Seward Highway

Paul had suggested a view and hike near his home. We headed to the trailhead for Flat Top. The views of Anchorage and the mountains on the Kenai Peninsula were unbelievable. The hike up to the top of Flat Top looked like something I would like to do, but David still wasn’t feeling up to it, so maybe tomorrow. There were tons of people up there – a warm, sunny Sunday was bringing everyone out.

Following that stop we headed out the Seward Highway. It took us a long time to go only a few miles because there were so many places to stop for pictures! The road is at the base of the mountains following along the edge of the Turnagain Arm. There are glaciers and snowcapped mountains where ever you look. At one point we took the road to Portage and Whittier. The Portage Glacier is but a part of its former self having retreated more than a mile in the past 40 years. We elected not to take the tunnel on to Whittier so that we would have time to go up over the Turnagain Pass. The tunnel to Whittier is a toll tunnel which carries both trains and cars. Cars from each direction and trains alternate use of the tunnel so there is a wait to pass through.

On the way back to Paul’s we stopped at Beluga Point to try to watch a bore tide. A bore tide is when the tide rushes in so quickly to a low mud flat that waves are actually created. Unfortunately it was not a day for a very high bore tide so it was not too impressive, looking more like rapids in a river than a wall of water.

We again spent the night in front of Paul’s house.

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)