Kenai Peninsula, a few days - Alaska 2005
Updated: 11/30/08
We
had an interesting experience when we got up in the morning to go to the Kenai
Peninsula. Fred parked the truck behind the HHII when we returned from dinner so
we could keep our eye on it during the night. Early in the morning, someone
parked in front of the HHII so we could not hitch up to leave. With the help of
a very cooperative police officer, the owner was located and the vehicle moved.
We were on our way.
We are told Anchorage has milder summers and winters than Michigan. They also are only a short drive from very beautiful scenery. The road into the Kenai Peninsula carries a lot of traffic and they post signs that if more than five vehicles are following you to use the pull-offs and let them pass. It is old views for locals but we wondered why the speed was 55 and 65 on a two-lane road in such a beautiful area.
The
mud flats are very dangerous. If you stand on them and wiggle a little, you will
sink - almost like quicksand.
Bird
Creek was our first look at fishermen in action. Judging from the parking area
it is a very popular location. The state had to blast away a lot of rock for
this relatively new parking area. Again, so close to Anchorage, it would be an
evening, after work, event. The water is fast moving and very picturesque.
Fast moving water ...
A little farther down the road in Jerome Lake the fishing was more leisurely.
When we turn into a pull-off, we have to make sure we can get out. While most have entrance/exits at each end some do not. This did not - so we pointed the truck at the only access. Below rafters were leaving for a trip down the river.
The scenery was a mix of blue sky, clouds, rock mountains and forested hills.
These are not your usual snow covered mountains.
Liamna Volcano
Redoubt Volcano
Sometimes
more clouds than blue sky but a glacier would be in view.
Lake Kenai is a beautiful green color.
It
started to rain and looked like it would last the rest of the day so we spent
the night in a pull-off in the mountains. Even on the rain the views are
pleasant.
The next day we saw our destination off in the distance - the Homer Spit.
We stayed on the Homer Spit for six days.
Our photographs of Homer, Alaska are on a separate page.
We left Homer and headed for Seward late in the day. Because we did not know if we should pull into Seward late in the day, we stopped after driving 154 miles, leaving only 21 miles for the next day. It is a gamble as you decide where to stop for the night - this stop was too close to the road so we did not have a restful night. There was too much traffic on this mountain road. It rained most of the night but still provided a pretty view. In the morning, the Alaska Railroad train passed our spot while we had breakfast.
Just by chance we stopped at a pull-off at the right time. Fred
jumped out of the truck and photographed these rafters between the trees. While
he was there the fisherwoman and fisherman were subjects as well.
Our photographs of Seward, Alaska are on a separate page.
We stayed in Steward for six days.
We visited the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center at Portage Glacier. The visitor center is built on the terminal moraine left behind by Portage Glacier in 1914. It is a very impressive building. The front of the movie theatre is windows. You can look at the beautiful view until the show starts. The video we saw was "Voices from the Ice" - it was great, we bought the DVD. Leaving the theatre you walk through a glass walkway.
They have many displays and exhibits. This one discussed the Chugach National Forest and the other the way rocks are trapped on top of glaciers as it moved.
This explained why glacier ice is blue.
This
ice worm is related to the earthworm. They can reach lengths of one
inch and 1/32 in diameter. This one was about a half-inch long. Heat is their
greatest enemy. If a human finger touches an ice worm, it may die instantly for
the heat.
Outside the visitor center, the water had ice chunks for our enjoyment. It was rainy, cold and windy - they were enjoyed through the windows.
This visitor center was not our destination for the day. We were heading to Whittier for the night. Until the year 2000, the only way to get there was by train, plane or boat. In 2000, the train tunnel was opened to motor vehicles, they share the space. The tunnel was built by the US military in 1943 to get fuel and supplies to the Alaska Command. The Whittier Tunnel (Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel chief engineer of the project) is 14,140 feet long (2.5 miles). It is the longest highway tunnel in North America. It sounded like an interesting experience when we read about it.
The train traffic has priority. Motor vehicle traffic goes to Whittier on the half-hour and comes from Whittier on the hour - unless at train is on the tracks. You pay a toll ($12 - $300) going to Whittier, leaving Whittier is free. For our RV, it was $20. Traffic is controlled by lights. When you pay your toll, you are assigned a lane. After the appointed time, the lane light indicate you can move to the next light where that light spaces out the traffic.
Our release time was 6:30pm.
This was a neat experience. It is difficult to make a 'time-exposed' photograph in a vehicle driven partially on train rails. But ... we are going to post the photographs anyway. We want to share or experience in this long, dark, wet tunnel through a rock mountain.
Riding the
rails
Rock
walls and ceiling
Concrete entrance
As
we drove into Whittier, a train was heading for the tunnel. instead of a train
we only saw cars, pickup trucks, RVs, busses and 18-wheelers coming out.
Our first introduction to Whittier was the city campground. It was the roughest ride we'd had since Chicken due to the deep potholes. However, the other side of the HHII had so much water flowing for the glaciers that you could here it inside with the windows closed.
Are asking why we wanted to go to Whittier? Because, it was there.
It really had nothing to offer except some interesting history. Whittier was a strategic military location as a ice free, deep-water port until 1960. However, the Alaska railroad took over tunnel operations in 1945. The military left two buildings - Hodge Building used for Army bachelor quarters and the Buckner Building used for family housing and civilian bachelor quarters.
The
Buckner Building was once the largest building in Alaska and called the 'city
under one roof'. After receiving considerable damage from the 1964 earthquake,
the Buckner Building was not repaired and remains unused.
Today,
the Hodge Building is called the Begich Towers condominiums. It houses virtually
all of Whittier's residents. It also houses the city hall, post office and
medical clinic.
There is also Whittier Manor Condos that houses some residents.
Begich
Towers is connected by a tunnel to the local school just across the road so the
children do not have to go outside in the cold weather to school.
Taking Salmon Run Road to the end, the only road out of town, we found three houses.
At the end of the road was this fishing location with a beautiful view.
The remainder of the town is made up of boat yards, fish processors, dockage and some other commercial establishments.
When
we go up in the morning, a cruise ship was in port. It was flying International
flags. The water front where the tourist go has a marina, several offices for fishing,
kayaking and boat tours of Prince William Sound, only a couple gift shop, a few
restaurants and an inn.
Near
Harbor Triangle a bench offered a nice view - on a dry day. It rained the entire
time we were in Whittier. We walked Harbor Triangle with our umbrellas over our
heads.
We made the 1:00pm release and enjoyed our return trip through the tunnel just as much as the first.
A lot of people do not go to Whittier because it is still a little difficult. Judging from the brochure and what is said in various books, we were a little ahead of Whittier's planned improvement as a tourist destination. We hope you have enjoyed your ride through the tunnel and on-line visit to Whittier with us.
Our drive of only nine miles put us at Williwaw Campground (USFS) for a couple nights. The campground sits below overhanging Middle Glacier and right next to the salmon viewing area. We had to charge some batteries, update the Web site and work on travel plans out of Anchorage.
The view out our window.
This is a full view of the overhanging Middle Glacier and a zoom in on the largest visible part.
Our
second day here we followed the path to the salmon viewing platform. Well, not
really. It was the wrong path. But, it was a pretty two mile walk along a stream of
glacier blue water. We found out later that the path was the under construction
"Trail of Blue Ice". It was a combination of gravel, asphalt and wood.
The leaves on the ground and red leaves on some plants reminded us of fall in Michigan. Could it be fall in Alaska on August 4?
We saw Byron Glacier and other things along the way.
Glacier in clouds
When we saw the Portage Tunnel which is next to the visitor center, it confirmed we were on the wrong path. Mary Lou thought it was time for a break.
After a rest period in the HHII, we set out with map in hand to find the salmon viewing platform. We found it 'to the left' an eighth of a mile from our campsite.
It was a little early for the salmon run.
We did see one fish.
This is what you call, getting your ducks in order. Mom was in charge on this trip and you could tell. One quack from her and the line was straight.
At the end of the road on the way back to the fifth wheel, another glacier.
We had to share one more photograph with you . . . we just saw some blue sky for the first time in eight days.
Okay . . . there was a colorful sunset tonight - what an end to our day, blue sky and a colorful sunset.
Our next stop is Anchorage. We spent more time in the Kenai Peninsula than expected because it is so beautiful and relaxing.
Go back to Alaska Photo Album .