain was excited as some are rare spottings on birder's "life lists").

Orcas

fin whales

Stellar Sea Lions

Puffin

Gull Rookery -- Look for the chicks in photo

Harbor Seals on the Ice Pack from Northwestern Glacier

Northwestern Glacier Calving

Bald Eagle taking flight

2 Bald Eagles (note one to left bottom)

Bald Eagle

Sea Otter