Hidden treasure

VALDEZ — The car was packed down with rain gear, coolers and toiletries for the two-day vacation.

The swollen clouds loomed overhead, prognosticating rain for the 285-mile trip from Eagle River to Valdez. Nevertheless, the trip seemed promising, to a popular summer spot for tourists and Alaska residents alike.

Valdez, nestled on the backside of Thompson Pass and the northeast tip of Prince William Sound, boasts a year-round population of about 4,300, according to the city of Valdez’s Web site. The city is touted as a snowmachine, snowboarding and skiing haven during the winter months, as the area gets socked in with an average of 360 inches of snow per year.

In the short summer season, Valdez is considered a world-class fishing destination for halibut and salmon.

Each year, anglers from across the state descend on Valdez to compete in one of its famed fish derbies. Anglers vie for cash and prizes in the derbies for silver salmon and halibut, which run from late May to the end of August.

Valdez resident Lorena Jenkins currently holds the derby lead with a 244-pound monster, and 300-pound halibut are an annual catch.

In addition to the derbies, a slew of fish species in deep-sea waters can be reached from Valdez. For the big halibut, delectable rockfish and lingcod sport and commercial fishermen crave, the rhythmic bounding of the boat across rolling waves requires a three-hour ride out into open water in the Gulf of Alaska.

However, smaller halibut and salmon can be caught in Prince William Sound, a shorter jaunt from the harbor.

The seaside city has a few other must-see spots besides the harbor. The misty gushing of Bridal Veil and Horsetail Falls is a photo opportunity waiting to happen. The Goat Trail and Worthington Glacier provide hikers scenic views and a place to explore.

The drive from the Mat-Su Valley is loaded with picturesque sights too. Purple lupin forms a buffer between the pavement and the greenery on both sides of the road. The Matanuska River, flowing down from Matanuska Glacier, parallels the pavement for the first portion of the drive. The clouds parted and the sky opened up around Sheep Mountain as the mercury approached 70 degrees in the car.

Glennallen and Copper Center are good places to stretch the legs and grab a bite to eat if drivers are not in a hurry.

But the hot weather usually doesn’t last.

In Thompson Pass, the ominous gray clouds that dump 600 inches of snow yearly in the mountains sat overhead again and the air temperature cooled into the 50s. Blueberry Lake, located up in the pass, is a relaxing setting to lay down a blanket for a picnic.

But the cooler air didn’t keep the town from buzzing during the early morning and dinnertime hours. The smell of marine fuel drifts above the harbor, when the low rumble of motors resonates from handfuls of boats. Charter boat captains and fishermen come and go, hauling gear and fish to and from the dock. It’s clear to those who eat at the dockside restaurants or peruse gift shops near the water this is the lifeline of the

city.

Valdez is also the end point of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, the site where 19,000 marine tankers have been loaded with 15 million barrels of crude oil since the pipeline started in 1977.

With oil being one of the most coveted resources from the state means the Valdez Marine Terminal is not accessible to most visitors for security reasons. Even still, it’s impressive to see the four-foot diameter landmark weave alongside the roadway to Valdez.

Adventuresome visitors can walk from pavement to pipeline for a close-up photo.

The city of Valdez offers a multitude of attractions for visitors of all types. From avid outdoorsmen who want to stuff the backpack with a jacket and fishing tackle to those looking for a cozy getaway a few hours outside the Mat-Su Borough, Valdez could be an excellent spot to take a day or two to get out of town and take a leisurely drive to.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Derek Casanovas at 352-2284.