Travels With Sir Charles: Matanuska Glacier Rec Area, AK

We left Valdez this morning under sunny blue skies. The trip yesterday was mostly cloudy and we knew there must be mountain peaks hidden from us. That was confirmed quickly and the views were spectacular. The climb up Thompson Pass was a workout for our “little engine that could” but from the top we could see snow covered peaks and valleys for miles and miles. The same could be said for the whole trip back to Glennallen. The Wrangell Mountain Range was in full view for most of the trip. At one point we stopped for pictures of four massive peaks, three of them taller than Mount Rainier. That was a site we had not expected.

We rejoined the Glenn Highway and proceeded toward Anchorage. We had decided to make the 308 -mile drive in two days so we could stay in one of the state parks and enjoy some rustic forest scenery. Karen found many along the highway but I missed a few of the turnoffs. Our camping books warned us that they were not always marked well and although I am pretty good with u turns I’m not a big fan of doing them with the motorhome. We finally managed to hit the turn into the Matanuska Glacier Rec Area and found the small campground near the overlook of the glacier. The view of the glacier is amazing but you can see the evidence of its receding up the mountain valley. The campground has no amenities and has small camp sites but being only 25 feet long has its advantages. The eight sites in the campground are mostly secluded and we are now enjoying a quiet evening with only one other camper. Maybe I will plug the TV into a current bush and see what’s on. We are looking forward to a good night’s sleep. From the scat and game trails running thru the park this could be an interesting night.

Tomorrow we will pass thru Anchorage with a stop at the trusty Costco to replenish the larder. We have a shopping list ready to go. I am really looking forward to city driving with traffic and freeways. NOT.