Into ALASKA ... New Roads

Our FIRST road trip to Alaska was in 1988. 

THEN, we only completed a short loop out from Dawson City, Yukon to Poker Creek, Alaska to Tok, Alaska then east and back into Canada at Beaver Creek, Yukon. We've wandered into Alaska a couple more times since then and have added some exploration around Valdez into our travels. 

This trip, we are venturing further southwest, then along the Kenai Peninsula to Homer at the southern tip.

  Route in Red

We crossed over the International CANADA/USA Boundary west of Beaver Creek, Yukon and followed the Alcan Highway to Tok, Alaska once again. ' That initial stretch of highway! ' ... from Burwash Landing, YT to about 30 kms east of Tok, AK was easily the worst stretch we’ve encountered since leaving Ontario 7500 kms ago ... dust, gravel, mud, chip seal, ashphalt, potholes, washboard, frost heaves, broken edges, no shoulders, rocking, rolling, undulating. Average speed through most sections was 70 kmph with quick braking and swerving manouevers often required.

From Tok we followed the Glenn Highway to Anchorage, the Seward Highway to Tern Lake Junction and the Sterling Highway to Homer; a total distance of approximately 860 kms.

Scenes along our route ... some are our photos, some are stock
 

Matanuska Glacier

At 27 miles long by 4 miles wide, the Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States. Its terminus feeds the Matanuska River.

Glenn Highway

 

                      Dip Net Fishing Along the Kenai River. 

Dip net fishing is a typical scene at many locations throughout the summer, but busiest for a couple of weeks near mid to late July when the salmon are running. It's not open to non-residents and is also controversial. Out-of-State fishers that are required to use traditional methods, like fly, spinning or casting complain they aren't given space to fish. And, even though the local economy gets a tremendous boost from the thousands of Alaskans that travel here to fish, many locals claim it is having a negative effect on the annual salmon stocks.

Turnagain Arm, Seward Highway

Seward Highway

  

Anchor Point, a few kilometres north of Homer, is considered North America's Most Westerly Highway Point.  It was named after Captain Cook, who lost an anchor from the HMS Resolution here, on May 28, 1778.

We've booked several days at a campground in Homer. We have views of the Kenai Mountains and the resident fishing fleet near our site, the weather has brightened and we've lost the rain for now. 

 

Think we'll go exploring ...

Crusty ... not driving for a few days