Trip across Denali Highway Aug. 24, 2013

Arrived in Cantrell (elev. 2200 ft.) on August 20 and have experienced mostly clouds and rain.  Parked along the Denali Highway approx. 4 miles out.

On Aug. 24 (rain predicted again today) but the sunrise was visible in the clouds at 6:30 AM

By 7:00 AM saw Denali for the first time since we arrived here.

 

The clouds were breaking up so about 9 AM we decided to drive the Denali Highway today. 

 

As we were getting ready to leave a car stopped with travelers from PA wanting to know if the road could be driven in a car.  Francis said “yes there have been cars, RV and even Princess Cruise buses passing since we arrive.”  Francis then asked is they had seen Denali.   He said no and when he stopped at the service station in Cantrell the owner had told him he probably would not with the clouds.  Francis said would you step out of your car and look behind you.  The guy was so excited told his wife to get her camera and get some shots.  He thanked Francis said he probably would have missed seeing it.  She said she was going to have her picture framed.

The Nenana River runs along Denali highway as well as the Alaska range to the north.  Denali is part of this range. 

 

As we drove east we began to climb.  This is looking down on the Susitna River from approx. 2700 ft.

and the Alaska range

We also saw more fireweed beginning to “snow”

Here is the Susitna River with the Alaska Range behind

and then we cross the river

According to the brochure on the Denali Hwy. when the area glacier melted deposits that had been confined in walls of ice remained as elongated mounds.  The highway runs on top of these mounds known as eskers.

Approx. 35 miles out of Paxson the Maclaren Summit is 4086 ft. and the Maclaren Glacier is visible in the Alaska Range.

One of our favorite BLM spots is called Tangle Lakes CG. Here is the Tangle River

Arrived in Paxson approx. 4 pm (7 hours and 135 miles).  Had a late lunch at the Paxson Lakeview Resort and was going to drive back to the motorhome (expecting a 4-5 hr. trip).  However the car would not start.  Francis checked out several things along with a couple of guys that stopped to see if we needed help.  Car was not getting gas so we called Good Sam.  Mark and Ellie (E.G.M. towing) arrived about 9:30 and loaded the car for the 85 mi. trip to Glennallen.  While Ellie and I were talking I asked her about motels in Glennallen and she said there was only one with 5 star prices and less than 1 star rooms and service.  She said they had a spare bedroom and would love to have us stay with them.  Said she did it often. . . so we arrive about midnight and hit the sack.  Sunday morning they starting checking out the car with their computer diagnostic equipment which failed to prove the problem.  She said lets unplug the battery and see what happens when we reconnect it.  (Ellie has a great understanding of the auto mechanics.  Said she had been in the family shop since she was 16).  Seems like the lack of power allowed everything to reset and the car started, got fuel and ran great.  She test drove it and then put it up on the rack to check to be sure all hoses, etc. were OK.

Everyone is happy even their dog,Loi Gracie girl.  They would not accept payment since they said they really did not fix anything.  We took them to lunch and we started back north (300+ miles to the motorhome) and they went back to work rescuing stranded motorist.

We had a couple delays from construction.

The Wrangell range in the background.

                                

Arrived back at Alfa about 9 PM to find all well and a beautiful view of Denali

Denali (Mt. McKinley) in the background of the motorhome. Our windshield has a beautiful view when the mountain is out.

In Mid-May of 2005 we camped in this same stop for 6 nights.  However in the spring we saw lots of wildlife  which we did not see this time (hunting season is open and the animals all know it).

                                         

August 28 .  . . our windshield view has changed.  .  . no more “mountain.”  This is what most visitors to Alaska see. . .

                                  

Denali covered in clouds.  However, when the view is covered in clouds a side window view is good.

              

August 2013-Leaving Anchorage

Francis has enjoyed his “garden” two tomato plants that we cannot take with us so Tom and his family will take over. 

We moved on Aug. 16 from McHugh to the Chugiak UMC to visit friends and attend church on Sunday.  The sunset was beautiful even with all the clouds.

Had been told about a “u-pick” farm in Palmer so we drove over to check it out.  The Pyrah farm is now in its third generation of operation.  They have a huge Mormon warehouse as well as allowing people to pick their own vegetables.  Francis and I picked approx. 25 pounds of white and red potatoes (they turn up the rows), lettuce, green beans, beets, spinach etc. for $33.00 which was a bargain for Alaska even shopping the local farmers markets.  Of course then it was back to the motorhome, prepare and freeze some, and find places to store the remainder.

 

Drove to Montana Creek State Park to spend a few days.  Tom Harrison (Supt. at Chugach) had given us a letter telling other state parks we were volunteers and we were allowed to camp for free even though it was handled by a commercial operation.

The next morning we drove to Talkeetna. This old city (once a center for gold miners in the area to get supplies and winter over) became a railroad terminal when the Alaska Railroad was built.  You can still ride a “whistle stop” train that will pick up and drop off passengers along the line. 

Don Sheldon (an early bush pilot saving many lives flying to remote areas often with limited visibility) made his home here.  There are several books written about him one recently enjoyed is “Wager with the Wind” by James Greiner.

The library sign was very interesting.

 

One signs tell of bachelor’s living in a cabin.

Today the cabin is the visitor’s center but don’t think the original cabin had a metal roof . . . it was probably sod.

Had to have my picture taken on the sleigh but no dogs so no ride.

Talkeetna has many modern structures but we find the old ones more interesting.

 

 

Today Talkeetna is a busy “tourist town” with flight seeing trip to Denali as well as Princess tours.

From Talkeetna we drove back to the Parks Hwy.   In winter when the Susitna freezes a winter road crosses to Trapper Creek but in summer the drive is 14 miles on the Spur Road and then 11 miles north to Trapper Creek.

Petersville Rd. (out from Trappers Creek)  travels to many gold claims some still being worked.  At the “Y”  (approx. 18 miles) there was an old roadhouse that had been in operation since early 1930’s that we had visited several times.  Decided to drive out since we had heard rumors it had burned.  Alas the Forks Roadhouse is gone.

We have seen sandhill cranes every time we have driven out and today was no exception.

We feel like the fireweed was late blooming this year but we noticed some in this area was beginning to “snow.”

Early August 2013, McHugh Creek Area

The Chugach State Park is renovating and upgrading the Bird Creek Campground.  Included in this project are two public use cabins that are being constructed by summer interns under Blaine’s guidance.  They have done great work.  On July 30  pictures of the cabins

and

                                     

Then on August 15 when we had our final picnic at the park the construction on the cabins had progressed. .  . . . . . 

  and

               

And the front view with Matt and his son . .

These will be rented all year after completion.

After having experienced one of the best summers ever (weather wise) the rain showers have moved into the area.  Francis took this picture of a rainbow

At the Potters Section House (Park Headquarters) there is an old railroad snow blower on the side-rail

The blades are really “big”

                            

I am 6 foot . . . . as you can see these are big blades.

Took in the local farmers market with Shirley (another host)

The produce was colorful and delicious.

Have now had enough rain that McHugh Creek is larger (not not like in June with the snow melt).

Storm clouds across Turnagain Arm

On one of the many trips into Anchorage we visited the Ulu Factory. They now have a very nice display of ancient ulus that the natives used for sewing, skinning, etc.

After spending the entire summer with no real problems vandals hit the lower pay station (as well as 2 others in the park at Bird Point and Huffman) totally removing the pay tub. 

On August 15 we had our final picnic at the new Bird Creek Campground (not yet opened) and we gathered for a picture.

Trip to Seward, AK, July 22, 2013

This is our first viewing of Resurrection Bay on the trip to visit friends down in Seward.

The City Park where we volunteered several times has had a major facelift.  One of the residents donated new playground equipment which was installed by volunteers on “work days”.

There is also a large new covered pavilion with tables and a center grill that can be reserved.  We saw lots of people having picnics here where the wind is blocked by large windows.

Driving out Nash Road we could see the city of Seward across the bay.

There is a correctional facility and a large dry dock operation on this side of the bay. Some of the ships in dry dock may never return to the water.

We have noticed many times that material used for buildings here in Alaska was “recycled”.  Here at the dry dock  old shipping containers were used for the sides of  the buildings

 

As we departed we drove out to Exit Glacier.  The gold miners “exited” Harding Ice Fields used this glacier when entering Alaska in the search for gold.

Since we were here last a new visitor’s center has been constructed.

One of the interesting exhibits was showing the difference in the weight of new snow, snow several years old and glacial (compacted snow over many years).

The fireweed along Exit Glacier Road were beautiful.