Chapter 6 Welcome to AK (Tok to Valdez)

Finally, we made it!  "Welcome to Alaska" sign at the international border greets us.  This is a favorite photo op. We also had to change our clocks, again.  Alaska is so big that it has its own zone, Alaska Time.  Yukon Territory observes Pacific Time. Alaska Time is one hour earlier than Pacific Time, which means we are 4 hours behind our friends and family on the east coast and 3 hours behind those in the Midwest.



Looking south at the Alaska, USA and Yukon Territory, Canada border.

This is a cache, which is a safe way to protect supplies from scavenging bears, wolverines and squirrels. Many a man’s life in the North Country has been saved by food stored in a cache.

Tok Main Street Alaska sign welcomes you to have a great stay. Tok is the only town in Alaska that the highway traveler must pass through twice- once when arriving in the state and again on leaving. This is because no matter which road you use to enter the state, you must go through Tok.  (ps:  We are in Tok, again).

Trucks parked at All Alaska Gifts and along Tok mainstreet.

Stones and pebbles collected at Sourdough RV Park will make a bear paw print for Donna’s garden.

On one of our first days without rain, Bob and Tom fry up Missouri crappie dinner.

Pancake breakfast with reindeer sausage is a specialty at the Sourdough RV Park. Each evening at 5pm left over pancakes are used at a Pancake Toss competition. Winner receives free breakfast the next day.

Trumpeter swan and cygnet in small lake along Tok Cutoff.

A view of Wrangell Mountains from Copper Center.

Squirrel Creek Campground, bordered by the creek and a pond, is an Alaska state recreational park. We stayed two nights, enjoying peaceful walks, and the mid-night sun experience. We also began our training in tolerating mosquitoes.

Sunset over pond at Squirrel Creek.

Sunrise over pond at Squirrel Creek.

A puzzle: We watched a small plane land on a grass strip at the Tosina River Lodge, drop off 2 five-gallon fuel cans, and take off immediately. Why did he do this? (The guys checked the cans and found they were full).

Our first documented (picture of) Moose sighting. It was Tom and Jan’s first time to see a live moose in the wild.

Snow-capped Wrangell Mountains greet us as we head south on the Richardson Highway toward Valdez.





Worthington Glacier

From the paved path, we were able to get an up close view of the Worthington Glacier and adventurous climbers.





Thompson Pass, 2,771 feet, crosses the Chugach Mountains. The pass is credited for snow fall extremes. During the 1950s, record snow measurements as high 974.5 inches in one season, 298 inches for month, and 62 inches in one 24-hour period were documented.



Keystone Glacier runs along the Richardson Highway and its melt off flows under the road in many places.



Bridal Veil Falls