We started with a very early alarm at 0545 in the hopes of seeing grizzly bear with her two cubs fishing at the wier at low tide. It was a chilly, overcast morning with low fog hanging around everywhere. We got dressed straight away and hit the road. We got to the fish wier and unfortunately no bear action at all, just the usual gulls and salmon. We decided to make breakfast there, had our tea/coffee and porridge mix, cleaned up. By this time the fog was lifting and the sun began poking out in patches. Still no bears so we drove back along the road, until we came to a culvert with a black bear close to the road. We watched him tear into a salmon he had in the rushes. We took a few pics then were about to leave when he got up and walked into the stream to catch another salmon. Due to the low tide there were salmon trapped in the culvert water that couldn’t get up the very low stream. Easy fishing. We stayed for around half an hour watching him catch salmon, pushing on their stomachs to release the eggs, munching and wandering around. Very close but fortunately the road was raised quite steeply, so a perfect vantage point. So cool to see a bear eat salmon, the highlight of any tale you’ve heard about Alaska!
We eventually got going back to camp, packed up then headed to Valdez glacier a few miles up the road. It had receded so much you could barely see it up the valley but the lake had icebergs strewn throughout. The sun was high in the sky; time to get going!
We drove out of town towards the mountain pass; it was breathtakingly beautiful on such a clear fine day, high mountain peaks in all directions with ice/glaciers on their peaks. Took a walk across the tundra at the top of the pass to take it all in. (And so I could pay attention when I got riding again!)
From Thompsons pass on the way into Valdez
Next stop was Worthington Glacier, a popular tourist spot close to Valdez. Situated right in the middle of a construction zone which we had to wait 15min for a pilot car. We hiked up to the face of the glacier and had some lunch snacks there; unfortunately the glacier had receded so much in recent years, there were about five waterfalls running down the rock cliff beside it, all meltwater. Locals told us how much closer to the road it was just a few years ago.
Worthington Glacier and its waterfalls
Worthington from the road
The forest fire smoke from the road
Arrived in Tok late, around 8pm tired, hungry and sore, went straight to the only restaurant there, ‘Fast Eddys’ where we had a burger, then we stayed at the Motorcycle campground where we first stayed coming into Alaska. Set up camp, got ready for bed then hit the bed for a good nights rest.
–Zoe
Salmon-eating bear and forest fires.
We’ve had some of the latter here in recent days.
Receding glaciers, they will continue to withdraw, maybe disappear in a few decennia.
So, now I have to look up Tok to pinpoint you.
Keep well, enjoy it all!
Baci
Amazingly you got a super vue on the bear and salmon picture ! Easy meals for these guys !
Nice blue skies and white mountain tops makes it all so much more interesting to take it in and for us to look at.
I saw there is a straight way from Fairbanks to Tok ! Why this huge circle all the way around and a ferry ?you did take a ferry isn’t it ? From Homer to ? Can’t find it …