Day 47

At the moment I am sailing from Whittier to Valdez on the Aurora of the Alaska Marine Hwy. It has been raining for the past 24 hours which seems to be the norm for the Kenai Peninsula.  My gear is dry and I have been dry and warm but my tent was packed wet this morning at Kenai Fjords N.P. in Exit Glacier Campground and there is no way to dry it out today.  I'll be arriving in Valdez around 8:00pm...oh well, that small inconvenience well work itself out one way or the other.

I have been told by other travelers that to date this is the coldest July on record for Alaska.  I have not kept count of it though most days have not reached 60F and it rains every day...cold rain.

Yesterday I made a hike to the Manning Ice Field in Kenai Fjords N.P.  The hike was 4.2 miles up to the ice field and return by the same route.  The Manning Ice Field is the largest ice field in North America and gives the observer a picture of what much of North America looked like 12,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.  There are over a dozen glaciers that flow from this ice field.  The hike took eight hours to complete and was led by two N.P. Rangers.  From the beginning to the end of the trail the ascent is 3,500 feet.  I thought I was in pretty good shape for a 61 year old guy and in some circles I may be but the type of people I meet in Alaska have redefined what active lifestyle means.

I'm headed to the town of McCarthy and the old company mill town of Kennecot.  The town of McCarthy is located about 60 miles off the Richardson Hwy and the last 30 miles is built on an old railroad bed and is said to be pretty gnarly and the drive stunning.  I’m also planning to visit Wrangle/St. Elias N.P.  It is the largest park in the system at over 13 million acres.  The drive from Valdez back out to the Glenn Hwy is supposed to be spectacular.  I do not know how long this leg of the adventure will take but more will be revealed...