Today Scott, Don, and I went to hike in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The drive to the park was about 150 miles one way from Valdez, so we spent a good portion of the day in the truck. We did some sightseeing along the way, which helped break up the trip. The park was beautiful, and I am so happy I was able to see it.
About 20 minutes outside Valdez, Don noticed a halo, which is a rainbow that arcs around the sun. We stopped and marveled at how beautiful it was above the mountains near Thompson Pass. I played around with my camera's digital filters, and ended up with some really great shots.
The halo in the sky to the right
The halo around the sun
What looks like an arched cloud is the halo
A look down the road
We also stopped at Liberty Falls, a beautiful park off the Richardson Highway. A waterfall there sent plumes of mist into the air as it hurled water over its edge. The water flowing down was a pretty green color, due to deposits of glacial silt. We had lunch and explored the falls before continuing on towards Chitna.
Liberty Falls
The river flowing from the falls
I love the color of the water and the rocks
Photo: Don Bickley
From Liberty Falls, we headed to Chitna, a small town on the edge of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. We stopped in the National Park Service ranger station and visitor center, a old log cabin. I got my passport stamped, and we headed to the McCarthy Road, a dirt road that used to be a railroad bed. Luckily the road conditions were good - dry and fairly smooth for the most part. Our destination was a trailhead on mile 34.6 mile of the road, and it took us about an hour to get there. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and different than any other park I've been to.
Lake view in Chitna, across from ranger station
Chitna
Chitna Ranger Station
At the ranger station, Photo: Scott Fronzuto
McCarthy Road ahead
View from McCarthy Road
Looking down the McCarthy Road
Another view of the road
At mile seventeen of the McCarthy Road, we reached the Kuskulana River Bridge. Built in 1910 for the Copper River & Northwestern Railroad to transport mineral ore from the Kennecott Mines, the bridge sits 238 feet above the Kuskulana River. We got out and took pictures on both sides of the bridge.
The Kuskulana Bridge
Wood and steel trusses of the bridge
I loved this quote from a wayside exhibit
View from the bridge
Canyon with shadow from the bridge
Twelve miles later, at mile 29, we reached the Gilahina Trestle, another old train bridge. This one is no longer in use because it has succumbed to the elements over time. According to the National Park Service, the bridge was originally 890 feet long and 90 feet high. It was completed in only 80 days in 1911.
The Galina Trestle, with river underneath
Photo: Scott Fronzuto
Galina Trestle
Trailhead
Mossy, wooded trail
The base of the crystalline hills
A nice vista
Photo: Don Bickley
Another beautiful view
We went off trail a little and climbed up a steep hillside, where we got some more amazing views in all directions. It was a little scary, because it was steep, loose ground, but the views were worth it.
Steep hillside
A pretty plant on the hillside
Trees on the hillside
View from our off-trail excursion
We made our way back down to the trailhead, stopping at more vistas along the way. From there, we started the drive back to Chitna on the McCarthy Road. In McCarthy, we stopped for dinner at the Chitna Hotel. I got blackened salmon, with a baked potato and soup. It was the perfect end of a great day in the wilderness. After dinner we finished the long drive back to Valdez and made it back a little after midnight.
Another vista, Photo: Don Bickley
Looking back at our hike from the trailhead
Heading back on the McCarthy Road
Another view from the drive back
Sunset on the way back to Valdez (this was after 11:00 PM)
Holy cow. Words can't describe...
ReplyDeleteYour pictures and travelog are fabulous.