20 Anchorage and Palmer Areas
After leaving Whittier and the Portage Glacier, on our way back to Anchorage, we stopped at an animal conservatory where orphaned, injured, and animals under special programs are housed.
This is a reindeer.
Moose.
Grizzly
Woods Bison
Musk Ox
Grizzly cub. There are 3 of them. Building was in the town of Portage which was destroyed in the earthquake of 1964.
This is the town of Girdwood.
A block of Alaska jade being cut.
The Hotel Alyeska, a very nice upscale hotel.
This is what is called “combat fishing”. Sometimes there is a bear on the beach also.
These are King Salmon. They are spawning and will die right after they have finished. In the second picture, the male is building a nest by making a hole in the bed of the river.
Harry took a trip out to Jack and Rita’s homestead. They have had over 160 acres out in the bush for many years. They raised their family out there. In building the cabin they brought materials by boat to a point 2 1/2 miles from the cabin then carried them to the site by hand. Normal access to the site is by ATV during the summer and overland by 4×4 truck in the winter when all is frozen. When not frozen most of the 4 mile trip is through muskeg, a composition of soil and grass laying on top of water. Thus not unlike a swamp. It made for an interesting ride, especially since it was my first time on an ATV. I went with Jack and Rita’s grandson Isch. To get to the place to unload the ATVs is a 20 mile drive on dirt and gravel road.
The cabin is roomy and would make a very comfortable place to live, in the summer. Sort of a long trip to food, fuel, etc. The wire outside the building is electric fence to keep the bears out when the cabin is not in use.
This is the landing strip Jack and Rita built. Jack was a bush pilot at one time.
The Native Heritage Center.
Whale jaw bones.
Native dancers.
A waterfall purpose of which is to keep the salmon and thus the bears from entering Elmendorf Air Force Base.
They do keep trying and ,we understand, sometimes make it.
The Independence Mine was a major gold mine in its day.
Rather steep slippery trail around the milling buildings.
The round steel piece is a ball mill used to break up rocks.
There was a school and teacher.
An old Russian cemetary and church.
Thunderbird Falls just North of Anchorage.
Palmer is an interesting city. During the depression the govenment sent families skilled in farming to this area with the idea of providing employment as well as fresh produce for the people of Alaska. They did pretty well and this area, known as the Mat-Su Valley is a major agricultural area.
Just as so mahy cities and town have had, Palmer has an art quild and contest with a standard painted item, in this case a cabbage.
We met up with and had supper with Carole’s niece Buffy and her husband, Carlos. They live in Palmer and he works at Elmendorf Air Force Base and she in Anchorage. Had a nice visit with these very nice people.
That does it for this part of Alaska. Our next update will get us to and through Valdez. Hope you enjoyed it.
