Wednesday July 13

KENAI Princess RV Park

8:30AM. 56°F   Overcast but dry

7,688 miles

Today we're  heading to the port town of Whittier.  Access to this town is through a 2.5 mile  one lane tunnel that goes beneath the Portage Glacier. Since 2002 when Pat and I were here the Glacier has recede.

we pay the toll of $13. To use the tunnel and arrive in the town and other than a Princess cruise ship there is nothing in this town. There is an abandoned US Government building that was built in to 1950's sa a cold war army installation was used 3 years and then just abandoned.  It was built so that in the winter no one had to leave the building. It had housing, commissary, bowling alley, movie theater, school... the average snowfall is 12 feet.

The fish Hut that was there in 02 is now a coffee shop. We couldn't find a place to eat (they wouldn't let us luch on the Grand Princess 😩🙃, so we waited until the tunnel changed directions and left.

On the way out of the area we stopped at the Chugach Mountains Recreation visitor center.

Watched a short movie about the area and believe it or not ran into an old friend from out childhood. He was glad to see us and agreed to take a photo together.

That right Smokey the Bear what a treat!🤪🤪🤪😁

On the way back to Cooper Landing we tried gold panning again. This time at Bertha Creek. No luck this time either but we met a dad and his son (Jackson) that were prospecting also. Great family,  military, currently stationed in Anchorage.

This dad ( sorry I don't recall his name) warned us about this plant that was growing everywhere. It's called Cow Turnip and it's can be very irritating to the skin if touched.

We tried one last panning location at the junction of Quartz and Crescent creeks

NOTE: Don't believe anyone that says there is gold in every stream in Alaska. It just ain't so!!!

Burgers at the trailer for dinner 👍