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Mountains in the Wrangell-St Elias National Park
As we are leaving Tok we spy another 16' Casita parked at Fast Eddy’s. It’s owner must be inside having breakfast at this famous restaurant. We are hungry for egg companions and pull alongside the camper trying to decide if it’s important to meet them. Hubby makes the decision. “I’m hungry and want breakfast.”
I go in and look around trying to spot someone who looks like a Casita owner. As we are finishing our meal, a single man walks to the trailer. He is from Iowa and traveling alone. His trailer is almost new and one can tell by his enthusiasm that he loves it!
After comparing notes, we wish him safe travels and take off for Valdez…pronounced val-deeez….less than 300 miles away. By mid-afternoon we are arriving at the Visitor’s Center for the Wrangell-Mt Elias National Park, the largest national park in the country. It boasts having numerous glaciers, active volcanoes, and over 200,000 square miles of wilderness.
Willow Lake
It’s getting late, no way we are going to make Valdez today! This will be our first night to sleep on the side of the road. Other free camping has always been in a commercial parking lot after seeking permission.
The visitor center recommends Willow Lake as a nice pull-off, but it’s too close to the highway and too many people stopping to take pictures. Since dark never comes, we will find the perfect spot down the road. At mile 75 on the Richardson Hwy we see two fifth-wheels with their slides pulled out. This is it! Home for the night! I have some concerns about opening a can of chicken…can grizzles get us if they smell it? The trash (and smells) go into the truck cab for the night.
It’s a peaceful night. Another rig pulls close before bedtime and I feel extra secure with it right behind us.
We eat our breakfast of oatmeal and protein powder and take off for Valdez passing over Thompson Pass and the Worthington Glacier.
Worthington Glacier
I was a bit unimpressed with the glacier but loved the mountains and lake!
After crossing Thompson Pass we are descending into a lush valley heading toward the coastal town. Several waterfalls are right on the road.
Horsetail Falls
We are heading for a county park, Allison Point, that offers dry camping for $15.
The camp is almost empty and we are seeing incredible scenes in every direction. Valdez lies just across the bay.
After a quick lunch we drive into town and walk around the docks.
We are watching sea otters in the bay and bald eagles flying over the trailer. Just loving this place!
And for those of you who are inquiring about mosquitoes, the wind must be sweeping them away as there’s very few here.
This just about catches up our first week in Alaska. At the present it’s Saturday AM, we are at the Tolsona Wilderness Camp to charge up all the electronics…both camera batteries went down and the tab. Way too much stuff to recharge by the inverter. This is our first night hooked up to electricity since 6/3!
Lots and lots of mosquitoes here!
Heading toward Anchorage.
