Nestled at the head of a deep fjord in Prince William Sound, Valdez, Alaska, is a port city that offers a unique blend of natural beauty and rich history. Our visit to Valdez will be remembered by both getting there, as we wrote about the drive in our previous blog post, and being there.
Unlike many places in the lower 48, there is only one road that will get you in or out of Valdez. the Richardson Highway. One must be sure to check if Thompson Pass, elevation of 2,805 feet over the Chugach Range, is not closed due to dangerous conditions. Once over the Thompson Pass and after passing through Keystone Canyon, it’s only a few miles to reach the port of Valdez.
Valdez is a vibrant port town. It is famous for being the northernmost ice-free port in the United States. It is an important access point for Alaska’s interior, Pacific-Rim trade, and is the southern terminus for the Alaskan Pipeline. The fjord is incredibly picturesque as the Chugach Range surrounds the port on all sides, leaving a three-mile-wide entrance large enough for tankers to pass through. The substantial oil tanker traffic makes it one of the busiest ports in the state. But, compared to other Alaskan ports like Anchorage and Seward, Valdez has relatively lower overall traffic, especially in terms of general cargo and cruise ships.
We arrived in Valdez on Tuesday, August 6, in the early afternoon after a long drive. We explored the charming small-town atmosphere, which is complemented by its vibrant port activities. The city center is only about ten blocks in width and length and boasts a population of 4,000. In the summer, the town welcomes around 94,000 visitors! Parking was free, and many spaces were available right along the main street paralleling the seashore docks.
Standing on the seaside boardwalk, we took in a 360-degree view of mountainous terrain hugging the harbor. The peaks surrounding Valdez reach 5,000 to over 6500 feet in elevation. Many of the mountains had ribbons of waterfalls cascading down their sides. It was wonderful to smell the sea air, hear the sound of water and gulls, and see the boats bobbing on the water as we walked along the boardwalk. We’ve always enjoyed visiting seaside towns in New England, South Africa, and along the Pacific coastline. Valdez is among our favorites.
We spotted the restaurant previously recommended to us, “The Fat Mermaid.” It was a great place to enjoy some local catch-of-the-day in a place enjoyed by the locals and visitors alike. After that, we strolled around the harbor a bit more to take in the sights and then retired to our hotel.
The Chugach mountains surrounding the harbor have many waterfalls.
The harbor boardwalk has interesting artwork.
Along the Valdez boardwalk.
A pier with a fueling station for the larger vessels. The Chugach mountains in the background.
Salmon – Fish Hatchery
Valdez is renowned for its excellent fishing opportunities, with salmon and halibut being the most sought-after species. On the docks, there’s a dedicated area for cleaning fish, complete with a whiteboard tallying the largest catches of the day and the season. Around 10-15 fishing charter companies operate in Valdez, offering a range of experiences from half-day trips to multi-day adventures, catering to both novice and experienced anglers. When folks return from fishing, they can use the public outdoor fish cleaning station, which is equipped with water, cutting boards, and a place to dispose of the left-over.
Valdez provides a fish cleaning station for the many charters.
Across the harbor from the docks is the Solomon Gulch Hatchery, which plays a crucial role in supporting both commercial and sport fishing in the region. We visited the hatchery on Wednesday morning, August 7, and witnessed thousands of coho salmon returning to spawn. Established in 1981, the hatchery is the largest single-species salmon hatchery in North America. It incubates and releases up to 270 million pink salmon fry and 2 million coho salmon smolts annually.
The returning salmon attract bears, sea lions, and eagles. On the day we visited, there were many gulls pecking at the salmon in the shallow water as the tide was out, but no bears. We took a self-guided tour, reading signs and watching integrated videos. It was fascinating to see the water teeming with fish and to watch the salmon climb the fish ladder. We learned a lot about salmon and the hatchery.
The water is filled with salmon returning to the hatchery to spawn.
We had lunch from a food truck vendor named Poor Bettys and got “po boy” sandwiches. The sandwiches were delicious. We don't think the current proprietor is named Betty nor do we think she is poor based on the prices of the sandwiches, but it was definitely worth it.
"Poor Bettys"
Next to Poor Betty’s was an artist from Hawaii, Ron Graham, selling his work. He paints using a Japanese technique called Gyotaku (魚拓), which translates to "fish rubbing". This traditional art form originated in the mid-1800s and was initially used by fishermen to record their catches. They would apply sumi ink to one side of a freshly caught fish, then cover the fish with rice paper and rub to create an exact image of the fish.
Today, Gyotaku has evolved into a respected art form, with artists creating detailed and beautiful prints of various sea creatures. It’s a fascinating blend of nature and art, capturing the intricate details of the fish’s scales, fins, and body shape.
Artist Ron Graham showing us his next fish he will use to make a print.
Speaking of art forms, how about this interesting find at the Valdez Museum.
A North Pacific Fur Fish!
Oil – Alaska Pipeline Terminus
Next to the hatchery was the entrance to the Alaska Pipeline terminus. We had seen the terminus across the harbor the day before. The sprawling terminal cost $1.4 billion to build in 1977 (roughly equivalent to $6.5 billion in 2024 dollars). The terminal has 18 storage tanks, each capable of holding 510,000 barrels of oil. This gives the terminal a total storage capacity of over 9 million barrels. On average, about 20 tankers per month load crude oil at the terminal, which accounts for roughly 6.6% of the total U.S. oil consumption.
We visited the Valdez Museum, where we learned about the town’s history, including the devastating 1964 earthquake and the Valdez oil spill. The oil spill occurred in 1989 in Valdez’s Prince William Sound. Perhaps you remember the spill and the images on the news at the time. We did. The Exxon Valdez, a tanker owned by Exxon, struck Bligh Reef and spilled approximately 10.8 million gallons of crude oil. This spill is considered one of the worst in U.S. history, second only to the Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010.
The Alyeska Pipeline Terminus.
An oil tanker leaving Valdez.
The spill had devastating effects on the local ecosystem, impacting over 1,300 miles of coastline and killing hundreds of thousands of seabirds, otters, seals, and whales. The remote location of Prince William Sound made response efforts challenging, further complicating cleanup operations.
While much of the visible oil has been cleaned up, the long-term ecological impacts are still being studied. Certain species, such as sea otters and some bird populations, have taken years to recover, and some habitats have not fully returned to their pre-spill conditions.
Ice – Glacier Cruise
The highlight of our trip was our seven-hour cruise out into Prince William Sound to see Columbia Glacier. Visiting the glacier is an awe-inspiring experience. This massive tidewater glacier, descending from the Chugach Mountains, is one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world.
The journey to the glacier is filled with breathtaking scenery. The surrounding area is teeming with wildlife. We saw sea otters lounging on the water and a sea lion lounging on a buoy. Sea lions grunted at the base of a cliff, and eagles eyed the ocean for a tasty fish lunch. One eagle ignored the “no fishing” sign posted on the tree where it was perched. LOL.
An eagle fishing in a no-fishing zone.
Sea lions relaxing near the shoreline.
Sea lion relaxing on the buoy delineating the pipeline security perimeter.
Mountains guarding the entrance to the Valdez Narrows.
Terri enjoying the wildlife.
Seals taking a breather on an ice floe.
As the captain navigated through icy waters dotted with floating pieces of ice, some were as large as small buildings. The sight of these chunks, with their deep blue hues and intricate shapes, is mesmerizing. The captain told us that there are three size classifications to the floating ice. The smallest of these, growlers, are about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. They are small, but capable of causing a surprising jolt to an unsuspecting vessel. Slightly larger, bergy bits resemble floating sculptures and can be the size of a small camper. Then there are the majestic icebergs, towering giants that command respect. They can be the size of a tractor-trailer truck or a huge building. We saw mostly growlers and bergy bits. One of the crew members netted a small chunk of ice out of the water for the passengers to touch.
The ice was different shades of blue.
Enjoying the glacier cruise!
Our captain navigating the icy passage.
Genuine glacier ice.
As we approached it by boat, the sheer scale of the glacier became apparent. Although we saw only the edge which reaches the ocean, the glacier spans over 400 square miles and is up to 550 meters thick in some places. The captain told us the glacier is receding, while its twin glacier on the western side of the peninsula, the Meares Glacier is advancing even though both have the same environmental conditions.
We got as close to the glacier as the captain felt safe.
This is as close to the glacier that we could safely navigate.
A view of the shore as we return from the glacier.
If you ever find yourself in Alaska, make sure to add Valdez to your itinerary. This charming port town, with its rugged beauty, and friendly community, offers an unforgettable experience. Valdez has something special for everyone, impressive scenery, fishing adventures, glacier cruises, delicious food, and an interesting history museum. Come and explore the wonders of Valdez—you won’t be disappointed! Despite that it was rainy and drizzly most of the time, our visit left us with unforgettable memories and a deep appreciation for this Alaskan gem.
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