Valdez to the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, AK

The room was dark when I awoke at the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn. Not having completed the blog post for yesterday, I felt an urgency to finish writing it. Today we would take the scenic route across the Prince William Sound and head to Girdwood for a night of luxury at the Alyeska Resort. For the trip over on the fast ferry, our travel companions from yesterday would help us while away the three-hour ride.  The pleasantness of this day surpassed other days on this long route to Anchorage.

The Best Western serves a hearty free breakfast off the lobby of the hotel. The NASCAR races were playing on the tv. A man from Tennessee, contracted to work with the refinery, explained what he knew of racing and the interesting project Valdez had undertaking to produce fuel from the oil piped down from Prudhoe Bay. Alaskans pay the highest cost for fuel and produce the greatest amount of oil in the country. This had to change! 

After a breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage, we packed up and checked out of the hotel. The snow fell in heavy clumps while Rick loaded up the Camry while I attempted to finish yesterday’s post. The white stuff had accumulated on the roof of our dirty vehicle overnight. The roads had been plowed but the ride was bumpy from freshly falling snow on the way to the ferry terminal.

Upon pulling up to the gate, our companions had arrived previously and were outside throwing snowballs to their golden retriever. With a happy tail wagging, she raced after the condensed ball of snow. Goldens live to fetch. 

Before the MV Chenega arrived, we hung out with our newfound friends, watching their golden and chatting about our destination and our travels. As the large catamaran pulled up to the new dock, waves pushed against the cement pad where our cars were lined up in three rows. 

The car at the front of the line stalled while engines were running in the surrounding vehicles. After a good jump, the lead car was ready to go two cars in front of us. Other cars had filed in ahead of their Jeep as we waited our turn in the row behind their car. Up to the ramp and then stalling out, the crew gathered together to push their car onto the catamaran and out of the way. 

After parking the car and acquiring things from the Camry, we made our way up the staircase to the passenger deck. Seeing Austin, I inquired where they had parked. We brought our things to the table behind them and after our departure, sat with them for a long game of Hearts taking breaks for sightseeing. 

Nellie had done interpreting on the slow ferry some years before and pointed out some of the highlights, including where the oil tanker had run aground near Valdez back in 1989. The sky was gray with a mixture of snow and rain falling as the ship passed snow covered mountains and glaciers near fingers of the Prince William Sound. A hump back whale showed his back and flopped his tail outside our window while the ship traveled at 32 knots.

Begich Towers, Whittier.

The approach to Whittier is always met with wonderment. How could an entire town live in one building? What was the massive gray structure tucked into the side of the mountains? With the longest tunnel in North American at the outskirts of town, when would Anchorage-bound traffic to pass through? At the same time, travelers are met with a sense of awe at the incredible beauty of this town nestled into huge mountains at the edge of the Prince William Sound. 

Note the number of cm's.

Not wanting our visit to end, we exchanged business cards as the vessel neared the dock. We said goodbye while other passengers had already headed down to the lower level where their cars were parked. Racing back to the Camry somewhere in this sea of parked cars, we prepared to disembark for a late lunch in Whittier. 

Ghosts hung from strings outside Whittier's only hotel. The Anchor Inn, a local hangout was probably open but decided to have a fancy meal instead of burgers. Entering this hotel with wooden pillars, we stepped into a place unlike the rest of Whittier. We walked to the bar on the slate floors, looking for a fast meal before the tunnel opened.


We wanted to connect with Mike, a friend who used to work with Rick when he was the city manager in Whittier but didn't have his phone number. Being such a small town, the woman at the front desk and the bartender reached him at home. 

While I made my weekly call to Dad, he showed up in the lobby not knowing who had summoned him. With a look of surprise, he greeted me in the lobby with hugs and then entered the bar where Rick was watching the Oakland Raiders game. After an hour visit, we said goodbye and headed for the tunnel hoping to pass through the 4pm opening. 

Driving through this endless tunnel, we recalled the video I took of the tunnel through a mountain outside of Portage two years ago. Emerging from the tunnel, the Portage glacier could be seen in the distance with a newly formed lake in front of it. When Rick first saw the glacier in 1967, it could teach it from the parking lot. It has receded so much that it can barely be seen from there. 


Instead of stopping at the visitors center, we continued on the Seward Highway to Girdwood while the snow continued to fall. Turning off the highway, we drove into the town made famous by Ted Stevens and the Alyeska Resort. Driving the hill, the excitement mounted as I remembered our previous visit in 2008. 

Walking into the lobby, we encountered an ivory whale and a hunter and spear. Above the two story lobby, is a platform contained a full-sized, stuffed polar bear. For an additional $20, we upgraded to a room with a view of the valley and picked up the spa menu for tomorrow's treatments.


A bellhop brought up our luggage while I scouted the ice machine to fill the silver, lined bucket. After settling in, Rick dressed for dinner and then headed down to the bar on the second floor to watch the late-night football game while I finished yesterday's blog post. 


In the quiet room with dark colored wood accents, I finished the blog and dressed for dinner at Jack Sprat's. Meeting Rick at the bar, we made our way through the soft snow to the Camry for the short drive to this local hangout. The well-lit, a-framed building was located near the sourdough bakery where we hoped to eat breakfast tomorrow.

We were greeted by one of the two owners of this upscale restaurant and taken to our table in the a-framed window at a corner table. Attempting to find the right wine to pair with our fish dishes, we solicited the server's help. Soon the partner brought out three bottles of wine and recommended the Martin Codax Albarino from Spain that would produce jealous remarks from our friends who love Spanish wine. 

For dinner, Rick had the pan-seared Idaho trout piled on top of baby spinach, julienne veggies and a champagne, caper-berry sauce. I ordered the pan-fried ling cod atop couscous, veggies, and a balsamic sauce. Outstanding! For dessert, we shared a baked apple with a pastry crust, apple crisp topping, and fig gilato. Out of this world. We sipped decaf coffee in an afterglow of this most outstanding meal made from local ingredients and absolutely fresh.


Our server rang up our bill and encouraged to return for their special Thanksgiving dinner. We would return someday. Sliding on the snow-layered road, Rick guided the Camry onto the street for the short drive to the resort. What an outstanding end to a day of new friends, beautiful scenery, and excellent food. What a blessing. Tomorrow we will complete our journey to Anchorage from the Lower 48.