Alaska or Bust – Day Eight

It was raining when we arrived in Valdez Saturday night, it continued to rain all day Sunday (except for five minutes), and when we departed early Monday morning it was still raining. The woman at the desk said it had been raining non-stop for two months. I don’t think she was exaggerating. After about an hour the heavy rain changed to a drizzle and eventually it stopped. We actually saw a bit of blue sky and sunshine.

Richardson Highway, the one we drove from Fairbanks to Valdez, is rated as one of the most scenic highways in America. Sandy and I think the sixty miles of Glen Highway that we drove today is just as good. In fact, parts of what we saw today we rate as the most beautiful views we have ever seen. As far as you can see for mile after mile we viewed snow capped mountains, low hanging clouds, magnificently colored trees, raging rivers, gushing waterfalls, large and small lakes everywhere.

Sixteen miles after we passed Eureka Summit at 3222ft. we stopped at the Sheep Mountain Lodge for lunch. In this area deep in the Chugach and Takeetna Mountains is a little town of Glacier View, population 234. This where we saw the greatest beauty on our 300 mile road trip. Many young hikers were getting ready for the trails. One couple had scheduled a private small airplane to view from the sky.

As is our custom we skipped the Musk Ox Farm, the Reindeer Farm, the Eklutna Indian Village, the Alaskan Native Heritage Center and every museum located in Alaska. What we did see cost no entrance fee. God provided the spectacular landscape. That is all we needed. To rap up this exceptionally beautiful day we had dinner at the Pub House Alaskan Igloo. See picture below.