After getting the rig's wheels realigned in Anchorage and picking up new tires for the truck in Wasilla we drove up the Glenn Highway on the first leg of our trip to Valdez. Two of the wheels on the fifth wheel were out of alignment, one on each side. The tires on the truck had also taken a beating. Given the lack of repair facilities between Wasilla and Prince George in British Columbia, we decided to replace the tires on the truck and start home with a new set.
The first night we stopped at Glacier View RV Park, near the Matanuska Glacier. This was a good choice. Easy in, good facilities and a decent restaurant. After parking the rig we drove back down the highway to the glacier. Access to the glacier was across this bridge and through private property, for a small fee.
The Matanuska Gracier is 24 miles long and 4 miles wide at the terminus. It sits on a valley floor, a little different than the alpine glaciers we had seen elsewhere on this trip.
We drove to a parking lot near the terminus and hiked out on the moraine. Although the moraine is part of the glacier, the ice isn't always easy to see because of the large amount of sand, rocks and boulders kicked out by the glacier.
Margie doing a balancing act.
Just kidding...
From the end of the trail we could see hikers on the glacier.
Driving back from the glacier we came across these white seeds pods along the Matanuska River.
One of the rangers told us they were seed pods for Mountain Avens, a flower found in alpine areas including Alaska. Initially the pod looks like a dunce cap, round and pointed at the top. When it opens, it looks like a cotton ball from a distance until you get close enough to see the delicate construct of the pod.
Along the highway we noticed coloration on the hillsides. We found out it was stained gypsum. Although gypsum is usually clear to white, this gypsum has been stained by small amounts of iron oxide. The same hydrothermal system that created the gypsum also rusted the iron underground by exposing it to hot water and sulfuric acid.
Dall sheep are attracted to this area because of the gypsum, which they use as a lick to get needed minerals including calcium, magnesium, sodium and sulfur salts. Although this area is known as Sheep Mountain, we didn't see any sheep. I guess they were on the other side of the mountain.
The following day we drove to Tolsona Wilderness Campground, near Glennallen. This interesting park is built along the Tolsona Creek. Every campsite is on the creek.
This magpie is wondering if birds have to register....
In the forest nearby is a mud spring. In the afternoon we celebrated Margie's birthday by hiking to the spring.
The hike took about an hour each way. It was hard slogging because the trail went through an area of muskeg.
Muskeg is acidic soil common in Arctic and boreal areas. The term muskeg is of Cree origin and is synonymous with bogland. Muskeg normally has a water table close to the surface. On this hike we frequently sunk into mud and water.
Muskeg forms because underneath the permafrost, clay or bedrock prevents water drainage.
It's difficult for large trees to develop a root system in Muskeg, causing stunted growth in the trees that grow there. We passed through areas that had a large number of trees that had been uprooted.
This fine looking squirrel wondered what we were doing in his forest.
This part of Alaska is at the northern edge of the termperate zone. Long hours of summer sun and ample rain produces wonderfully rich forest ground cover, with a variety of plants. Fred got up close to get these photos. Anything for a photo!
Here are a couple of plants we found on the forest floor. We've checked with several park rangers to find out what they are, but so far haven't been able to identify them. We wonder if this is some sort of a lichen. Using the blade of grass, you can get a feel for just how small this plant is. And why Fred had to get on his belly with a macro lens to get the photo.
Here is another.
We also came across a variety of mushrooms.
We found this mushroom particularly interesting.
We also went through an area covered with Willows, a favorite of moose. We saw lots of Moose tracks, but no Moose.
In fact since leaving Denali we've only seen two or three Moose. Here is one we photographed along the Glenn Highway, near this campground.
At the top of the hill we found the mud spring.
Near the spring we found tracks from a large moose and bear. The cold, salty water flows all winter and provides an important source of salt for wildlife.
We think this is a bear track. A big bear track. We could not get close enough to put a lens cap or other object next to it, as we normally do, to demonstarate the size. But it was big. Take Margie's word for it.
Here is a Moose track.
The gas bubbling up in the mud pond is 55.2% methane and comes from coal beds in Lower Cretaceous and Upper Jurassic formations underlying the central Copper River basin. As bubbles travel up through the earth to the surface, they pick up and carry fine particles of silt which over time have formed the hill from which the springs emerge.
Double, double, toil and trouble...or something like that.
In the evening we sat around the campfire and recovered from our afternoon on the Muskeg. We decided slogging through bogs is not for whimps!
The following day we headed for Valdez.
WHOOPS...I ALMOST FORGOT THE RIG! SEE YOU IN VALDEZ.
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