Home Sweet Alaska, Finally

Mentasta Lake on our drive from Tok to Valdez.

It’s day 18 and we’ve officially entered Alaska! Our home for the next three years. I’m currently writing from our campground in Valdez right at the end of the airport runway (we wouldn’t have it any other way). We took a slight detour from our forward progress route to see the “coast” for a few days and we’re so glad we did! Most travelers take the northern route up to Fairbanks, which is currently in a heat advisory. Lucky us, we’re soaking up the benefits of this gorgeous weather without the ridiculous temps.

Along our drive from the Liard River to Whitehorse we stopped in Watson Lake to see the sign forest. This designated historical spot features hundreds of thousands of license plates and signs that commemorate people, places and their journey along the Alcan. We saw street signs, old snowboards, trail markers, hanging hiking boots, and even someone's plastic cutting board that they carved to commemorate their journey. A truly unique spot!

Leaving the Liard River and the Watson Lake sign forest.

Our last few days in Canada were amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed poking around Whitehorse – truly the largest town we’ve seen in awhile. Our campground was part of another hot springs experience, this one more spa-like than natural. A spa day after weeks of driving? Don’t mind if we do. The Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs offer a variety of pools of varying temperatures as well as steam rooms, saunas, and relaxation rooms. The whole facility is built on top of a natural spring, and the water flows into various pools with little waterfalls. We even got to soak in a big clay pot and do a few cold plunges. They don’t allow cell phones in the complex, so we don’t have many pictures, but this place is worth a spot on your bucket list! It was so nice to take some time to relax.

The Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs and Brian sitting in the "bullshit corner" at our lunch stop in Whitehorse.

For our full day in Whitehorse, we got up bright and early to enjoy the hot springs and then ventured into town to explore. We’ve also officially entered midnight sun territory where we’re close enough to the Arctic Circle that sunset now occurs at about 11:30pm – but not really. It feels like dusk for most of the night and then the sun rises again at about 4:30am. We’re certainly grateful for the large blackout curtain in our trailer!

After leaving Whitehorse it was time to venture into the last Canadia portion of the Alcan – and the most treacherous (or so we had heard). Friends who made this journey before us talked about crazy potholes, massive frost heaves, and gravel patches that will shake your teeth loose. I was a little nervous to say the least. It was our last really long day of driving, made all the more long by frequent construction stops, but our truck and trailer made it through. And for the record? It really wasn’t that bad after all. Thanks for driving Brian!

Our first Alaska stop was Tok, a major crossing point for travelers entering the state. Staying straight will take you to Fairbanks, a dip to the south takes you to Anchorage. We decided to stay at the Sourdough Campground, which came highly recommended from other Coast Guard friends. They’re known for their pancakes – both to eat and to toss! Each evening at 7:30pm the camp hosts its famous pancake toss where guests are invited to try their hand at throwing one of their large sourdough pancakes into a bucket. The little pavilion in the center of the campground features a small stage and benches. You must stay behind the bench and you get two tries to land the pancake in the bucket – but the camp host warns that your first shot is only for practice. Only the second attempt counts. Winners receive $10 off breakfast at the campground café.

Before beginning, every participant must first introduce themselves, where they are from, and how many miles they’ve traveled. Only after we all know we each other can we begin the toss. On our particular night we were lucky to have a large cheering section of small children who really helped with the confidence. I sank my first pancake but didn’t make the second. Brian made his second, but it hung off the edge and was later knocked in by another participant. We were elated that we both were able to get one in. All those years of 4th of July pancake tosses really prepared us for this moment! In the end, even those who sank it on the first try received a winner’s token too. On Thursday morning both Brian and I enjoyed $20 off our delicious breakfast. A memorable stop indeed.

Entering Alaska, and the Sourdough Pancake toss champs!

Our drive down to Valdez was absolutely stunning. We were told by friends that the mountains in Banff wouldn’t compare – they were right. We are in awe of this landscape. It’s truly hard to describe and almost overwhelming. The peaks here are jagged and snow-capped, looking more like something you’d find in Europe or Asia than the United States. We made many stops along our drive to take it all in, feeling small and insignificant during much of it. Our photos truly don’t do it justice. We enjoyed a stopover day here in Valdez to rest, do some laundry, explore a little, and take it all in. Oh, and we saw some sea otters.

Our drive to Valdez including stops at Mentasta Lake and Bridal Veil falls. Plus, exploring Valdez, the Valdez Glacier Lake, and our Ford Ranger on the docks downtown.

We’re feeling incredibly lucky to be here and excited to have officially begun phase three of our journey. Tomorrow it’s on to Anchorage where we’ll enjoy our last moments of rampant consumerism for a while. Does anyone know if the Anchorage Costco has Cabot Cheese? Asking for a friend…

Good “night,”

Sam & Brian

P.S. A few readers will hopefully be receiving a little tidbit in the next few weeks… keep an eye on your mailbox!