The scenic drive from Anchorage is one reason that even longtime Alaskans rate a visit to Valdez as something special. But when Anchorage writer Pam Eldridge set out on an overcast Labor Day, she at first found herself enveloped by misty mystery.
Though glimpses of the trans-Alaska pipeline and the yellow of autumn aspen and birch tantalized, the beautiful vistas the trip is known for stayed mostly out of view. "Dark clouds hugged the mountainsides and the rain lasted all day," she wrote of the late-summer trip. It wasn't until her final dramatic descent into Valdez that her camera got a workout, when the majestic, vast "and simply breathtaking" Thompson Pass and favorite local attraction Bridal Veil Falls came into view.
Fortunately, the next morning dawned clear and sunny. But late-season visitors to the region would be wise to pack rain gear, just in case. The same conditions that bring Valdez heavy snows in winter also bring summer sprinkles, confirms Deborah Russell, a meteorologist at the Valdez station of the National Weather Service. Glaciers cool the air, and the surrounding Chugach Mountains hold clouds close, she says. During the past 30 years, Valdez has gotten an average of 16.5 inches of annual summer rainfall (May-August), with an average of 6.5 inches in August.
"The pattern seems to be we'll cloud up for a couple of weeks, then get a couple of weeks of sunny weather," Russell says. As for temperatures, though record highs have reached the high 80s, more typical summer highs are in the high 50s and low 60s.
But don't let the specter of overcast days and drizzles keep you cooped up. The local cure for cloudy-day blues is to get outside.
"Any time is a good time to see the area," agrees Laura Privett of the Valdez Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We are in a temperate rainforest environment like Southeast Alaska. Put your rain gear on and go for a hike, see waterfalls and rivers, and pick berries in the fall. It's a refreshing experience."
And, she points out, "Glacier colors are the most beautiful blue on a cloudy day."
Most locals, thrilled to see the green emerge from beneath winter snows many feet deep, rate natural sights as the summer highlights of this sea-level community of 4,200. Locals and visitors alike enjoy hiking, boating and fishing.
A rich local history, from early gold prospecting, to the 1964 earthquake and landslide and resulting waves that demolished old Valdez, to the development of the trans-Alaska pipeline and the Valdez Marine Terminal, also contributes to the local historical tapestry.
"I like to recommend that visitors come to the museum first," says Valdez Museum executive director Tabitha Gregory. "It gives them a very good background and feel for our community's history that will, in turn, help them enjoy these other historical sites."
To get an overview of local history, Gregory suggests starting at the museum's Remembering Old Valdez exhibit, four blocks from the main museum. The exhibit tells the story of Valdez before the 1964 quake, has a real-time working seismograph and presents a movie called "Ocean Fury" about the earthquake and its effects on Valdez. Other favorite exhibits include two fully restored turn-of-the-century fire engines and a saloon bar set with mirrors and ornate woodwork salvaged from the old Valdez town site. The annual summer exhibit "Quilt and Fiber" also is popular.
Some spots, such as Valdez Glacier, offer both history and nature. This stop on the Richardson Highway is marked, so passersby can stop and view the glacier's face, lake and icebergs and learn of its role in Gold Rush history.
A 7 1/2-mile drive or walk will lead the hardy historian up the Mineral Creek valley to a half-mile trail to the Mineral Creek Stamp Mill, a relic from the valley's gold mining industry.
"I recommend this last half-mile for the strong of heart with sturdy walking shoes," Gregory says. "Most of the trail is in good condition and 'easy,' but there are one or two spots that are very narrow and along a very steep drop-off."
The museum is also a 10-minute walk or short drive from the small-boat harbor, a good place for soaking up local color -- or for starting your own ocean adventure. Fishing, kayaking and wildlife-glacier sightseeing charters are all available (and may be the best way to see the Valdez terminal these days, since tours are no longer offered). Locals admit they are not immune to the charms of Prince William Sound. If you enjoy fishing, you may want to time your visit to coincide with the halibut tournament or local salmon derbies.
"Get on a boat and go out into Prince William Sound," recommends Russell. "It's just overwhelmingly beautiful. It's just awe-inspiring, the entire trip."
Freelance writer Sonya Senkowsky lives in Anchorage.
