Seward to Valdez August 5/6

August 5.

We left Seward and took the 200 or so mile trip to the Grand View RV park in Sutton.  This park is aptly named, because the views were indeed grand.  There were beautiful mountains  behind us, and more mountains and the Matanuska Glacier in front of us.  We took a hike down the trail to the bluff which gave us a wonderful view of the glacier and of the extinct volcano called the Lion's Head.  It was a short, but very rewarding, hike, as the view was incredible.  We watched Dall sheep cavorting high up on the mountain across the road.  We could see them really well using Steve's spotting scope.   No matter where you looked, the view was wonderful at Grand View!

The grandview cafe.  

In front of the Matanuska Glacier.  

The mountains behind us.

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August 6.

We had a nice breakfast at the cafe at Grand View, before heading out for Valdez.  Along the way  to the Richardson Highway, we spotted another moose and her calf.

We turned off of the Glenn Highway and on to the Richardson Highway at Glennallen for the ride into our favorite part of Alaska.  The closer we got to Valdez, the more beautiful the scenery became as we passed such sights as the Worthington Glacier and Bridal Veil Falls in Keystone Canyon.

Bridal Veil Falls (Keystone Canyon)

Worthington Glacier 

We reached the Bayside RV Park mid-afternoon, and after setting up and having lunch we headed down to Dayville Road to see salmon and hopefully to see bears.  The weather was still rainy and foggy so things looked much different than we remembered them.

The view out our windshield at Bayside.  

There were so many salmon around the Soloman Gulch Fish Hatchery that you could reach in the water and grab one, which is what I did!  However, I only succeeded after I filled my boots with water and then fell down on my butt!  No worries--it was worth it.

Wet butt and boots full of cold water!

But I got one!  

We took the visitor's walk at the hatchery, and learned much about the life cycle of a salmon--very interesting.  We watched people snagging salmon, and Jackie and I decided that we could do that too.  We plan to try before we leave Valdez. We can't fish within 300 yards of the hatchery, but we can try at 301 yards!

They just want to get to the hatchery where they were born.  

We didn't see any bears at the hatchery, but there was a big eagle sitting in the marsh right in front of our RV when we got home.