Exit Glacier
The weather turned rainy and chilly two days after I arrived in Anchorage. I was reaching for a jacket most of the time but the residents up here didn’t seem to mind and continued their activities in t-shirts and shorts. Even the two days when it didn’t rain were socked in with low clouds and fog, so I have not been afforded good views of the spectacular scenery that surrounds Anchorage.
Early bush plane
On Tuesday I found a place to fill both my propane tanks and then went to the Aviation Museum located near the Anchorage airport. The museum was good but I thought a little pricey. A lot of the aircraft displays had some connection to the war with Japan in 1942. I never realized before what a significant role Alaska played in WWII and the many battles that took place in the Aleutian Islands.
Later in the afternoon when Kleenex got off work we went out for ice cream. We both agreed that with her hectic schedule for the next week, I should do some exploring for a few days until she had a couple days off. The next morning I set out for the Kenai Peninsula.
Along Turnagain Arm
I drove through a light rain most of the morning, and I’m sure I missed a lot of beautiful scenery along Turnagain Arm and through the Chugach National Forest. I could still see many snowcapped mountains through the swirling clouds and fog and I hope that on my return trip it will be clear and I have good views at the many turnouts along the road.
I arrived at Seward early in the afternoon. Seward is an interesting little seaport town. Besides having a rich history, it has the northernmost ice-free port in Alaska, the starting place for the Historic Iditarod dog sled race to Nome, and is a mecca for tourists tours, sightseeing, fishing trips, and souvenir shops. Of interest to me this morning was the camping along the waters of Resurrection Bay.
Resurrection Bay
The campground was $40 for electric/water hookups and $20 for just a place to park. I kept the option open but still hoped to find a free place to stay the night. The lady at the welcome center told me that I should find a spot at the campground soon because they fill up fast. She also mentioned that some people park along side the road going to Kenai Fjords National Park.
Near Exit Glacier and the Harding Icefield.
The national park is 8 miles north of Seward on a nice highway that ends near Exit Glacier. I found several good pullouts along the road that didn’t have “No Camping” signs on them so decided to stay in one for the night. I continued on to the park and walked the short trail for views of Exit Glacier. The light rain made hiking uncomfortable but at least it kept the mosquitos away.
Tomorrow I will hike further up the glacier if the weather cooperates. I would love to hike all the way to the top to see the Harding Icefield, a vast sea of ice and snow that feeds some 40 glaciers in the Kenai Mountain Range.
My last time in Seward was when we walked from our cruise ship to our bus. No time to see anything. But Ken’s parents did take us down there on one of my other trips to Alaska.
I remember going to Exit Glacier too. Did you stop at Portage? The first time I was there, it still came almost up to the Visitor’s Center. Now it has retreated around the edge of the mountain and you can’t even see it anymore.
My friend Beth and I hiked up to Harding Ice Fields!! (Damon and I are “binge reading” your blog. We somehow got 3 weeks behind!)