Dense fog scudded along the water's surface as Stan Stephens veered his boat, the Glacier Spirit, through Prince William Sound. Every now and then, the fog would part like a curtain and we could glimpse the aquamarine glaciers in the distance. Occasionally the view would clear up long enough for us to spot a tall waterfall cascading from the steep-walled cliffs along the shore.
It was not a typical cruising day, Stephens acknowledged. The best days are when the sun is shining and whales are breaching within sight of the boat. It is his chance to showcase the best of Valdez, to point out the natural wonders that make this small but economically vital town one of the best visitor destinations in Alaska.
Still, this tumultuous, stormy day proved to be just as fruitful as the sunnier ones. While our wildlife sightings were limited to a few otters and some seabirds, the glaciers seemed more striking in the flat light, the rolling fog somehow more mystical.
Stephens is one of Valdez's best-known locals, a boat captain who naturally fits his role down to the stereotypical gruff-sounding voice and slightly grizzled beard. With nearly 30 years of experience showing visitors the beauty of Prince William Sound, his company, Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Cruises, has been operating out of Valdez since his children were babies. Now they help manage the company. He is proud of his home.
"Valdez is out of the way, and a lot of people bypass it," Stephens said. "But that's what makes it nice here. We're never overrun."
Stephens' boat is a comfortable vessel, with padded seating in a lower lounge area, a snack bar area and an upstairs viewing platform that opens to the outside. Most of the day's guests stood right next to Stephens, who sat perched in his chair at the controls, announcing in a matter-of-fact manner over a speaker system the various points of interest.
"It used to be in the spring, we'd see goats down low," he said, nodding to an area just beyond our sight, lost in the misty day. Despite the poor weather, which kept us from visiting a sea lion rookery out in more open waters or from catching a glimpse of Columbia Glacier, the cruise remains one of the highlights of that Valdez trip.
A Stan Stephens cruise is a definite "must-do" while in Valdez, but it is only the beginning of a visit there. Subsequent trips to this seaside town have led us to protected bays, far-flung hiking trails and roadside biking paths. We've enjoyed fine dining and hot dogs, rainstorms and sunny days. Indeed Valdez is a place to return to again and again, no matter the time of year.
Valdez is a historic place too. While Native Alaskans have inhabited the regions for hundreds of years, it was not until the late 1800s that it was more widely discovered. Prospectors, having heard there were riches to be had, rushed there by steamship in a race to find gold. The conditions were much harsher than they imagined, but many thrived, creating memories and making homes in and around Valdez. Today the town covers 274 square miles, and is home to about 3,350 year-round residents.
The town suffered some of the greatest damage in Alaska when on Good Friday, March 27, 1964, the largest earthquake ever to hit North America struck the state, with a reported magnitude of 9.2. The epicenter of the quake was 45 miles from Valdez, and the first shocks lasted more than five minutes. In that brief span of time, more than $15 million in damage occurred -- streets ripped apart, buildings flattened and homes destroyed.
It was one of the deadliest too, as subsequent seiche waves rolled through town, killing 31 Valdez residents, many of them children.
"The Chena ship was in dock; when the ships came in, kids would go down because people on the boats would throw oranges and candy to them," explained Kathryn Hurtley, executive director of the Valdez Museum. "For kids, it was a big happening. It came in at about 4 o'clock that afternoon and it was a holiday so a lot of kids went down to see the boat before they went to dinner. So, when the earthquake (and subsequent waves) struck, that's why so many children died."
Another history-making moment that put Valdez at the center of national and international news headlines occurred on March 24, 1989. That day, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, unleashing one of the most devastating oil spills in the history of oil production. Thousands of sea mammals, birds and other wildlife were injured or killed by the spill, and it all but eliminated commercial fishing in the area. Its effects are still being seen today.
Today, visitors to Valdez can learn more about the Good Friday Earthquake and the Exxon Valdez oil spill at the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive, at 217 Egan Drive (835-2764, www.valdezmuseum.org). The museum also includes history exhibits, Native culture, Richardson Highway history, Gold Rush information and more. Its Remembering Old Valdez exhibit, 436 S. Hazelet St., has an in-depth display on the earthquake.
"Remember Old Valdez is our second location, and it's a complete model of Old Valdez before the earthquake," said Kathryn Hurtley, executive director of the Valdez Museum. "You can literally imagine walking the streets of old Valdez, and when you drive out to the actual site, it kind of makes sense where everything was. It's a powerful exhibit and has helped the members who survived the earthquake have some closure."
For all of its history, Valdez is an interesting place to visit, but to those who appreciate Alaska's natural beauty, it is the surrounding water and lands that will be the real treat. Situated at the head of a deep fjord in northeast Prince William Sound and surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, Valdez seems almost a hidden place. It's easily missed by those traveling to Anchorage or Fairbanks.
But it is worth the stop. Valdez is the launching point for incredible sea kayaking expeditions (one of our favorite destinations is Shoup Bay, just a few miles into the sound). It also is home to wonderful hiking and biking opportunities (paved bike paths and marked trail systems such as the Historic Valdez Trail are must-do activities). Anglers flock here in the summer for the Valdez salmon and halibut derbies, which award prize money for the largest halibut and silver salmon taken during the season.
"I always try to get a feel for what people are looking for because there is a lot to do," said Deanna Parsons, membership manager for the Valdez Convention and Visitors Bureau (www.valdezalaska.org). "If it's someone that wants to be real active, I tell them we have a lot of established trails and kayaking and hiking. If it is someone who really wants to sit back and relax, we have the glacier cruises and the museums.
"We really have something for everybody."
Writer Melissa DeVaughn can be reached at mdevaughn@adn.com. •
Do the 'Loop'
Perhaps one of the best ways to experience Valdez is to incorporate it into a weeklong adventure that takes in even more of Alaska. The trip centers in Southcentral Alaska, forming a loop beginning in Anchorage and coming full circle. For visitors, it is an affordable way to see the state at their own pace and in their own style. For those who live here, these driving tours can remind us what a special place we have. The "Valdez Loop" takes in the communities of Anchorage, Whittier, Valdez and Glennallen, with a ferry trip aboard the M/V Bartlett or, better yet, the speedier M/V Chenega.
• PLANNING: Road tripping in Alaska can be an adventure -- especially if you leave your itinerary slightly flexible and plan as you go. Don't scrimp, however, when planning for emergencies. There often are long stretches between services on Alaska roads, so carry a spare tire, patch kit and extra spare and fuel if on one of the more remote roads such as the Dalton Highway. Always carry emergency gear such as blankets and flares in case you get stuck out overnight. Even in the summer, the temperature can get pretty chilly at night.
• TRAVELING OPTIONS: The ideal loop road trip is the Valdez trip, which forms a loop connecting the Seward Highway from Anchorage to Prince William Sound to the Richardson Highway and the Glenn Highway back to Anchorage (total: about 365 miles). To extend the trip, continue north on the Richardson to the Denali Highway, across to the Parks Highway and south to the Glenn (distance: about 600 miles). Or go the length of the Richardson Highway all the way to Fairbanks and return to Anchorage via the Parks and Glenn highways (about 790 miles).
Contacts:
• Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel information: www.dot.state.ak.us or 1-877-611-2586
• Alaska Marine Highway information: www.ferryalaska.com or call the Valdez terminal at 835-4436
• Stan Stephens Wildlife and Glacier Cruise: www.stanstephenscruises.com or 1-866-867-1297
• Valdez Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.valdezalaska.org or 835-INFO
• Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce: 822-5555, www.traveltoalaska.com "Valdez is the friendliest town in Alaska. It's been a long two-week vacation."
-- Rich Dunkin of the Valdez Museum, who moved to Valdez 30 years ago after visiting What locals say
• Get on the water: If you're athletic, kayak among the icebergs at Shoup or Columbia glaciers. If you prefer to watch, take a cruise to see the massive, calving Columbia.
• See the waterfalls: If you drive to Valdez, you can't miss Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls in Keystone Canyon along the Richardson Highway. Stop for a few minutes or enjoy a hike along the Goat Trail.
• See the history, walk the history: See the model of Valdez before the 1964 earthquake at the Remembering Old Valdez Exhibit. Then head four miles outside of town and see what little remains at the former town site.
• Thompson Pass: When it's sunny, Thompson Pass -- on the way to Valdez along the Richardson Highway -- is one of Alaska's most beautiful places. Get out and enjoy the scenery and Worthington Glacier. Editor's picks
