Alaska::Scenery

June 27, 2022

We went northwest on the Alaska Highway Route 2 from our road pullout campground towards Tok. Some of the potholes in the road were cavernous, though it is tough to get that in a photo. Other evidence is the continuous reconstruction and road patches.

There is windblown glacial silt covering large areas. It allowed some plant life to grow and feed wild life. It also is used as background for “Alaskan graffiti” using rocks to spell out messages.

There was evidence of the telegraph system that once carried all messages from the border to the towns. This pole is in decent shape, but many others were sunk in the softened permafrost.

The first significant town in Alaska on the Highway is Tok, with a large information center, gift shop, and a vehicle wash – always a welcome sight after highway dust and bugs covered the van.

Everywhere we have been there are extremely lush pots and hanging baskets of flowers decorating businesses and homes. I know that 20 hours of sunlight is great, but I can’t help but think that some flower booster fertilizer is in heavy use to support the growth! We at a delicious Thai lunch from a mobile restaurant, a common sight.

**Heading Southwest from Tok on Tok Cutoff Alaska Route 1**

**Probably Trumpeter swans in lake west of highway, but Tundra swans are more common**

**Fireweed is first to grow after a fire in an area. By the height of the open blossoms you can tell whether fall is coming (according to a reliable source, a teacher).**

**Mount Sanford, one of Alaska’s 10 highest peaks, elevation 16,237 feet. Mount Sanford is in the Wrangell Mountains and is a dormant volcano.**

**Evidence of an avalanche on the hillside**

We arrived at Northern Nights Campground in Glennallen, which would prove to be our base for six nights.

4 thoughts on “Alaska::Scenery”

Judy-I like the way you vary your photos-magnificent scenery and local spots of interest. Your Mexican dinner looked yummy!

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Judy, these are wonderful shots. I just stumbled on this. Your emails apparently were shunted off to the social email section of my gmail (very odd). Looks like you are having a great time. Can’t wait to hear more about the trip.

Dennis

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jafwoodbury says:

August 10, 2022 at 2:08 pm

Hi! We are still in Alaska for about 3 more days. I am way behind on posting. We are busy and don’t regularly have internet. It’s been great, but now getting cold. It’s already snowing at elevations, so time to head east and south!!!

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