“USA 🇺🇸 Alaska ~Scenic Drive from Palmer to Valdez with Glaciers, Moose and Waterfalls”

• July 19, 2023
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

For a fact, when having the opportunity to drive or ride all over this great state of Alaska, because it is so ginormous; 75 percent of that thrill is to witness the scenic beauty, which is all around, as you drive, take a train ride, plane ride, helicopter ride, bus ride or a boat ride. The other 25 percent of the time is all about stopping and exploring, and getting into specific places to view the wildlife, or go fishing, by way of the many excursions available to do so. 

So for this summer in Alaska, our 75 percent has been basically removed, since we have seldom even seen the sun, not to mention the low clouds have literally blocked the most fantastic majestic views, you can ever imagine seeing. What we have seen, whilst driving thousands of miles around Alaska, has been the color grey, through the pouring rain, and low clouds. Not a few showers now and again, I’m talking torrential downpours.

While camping, it has been the same, relentlessly; day and night. The rivers are overflowing and there have been mudslides.
I’m born and raised in Oregon, so no big shock, there.

We have had two earthquakes, since arriving in Alaska (7.7 and 7.2) and once, we were even lucky enough to be awoken from a dead sleep to a Tsunami Alert, telling us we were in danger, and to leave the area for higher ground, right away!!! You have not lived, till you wonder if you are going to die!! Fortunately, we have had the come-to-meet-Jesus moment, so we just had to give over and edit out the thumping hearts and sweaty palms, since the only route we had was to go towards the water! 

What we have seen, as far as views go, have been at sea level, or just slightly above, with rain, as the low clouds are covering anything beautiful, except bays, ocean and lakes, which show them in colors of grey.
I don’t think grey is a color.

We are in our sixth week in Alaska. For the first week in June, we saw some sun, and it was even warm, in Tok, Fairbanks and Denali. Even as far up as the Arctic North as one can get in this state; in Barrow, we had sunshine!

Since we left the Denali area, five weeks ago, we have had, mere moments….Not days. Not weeks. Moments of sunshine.

Yesterday, we left Palmer to drive the Glenn Highway and the southern part of the Richardson Highways. The two Highways, combined, reach Valdez, and have some of the most iconic and beautiful scenes in Alaska, imho.

The highs have been extremely high, but the lows have been extremely low. We’ve never felt anything like this in all our travels (I’ve been to 92 countries) 

This week in Valdez we will get to slow down and relax a little. I am also cleaning The Whale and catching up on laundry. I definitely did not imagine I would be dealing with the mud we are dealing with, while living this “summer” in Alaska.

⬆️ The miles are accurate, but only cars can make close to these kind of times. 

We started out with a little sun, leaving Palmer, and as the views turned majestic, the weather held for awhile. This was the first drive for us, since we left Denali that we got to drive on dry pavement. Daryl, for the first time, got to see some scenic wonder, in Alaska, for more than just a flash of mountains, here and there, or from on a plane, looking down.

As we came over the passes, the rain was, once again, part of the drive, but fortunately we drove out of each storm, and had decent weather, again. It did not stay sunny, but hey, not raining is really a win for us.

Both Highways have pretty good roads, but one must always watch for the frost heaves, which can cause vehicles to be airborne, when going too fast. Frost heaves are easy to see coming; just watch for the camping trailer-sized-tire-skid-marks, just prior, to them.
We never have problem, because we go so slow, and yes, are always stopping in pull offs to let other drivers go by us.
We get honked at, lights flashed at us, and flipped off at. We are numb to these facts, by now.

We arrived in Valdez, after an eight hour day, including a stop for a Power Nap, and a stop for some dinner. There was a long section of construction, involving a pilot car, about 30 minutes out of Valdez. We went so slow, we didn’t keep up with the pilot car. Ha! She had to stop and wait for us.

By the time we got parked at the lovely Valdez KOA Journey, and got The Whale set-up for our seven-day-stay, we were pooped!

Also, Chelsie let me know, earlier, she had arrived safe and sound, back on the East Coast, having a fantastic reunion with her children; our grands.
We look forward to Christmas this year with all of them in North Carolina.

By the time we went to bed last might, the rain came in; fast and furious, which is our norm, and it has not stopped, nor will it stop, till tomorrow morning, according to the weather forecast.

We are here to enjoy some much needed rest and relation, as well as taking the LuluBelle Glacier Boat Tour and we are praying we have decent weather on Friday. We shall see.

We have not had one single excursion with good weather, yet. (sans Katmai National Park for a few hours, after fog delayed our departure to the Park, by water taxi). Summer simply has not arrived yet this year, in Alaska.

I don’t usually create a blog on just driving pictures, but this drive we had, in mostly decent weather, instead of the opposite, was just gorgeous. It still had grey tones, but the clouds were high enough, the views were not blocked.

I would sum up our adventures in Alaska as the worst and best trip we have ever had.
It’s complicated.

⬆️ We were long passed hungry, but there were not a lot of options on this remote drive.
We stopped here, at Tiekel Lodge for a bite. I told Daryl, while he ordered, I was going to go outside and make a call, back to 1999 ⬇️

BTW, “Tiekel” in the native language means “no fish.” This would be true in areas where the rivers have more glacier dust in them, than fresh water.
Fish won’t be in glacier run offs. 

The first peek at Matanuska Glacier. Wow! This is quite an impressive Icefield!

⬆️ Another reason to drive slow!!
This front baby began running out in front of us. Luckily, he stopped when he saw us. and ran back towards mom

Worthington Glacier 

⬆️ Bridal Falls  

⬆️ Horsetail Falls 

Valdez KOA Journey ⬇️

We are happy to be here! I love having full hook ups again! I only boondock, when it is necessary.

This KOA has water and 50 AMP, but does not have sewer hook ups at the campsites. While there is a dump station, like at many campgrounds, there is also a “honey pot” truck that comes around to each individual campsite, for those that want their sewer dumped, regularly, without having to move your rv to the dump station, each time.  It is included in the price of the stay.

This is the campground where nobody is allowed to clean fish on-site, and must go a mile up the road to do so.

There are active Black and Brown Bears in the area. We are instructed to be “Bear Aware,” as they are active around camp and even in the town.

⬆️ This is the tent camping area. It was full when we arrived last night.
They all left in the middle of the night and early this morning. 

⬆️ Daryl said he will wait on that campfire