We left our B&B about 9 AM and headed south through the western edge of the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park - our nation's largest national park. It is hard to imagine that we would see any scenery more magnificent that what Alaska has already provided for us, but that was a misconception. By far this corner of the state is the prettiest, most majestic and awe-inspiring.
At almost every bend in the road the lush forest and stately elegance of the mountains never ceases to amaze us. These mountain majesties are taller here and grew taller as the day progressed. We moved from boreal forests dense with tall pines, poplars and birches, to the shorter forests of the tundra. And the expanse of green velvet plush carpeting up the mountainsides was immense. And the glaciers! Everywhere! We had the opportunity to stop and see the Worthington Glacier at Thompson Pass (the highest point on our travels today). We had no idea of the immensity of the glacier until we had the opportunity to look through a spotting scope and could see the pinpoints (people) climbing the glacier.
Then came Valdez - a small hamlet of about 4100 people on the western short of Prince William Sound, which is surrounded by these magnificent, immense purple mountain majesties. We did a driving tour of the Sound and spotted four eagles, two eaglets, a few unrecognized species of birds (to be researched later), and lots of seagulls.
For dinner we tasted the local seafood cuisine which consisted of a skewer of shrimp, salmon, halibut, and scallops, along with a side-dish of garlic sautéed fresh garden vegetables, and red potatoes. Very tasty.
Shortly, we may go bear spotting, as the locals tell us there are a number to be seen. (It's a bucket list item for Keith).
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