Alaska 2008

Healy, AK to Anchorage, AK

244 Miles/390 Km

12 July 2008

Route Map

Destination Map

Route Information

City/Town

Points of interest

Distance From

Miles/Km

Waypoint
Coordinates

State/
Prov

Highway

Healy, AK* Denali RV Park & Motel Home
Anchorage
5176/8282
244/390
63.822 N
148.987 W
AK
Denali National Park Entrance   Home
Healy
Anchorage
5184/8294
8/13
236/378
63.729 N
148.886 W
AK AK 3
Cantwell, AK*   Home
Healy
Anchorage
5211/8338
35/56
209/334
63.390N
148.902 W
AK AK 3
Trapper Creek, AK*   Home
Healy
Anchorage
5306/8490
130/208
114/182
62.318 N
150.235 W
AK AK 3
Talkeetna Spur Road* Talkeetna Home
Healy
Anchorage
5322/8515
146/234
98/157
62.134 N
150.040 W
AK AK 3
Willow, AK*   Home
Healy
Anchorage
5351/8562
175/280
69/110
61.739 N
150.042 W
AK AK 3
Houston, AK*   Home
Healy
Anchorage
5363/8581
187/299
57/91
61.630 N
149.816 W
AK AK 3
Wasilla, AK*   Home
Healy
Anchorage
5378/8605
202/323
42/67
51.581 N
149.441 W
AK AK 3
Junction Glenn Highway   Home
Healy
Anchorage
5385/8616
209/334
35/56
61.553 N
149.248 W
AK AK 1
(Glenn Highway)
Anchorage, AK* Ship Creek Landing Downtown RV Park Home
Healy
5420/8672
244/390
61.222 N
149.870 W
AK AK 1
*Fuel Available            

Photographs and Commentary
Click on pictures to enlarge

When we left Healy this morning it was cold and partly cloudy with some low clouds hanging over the mountains. We had some rain in the early part of the trip and then we started to see a little bit of the sun. As we got to the vicinity of Anchorage, the Chugach mountains were obscured by low hanging clouds. As I write this, the clouds have closed in and the forecast is for some showers this evening and tonight.

Today's trip takes us through the Alaska range and down to the vicinity of the Chugach Mountains which rise from the outskirts of downtown Anchorage (click on SAT on the Google Map to see just how close the mountains are). The Parks Highway follows the Nenana River for about 70 miles. Near Healy it passes through some narrow gorges with just enough room to fit the highway between the river and some rock faces. Once the highway passes the entrance to Denali National Park, the valley spreads out and the mountains seem farther apart. Road conditions were excellent all the way to Anchorage. Once inside the city limits, there was a detour that took us onto city streets and through some neighborhoods that would make me uncomfortable after dark. The detour really didn't cause us much delay because the detour was only a few miles from the campground.

Our afternoon was committed to getting the windshield replaced. As I wrote earlier we got a rock hit on I-90 enroute to Billings, MT and could not get it repaired until we got to Anchorage. My hope was that the crack would not widen too much so as to obscure my vision. The crack spread a bit after the first day, but it held up through some very rough roads. We were in and out of the repair facility in about an hour. Now I only have to hope that we survive the return trip on the Alaska Highway without any windshield damage.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will be walking around downtown Anchorage and visiting the Anchorage Saturday/Sunday Market. This is a combination flea market/farmer market/craft market that has some interesting things to offer. We didn't buy anything the last we were here and I doubt that we will do so this time, but it is fun to walk through the stalls and see what they have to offer.

   
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