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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Alaska National Parks Trip - Summer 2015 >> Driving Tour – Alaska >> Driving Anchorage to Valdez – Alaska tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Driving Anchorage to Valdez – Alaska

Images of Anchorage to Valdez along the Seward, Sterling and Alaska Marine Highways – Southern Alaska, taken in July 2015.

I was finally on the road heading south from Anchorage driving along the Seward Highway. The view of the mountains over the water was spectacular even though the skies were overcast. The road traveled along the Turnagain Arm and I pulled into several overviews to take in the sights. Pulling up to one in particular I noticed several people looking and pointing cameras up high toward the cliffs overhanging the road. They were viewing Dall Sheep bouncing from impossible spot to unmanageable position! It was incredible watching them but it wasn’t the only opportunity on this leg of the trip that I would get to view exceptional wildlife at work. Later as I was driving along the Sterling Highway near the Russian River I would catch a glimpse of large birds on a sandbar in the Kenai River. I pulled over as soon as possible and made my way across the road and down to the river where I saw 10 to 12 Bald Eagles. I staked them out for two hours, watching and photographing those magnificent birds. I could have stayed there all day but I had to get to Seward to take my trip to Kenai Fjords National Park (in an upcoming gallery).

Days later leaving the Kenai Peninsula I had to make my way to Whittier along the Prince William Sound so that I could board a ferry, car and all, to Valdez. The only way to get to Whittier was through the one lane Anton Anderson tunnel, the longest combined vehicle-railroad tunnel in North America at 2.5 miles long. I pulled up to the toll booth and asked what the fee was. “13 dollars” was the reply. That seemed a bit much so I asked the attendant how much it would be one way because, after all, I wasn’t coming back through it again anyway. “13 dollars, and I’ll let you come back through for free whenever you want to”. What a deal that was!

Once in Whittier I drove onto the Alaska Marine Highway ferry to Valdez. This 7 hour journey was a pleasant trip along the southern coast of Alaska and included some great views along the Valdez Arm. Once back on land I also visited Old Valdez, condemned after the 9.3 magnitude earthquake in 1964.
Damage from one of the many fires burning in Alaska
Damage from one of the many fires burning in Alaska		 Dall sheep climb up a steep embankment along the Seward Highway
Dall sheep climb up a steep embankment along the Seward Highway		 Dall sheep come down off of a cliff along the Seward Highway
Dall sheep come down off of a cliff along the Seward Highway		 Dall sheep on a mountainside along the Seward Highway
Dall sheep on a mountainside along the Seward Highway		 A baby Dall sheep along the Seward Highway
A baby Dall sheep along the Seward Highway
View from Turnagain Pass along the Seward Highway
View from Turnagain Pass along the Seward Highway		 Junction of The Seward (9, to Seward) and Sterling (1, to Homer) highways
Junction of The Seward (9, to Seward) and Sterling (1, to Homer) highways		 Looking across the Kenai Lake from the Seward Highway
Looking across the Kenai Lake from the Seward Highway		 The old Ptarmigan Creek Bridge from the Seward Highway
The old Ptarmigan Creek Bridge from the Seward Highway		 Mountain tops in the clouds from the Seward Highway
Mountain tops in the clouds from the Seward Highway
Mountains near the junction of the Seward and Sterling Highways
Mountains near the junction of the Seward and Sterling Highways		 A Bald Eagle misses its pickup on the Kenai River off of the Sterling Highway
A Bald Eagle misses its pickup on the Kenai River off of the Sterling Highway		 A Bald Eagle makes a grab on the Kenai River off of the Sterling Highway
A Bald Eagle makes a grab on the Kenai River off of the Sterling Highway		 A Bald Eagle in flight over the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle in flight over the Kenai River 		A Bald Eagle sores over the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle sores over the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle in flight over the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle in flight over the Kenai River		 A Bald Eagle on a spruce perch overlooking the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle on a spruce perch overlooking the Kenai River		 A Bald Eagle takes flight from its perch over the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle takes flight from its perch over the Kenai River		 A Bald Eagle glides down to the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle glides down to the Kenai River		 A Bald Eagle grabs a fish from the Kenai River
A Bald Eagle grabs a fish from the Kenai River
Mountainous area around the Seward Highway
Mountainous area around the Seward Highway		 Entrance to the one lane Anton Anderson tunnel heading toward Whittier
Entrance to the one lane Anton Anderson tunnel heading toward Whittier		 Inside the 2.5 mile one lane Anton Anderson tunnel heading toward Whittier
Inside the 2.5 mile one lane Anton Anderson tunnel heading toward Whittier		 Exiting the Anton Anderson tunnel on the Whittier side
Exiting the Anton Anderson tunnel on the Whittier side		 The Whittier Small Boat Harbor
The Whittier Small Boat Harbor
A fishing boat in the Prince William Sound near Whittier
A fishing boat in the Prince William Sound near Whittier		 Signs for the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry Terminal in Whittier
Signs for the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry Terminal in Whittier		 Loading a large RV onto the ferry in Whittier for the trip to Valdez
Loading a large RV onto the ferry in Whittier for the trip to Valdez		 Tebenkof Glacier along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Tebenkof Glacier along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 A small island in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
A small island in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
View of the shoreline along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
View of the shoreline along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Columbia Glacier iceberg in the Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Columbia Glacier iceberg in the Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Alaska Marine Highway ferry mast
Alaska Marine Highway ferry mast		 Columbia Glacier along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Columbia Glacier along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Columbia Mountain along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Columbia Mountain along Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Fishing vessels in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Fishing vessels in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Fishing vessels in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Fishing vessels in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Fishing vessels in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Fishing vessels in Prince William Sound from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Mountains in the Valdez Arm from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Mountains in the Valdez Arm from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Mountains around Port Valdez from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Mountains around Port Valdez from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Mountain on the edge of Port Valdez from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Mountain on the edge of Port Valdez from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 Mountains and oil port on the edge of Port Valdez from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry
Mountains and oil port on the edge of Port Valdez from the Alaska Marine Highway ferry		 View of Port Valdez and Valdez from Old Valdez
View of Port Valdez and Valdez from Old Valdez		 View of Port Valdez from Old Valdez, condemned after the 9.3 magnitude earthquake in 1964
View of Port Valdez from Old Valdez, condemned after the 9.3 magnitude earthquake in 1964		 View of Port Valdez and Valdez from Old Valdez
View of Port Valdez and Valdez from Old Valdez

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Guest 02-Jun-2020 16:53
Fantastic. Thank you. Those are BIG birds, hard to judge the scale in the photos. >Tim
Dale Gentry 01-Jun-2020 18:30
Your photos are bring back my two trips to Alaska: 2008 & 2014. The ferry ride was impressive with all the different glaciers flowing slowly into the bay. We saw a whale but no eagles. But we saw where the Exxon Valdez accident happened. It’s great seeing all your photos Jerry. It brings back great memories.
Greg Temple 01-Jun-2020 16:38
These great shots immediately transported me back to the ferry ride where we first met. The 7 hour ride somehow flew by as the sun came out and we were surrounded by the majesty of Alaska.
Love the shots of the eagles and goats in action. Your sports photo background shows up well as you grab the most dramatic moments- thanks!
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