Parks Highway and Anchorage

We broke camp early and drove into Fairbanks for breakfast.  After that, we decided to stop by Creamer’s Field to see if the sandhill cranes had begun migrating (they had not), then we drove the Parks Highway, heading south.  Along the way, we decided to take a chance to stop by Denali National Park.  We hoped that since it was a Sunday afternoon that there might be camping spots available.  Unfortunately, there were none.  We continued on under heavy clouds and rain to Cantwell, camping at a place we had found during out 2010 trip and remembering their great showers.  It’s amazing how wonderful a hot shower can be!

The following morning we drove into Anchorage to reprovision.  Our new backpacking stove refused to ignite, so we stopped at REI to return/replace it.  Next we stopped at the grocery store and, finally, at a Laundromat.  Barbie’s Café, just around the corner, was the high spot for our day.  The entire café was decorated in various shades of purple, and Barbie, the owner, was also dressed in purple… right down to the rubberbands on her long braid.  She was a delight to talk with, offering all kinds of suggestions to such distant travelers. 

By the time we had turned and detoured our way across town, both of us were exhausted from being back in the city’s hustle and bustle, particularly after coming off the remote Dalton and Elliott highways. 

The Seward Highway leads south out of Anchorage and is always busy.  The mostly two-lane road runs along Turnagain Arm, a large bay of water, and is the only road leading to the Kenai Peninsula.  It had a steady stream of working trucks, RVs, sedans, and motorcycles.  We turned left on the Whittier/Portage Glacier access road to Bear Creek campground, which we had visited in 2010.  Again we found our favorite campsite open.  It felt good to be out of the chaos of the city and in the deep forest again. 

We three took a stroll up the trail and settled in for a peaceful evening’s rest.  It is finally beginning to get dark at night again (sunrise around 5:30 and sunset about 10:30), now that we are past July 28 and further south.  Tomorrow we drive to Skilak Lake, one of our favorite spots during our 2010 trip. 

Williwaw Creek crossing, Iceberg Trail