Driving Through Keystone Canyon
Photos & Story by Leanne
Valdez is 305 miles east of Anchorage and 364 miles south of Fairbanks. On the scenic drive down the Richardson Highway, Worthington Glacier, about 30 miles north of Valdez, was spectacular. Bridal Veil and Horsetail Falls cascading down the steep walls of Keystone Canyon were breathtaking.
From 1910 to 1916, Valdez was busy with copper and gold mining. Fur trading, canning, and mining helped the growth of the city. Nowdays, picturesque scenes like this fishing boat with the mountain backdrop surround you in Valdez. Fishermen lined the shore as the sun was setting.
Bears in Area
In July, Valdez was all about salmon when the pinks were running at Allison Point. The waters near Solomon Gulch were boiling with thousands of fish.
As the sign indicates, there were several black bears applying their fishing skills in the creeks along the point. Some fish got away and some were not so lucky. Near the shore a sea otter was munching away on a good sized salmon. Even Fido had to get into the act. He was watching the fish and then all of a sudden instinct took over and the salmon was in his mouth.
Trans-Alaska Pipeline
One fringe benefit of a trip to Valdez is getting up close and personal with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The Alyeska Terminal is located at the end of Dayville Road directly across the bay from downtown Valdez..
In a pond about five miles outside of town a pair of trumpeter swans and their 5 cygnants had taken up residence. We took one last look back through Keystone Canyon toward Valdez before heading toward Anchorage with fond memories of a weekend that was over too quickly.
