Prince William Sound
Prince William Sound
Why Go?
This island-speckled sound named for an 18th-century British prince is home to precipitous fjords, sheer-sided coastal mountains, numerous boom-crashing tidal glaciers, remarkable bird and animal life, and three very unique ‘villages’ that guard the gates to endless adventure possibilities. Local cruise-ship traffic is light, lending the region a genuine remoteness.
The best base for travelers is Valdez, a tough town hemmed in by dramatic mountains that’s hailed for its helicopter-skiing and blue-water paddling. Connected to the road network via the Richardson Hwy, Valdez has survived two 20th-century disasters – an oil spill and an earthquake. More isolated Cordova is a fishing community with a quaint downtown, excellent bird-watching and access to great day hikes in the Chugach Mountains. On the western edge of the Sound, Whittier, a bizarre city born out of wartime necessity, is hideous, gorgeous, evocative and eerie. It’s easily reached by car from Anchorage.
When to Go
- Apr & May Tail end of the heli-skiing season, massive bird migrations and pre-season discounts.
- Jun Things dry out (kind of), hotels open and the wildlife kicks into overdrive.
- Jul Whale-watching picks up, the salmon are running and the sun shines bright.
Best Places to Stay
Prince William Sound Highlights
1 Columbia Glacier Listening to the snap-crackle-and-pop of icebergs as you blue-water paddle around one of Alaska’s largest tidal glaciers.
2 Blackstone Bay Heading out from Whittier to kayak or sightsee amid wildlife, waterfalls, icebergs and the fantastical forces of nature.
3 Alaska Marine Highway Ferry Taking a cheap ‘cruise’ on a state ferry in an area where few cruise ships venture.
4 Copper River Delta Exploring the birds and bears of this huge continuous wetland by boat, raft, car or bike.
5 Cordova Chilling in a bar, bakery or snack-shack listening to fishers lamenting about the one that got away.
6 Heli-skiing Experiencing the ultimate in white-knuckle Alaskan adventure with a winter heli-skiing trip in the Chugach Mountains.
7 Valdez Earthquake History Visiting the museums and old town site in Valdez and learning about the catastrophic power of the 1964 earthquake.
History
Prince William Sound was long a crossroads of Alaska Native cultures; the region has been inhabited at various times by coastal Chugach Inuit people, Athabascans originally from the Interior, and Tlingits who traveled up from Alaska’s panhandle. The first European to arrive was Vitus Bering, a Danish navigator sailing for the tsar of Russia, who anchored his ship near Kayak Island, east of Copper River, in 1741.
The Sound’s three major towns have rather divergent modern histories. Valdez was settled in 1897, when 4000 gold prospectors took what had been billed as the ‘All-American Route’ to the Klondike goldfields. It turned out to be one of the most dangerous trails, with hundreds of poorly provisioned dreamers dying on the trek across two glaciers and through the uncharted Chugach Mountains.
Over the next 60 years the community largely languished until catastrophe struck again, in the form of the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, which killed over 30 locals and forced the wholesale relocation of the town. However, Valdez’ fortunes turned in the 1970s when it was selected as the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The $9-billion project was a windfall beyond those early miners’ wildest dreams; the population grew by 320% and the town never looked back.
Cordova’s past is somewhat less fraught with catastrophe. A cannery village since the late 1800s, it was chosen more than a century ago as the port for a railway from the Kennecott copper mines near McCarthy. By 1916 it was a boomtown, with millions of dollars worth of ore passing through its docks. The railroad and town prospered until 1938, when the mine closed and the railroad ceased operations. Cordova then turned to fishing, its main economic base today.
The Sound’s third community, Whittier, is of more recent origin, having been built as a secret military installation during WWII, when the Japanese were assaulting the Aleutian Islands. The army maintained the town until 1968, after which, as in Cordova, fishing became the main industry. Tourism now puts food on many residents’ plates. Whittier is the Sound’s only regular cruise-ship stop.
In recent decades the most monumental event in the Sound has been the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which dumped at least 11 million gallons of petroleum into the sea, killing countless birds and marine mammals, and devastating the fishing industry for several years. Though fishing – and the environment – has largely rebounded, oil is still easy to find beneath the surface of beaches, and certain species are not expected to recover.
8Dangers & Annoyances
By definition, glaciers move at a glacial pace, so you’d think they’d be harmless. In glacier-strewn Prince William Sound, however, they can be a real hazard. Not only have trekkers and mountaineers been killed when they’ve plunged into crevasses in the ice, but glaciers can also wreak havoc when they calve. Massive chunks often crack free from Childs Glacier, outside Cordova, and occasionally they’re big enough to create mini tsunamis in the river. In recent years Columbia Glacier has been retreating rapidly (the source of all those icebergs glowing on the horizon) and giant underwater bergs have broken free only to pop to the surface in a random location. Use caution if you’re in a kayak. The rule of thumb is to provide a buffer twice the size as the glacier is tall.
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Daily flights connect Cordova and Valdez with Anchorage (but not with each other). Cordova airport also has flights heading south to Juneau and Seattle.
LAND
Both Valdez and Whittier are highway accessible; the former is Mile 0 on the Richardson Hwy and the latter is connected to the Seward Hwy via the continent’s longest joint automobile-rail tunnel.
Cordova is unconnected with Alaska’s main highway network.
SEA
Prince William Sound is all about the sea, and by far the best way to get around is on water. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry (
%907-835-4436, 800-642-0066; www.ferryalaska.com) provides a fairly convenient, fairly affordable service. At the time of research there were four runs per week between Whittier and Cordova and three runs per week between Whittier and Valdez, and Valdez and Cordova. The Valdez–Cordova run (which goes via Whittier) takes all day.
Remember, the ferry is more than just transport: it’s an experience. There’s something transcendent about bundling up on deck and watching the mountain-riddled, fjord-riven watery world unfold.
Valdez
%907 / Pop 4022
There are two Valdezs. The cool contemporary town – an irresistible lure for adventure sportspeople redolent of Boulder, Colorado or Bend, Oregon – and the town that existed pre-1964, before the second-strongest earthquake in recorded history sent its docks sliding into the sea.
Valdez was quickly rebuilt on more stable ground 5 miles to the west before it was hit again, this time by a human-made disaster, the catastrophic Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989 that killed marine life, disrupted ecosystems and ruined livelihoods.
It is a testament to Valdez’ feisty Alaskan spirit that it has managed not only to survive, but bounce back, despite its isolation from the lucrative cruise-ship economy. Founded by gold-rush-era prospectors in 1897, the town has tough antecedents and it still draws in the brawny and brave, who love to fish in its iceberg-punctuated seas and heli-ski in the precipitous mountains that surround it.
Valdez
1Top Sights
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
6Drinking & Nightlife
7Shopping
1Sights
oColumbia GlacierGLACIER
The big daddy of Prince William Sound’s glaciers is also one of the world’s fastest moving, though, like many ice floes in Alaska, it is rapidly retreating – peeling back an estimated 19 miles since 1980. Spilling forth from the Chugach Mountains, it ends with a face as high as a football field. The voyage to see the Columbia is a popular day trip out of Valdez, either in a boat or on a kayaking excursion.
oValdez MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-2764; www.valdezmuseum.org; 217 Egan Dr; adult/child $8/free; 
h9am-5pm)
This lovingly curated museum includes an ornate, steam-powered antique fire engine, a 19th-century saloon bar and the ceremonial first barrel of oil to flow from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.
There are disturbing photos taken during the six minutes when Valdez was shaken to pieces by the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, and an exhibit featuring correspondence from stampeders attempting the grueling All-American Route from Valdez to the inland goldfields. Equally thought-provoking is an exhibit about work behind the scenes at the museum that seeks to show how historical material is preserved and archived.
Maxine & Jesse Whitney MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-834-1690; www.mjwhitneymuseum.org; 303 Lowe St; h9am-7pm; 
c) 
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For a small town Valdez has several wonderful museums, including this one, the private collection of an American couple who settled in Alaska in 1947 and became enthusiastic horders of Alaska Native art, artifacts and taxidermy. It’s all incredibly well put together with written commentaries that debate and question rather than preach. Enjoy the ivory and baleen artwork, moose-antler furniture, natural-history displays and very creative stuffed animals.
Small-boat HarborHARBOR
Valdez’ harbor is a classic: raucous with gulls and eagles, reeking of fish guts, sea salt and creosote, and home to all manner of vessels. The benches and long boardwalk are ideal for watching lucky anglers weighing in 100lb or 200lb halibut, and for taking in the fairy-tale mountainscape in the background.
Nearby is the Civic Center (MAP GOOGLE MAP; Fidalgo Dr), which has more picnic tables, a small lake and the short Overlook Trail.
Old ValdezHISTORIC SITE
Old Valdez is like a wilder, starker, less trammeled version of Italy’s Pompeii. This is where the town stood before the devastating 1964 earthquake pretty much wiped it out. Today there isn’t much left of the original town, bar some street signs, a few overgrown foundations and a smattering of interpretive boards.
The Earthquake Memorial, listing the names of the dead, is reached by turning off the highway onto the unsigned gravel road just south of Mark’s Repair. On the day of the quake, Valdez’ post office was here; in mere moments the ground sank so far that nowadays high tides reach the spot.
Markers show where many of the buildings used to stand, although the lots themselves have largely been returned to nature. One-hour guided walking tours of Old Valdez are organized by the Valdez Museum on selective days throughout the summer. Check the museum website for dates.
Valdez Museum AnnexMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-5407; 436 Hazelet Ave; $8, free with Valdez Museum ticket; h9am-5pm)
This annex of the Valdez Museum is dominated by a scale model of the Old Valdez township. Each home destroyed in the Good Friday Earthquake has been restored in miniature, with the family’s name in front. In the theater, stick around to check out the film Between the Glacier and the Sea, including a collection of first-hand accounts of the 1964 earthquake.
The exhibits on the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis and fires are moving, and there is a decent collection of pioneer-era artifacts.
THE EXXON VALDEZ
The Exxon Valdez crashed into Bligh Reef in 1989, spilling some 11 million gallons of oil into the delicate ecosystem of Prince William Sound. But to this day, the communities, industries and environment in the area have yet to fully recover from one of modern history’s worst human-made environmental disasters.
It is getting better, but most experts say the ecosystem has suffered permanent damage. On the 25th anniversary of the spill in 2014, it was estimated that up to 21,000 gallons of oil were still present in the Sound. The disaster financially crippled the commercial fisheries and tourism industries in places like Valdez and Cordova. And while commercial salmon and halibut fishing have returned to the region, the herring population has never fully recovered.
There is some positive news. Many studies show rebounds in animal populations decimated by the spill, which stretched over 1000 miles and killed anywhere from 100,000 to 250,000 seabirds, 2800 sea otters, and obliterated huge populations of salmon and herring. Sea-otter populations are at pre-spill levels, but a pod of orcas remains at risk of extinction.
Exxon claims to have spent some $4.3 billion in cleanup costs and legal settlements. In 2008 the US Supreme Court took a knife to the original jury award of $5 billion, cutting it to just $507 million plus $470 million in interest due.
And whatever happened to the captain, Joseph Hazelwood? He was acquitted from the drunken-boating charges and slapped with 1000 hours of community service and a $50,000 fine. Most onlookers argue, however, that it was really Exxon’s lack of security protocols and onboard-collision avoidance radar that led to the disaster.
Other legacies of the disaster are more inspiring. Long-recommended security measures have finally been enacted at oil-processing facilities across the nation. All tankers built post-1990 have, by law, had to be double-hulled. Manufacturers were given 25 years to make the changeover and, in 2015, double hulls became mandatory in the US. Similarly, tugs must always escort tankers passing through Prince William Sound. And the Exxon Valdez itself, which was initially repaired and renamed Exxon Mediterranean after the oil spill, was finally sold for scrap in 2012.
2Activities
Hiking
One good day hike and another potential two-day excursion start from Valdez town. There are several other excellent trails in Keystone Canyon, starting roughly 12 miles from Valdez on the Richardson Hwy.
Mineral Creek TrailHIKING
A great walk away from town is the trek to the old Smith Stamping Mill. Built by WL Smith in 1913, the mill required only two men to operate it and used mercury to remove the gold from the ore. To reach the trailhead, turn onto Mineral Creek Rd from Hanagita St.
The marginal road bumps for 5.5 miles along a velvety green valley adorned with dozens of precipitous waterfalls. The last mile is on a narrower trail often rendered a scramble by landslides. Bears and mountain goats are commonly visible on this hike.
Shoup Bay TrailHIKING
This verdant stunner has views of Port Valdez, Shoup Glacier and the impressive Gold Creek Delta. Turn around when you reach Gold Creek Bridge at Mile 3.5 to make this a somewhat-challenging day, or go another seven steep, difficult and not always perfectly maintained miles along the water (and sometimes through it), bearing right to follow Shoup Bay to its tidewater glacier.
A free campsite and two reservable public-use cabins, Kittiwake and Moraine, are at the end of the trail, near a noisy kittiwake rookery. McAllister Creek Cabin (%907-269-8400; www.dnr.alaska.gov; cabin $70) is accessible by boat only. The trailhead is at a parking lot at the western terminus of Egan Dr. Bring mosquito repellent and prepare to get wet feet.
Keystone Canyon Pack TrailHIKING
One of three interconnecting trails in Keystone Canyon that were once part of the abortive All-American Route to the Klondike goldfields, the ‘pack trail’ was later part of a wagon trail that followed a telegraph line from Valdez to Eagle in the Interior. This part of the trail was abandoned in the 1910s, but renovated and cleared 90 years later.
The trail starts 12 miles from Valdez on the Old Richardson Hwy Loop and ascends through spruce and hemlock forest via a series of switchbacks. There are views of Keystone Canyon before the trail descends to Horsetail Falls and the intersection with the Goat Trail. Parts of the route have guide-ropes to assist hikers through steep sections.
Dock Point TrailHIKING
Not so much a hike as an enjoyable stroll through Dock Point Park with the Duck Flats on one side and Port Valdez on the other. The 1-mile loop offers views of the peaks and the water, proximity to eagle nests, as well as salmonberry and blueberry picking.
John Hunter Memorial TrailHIKING
A mile past the Solomon Gulch Fish Hatchery on Dayville Rd, this 1.7-mile trail (one way) is a steep uphill hike on an unremarkable gravel road (underneath lies the Alaska Pipeline).
At a fork at the top, a left turn leads to an overlook with views of Port Valdez, while a right turn meanders up to Solomon Lake, whose dam is the source of 80% of Valdez’ power.
Paddling
The waters around Valdez are a kayaker’s paradise. People sticking to the bay will be rewarded with views of seagulls fighting over cannery offal for the first hour or so and it’s worthwhile heading out with a guided outfit or water taxi. Independent kayakers should be aware of no-go zones around the pipeline terminal and moving tankers; contact the US Coast Guard (%907-831-0546; 235 Fidalgo Dr) for current regulations.
Only experienced paddlers should attempt to paddle the open water from Valdez Arm to the Columbia Glacier, a multiday trip. Anadyr Adventures can arrange for a drop-off and pickup near the glacier, or a full-on guided trip.
oAnadyr AdventuresKAYAKING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-2814; www.anadyradventures.com; 225 N Harbor Dr)
Anadyr Adventures is what Alaska is all about – rugged but accessible trips into the wilderness with fun, experienced guides who are mad about the great outdoors. There’s a choice of sea or lake kayaking, some involving a transfer. The rub? With the ever-changing glaciers, you never quite know what you’re going to get.
Trips range from a day at Columbia Glacier ($299) to several days on the water aboard a ‘mothership’ (two days $1550). For those with less time, try the half-day trip to the nearby Valdez Glacier ($140), which involves kayaking on an iceberg-filled lake and climbing into blue ice caves during a walk on the glacier.
Shoup BayKAYAKING
Protected as a state marine park, this bay off Valdez Arm makes for a great kayaking trip from Valdez, with overnighting at McAllister Creek Cabin. The bay is home to a retreating glacier.
It’s 10 miles to the bay and another 4 miles up to the glacier. You must enter the bay two hours before the incoming tide to avoid swift tidal currents.
Rafting
The glacial Lowe River, 12 miles from Valdez, cuts through impressive Keystone Canyon. A popular trip is to raft the relatively easy class III rapids through sheer canyon walls and cascading waterfalls. The highlight is a stop to look at Bridal Veil Falls, which drops 900ft from the canyon walls. Pangaea Adventures (MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-8442; www.alaskasummer.com; 107 N Harbor Dr) offers a three-hour raft down the river for $89.
HELI-SKIING
Valdez is legend. It has some of the steepest, deepest, gnarliest and burliest snow-riding terrain anywhere in the world.
At inland ski resorts in, say, Colorado, dry powder barely clings to 50-degree inclines; here in the coastal Chugach Mountains, the sopping-wet flakes glue to angles of 60-plus-degrees, creating ski slopes where elsewhere there’d be cliffs. Factor in 1000in of snow per winter and mountains that descend 7000ft from peak to sea, and you’ve got a ski bum’s version of Eden.
The season lasts only from February to the end of April. And because helicopters often get grounded due to poor weather (or you need to find safe terrain because of avalanche danger), it’s recommended that you schedule at least five days for a trip, expecting that you’ll get three or four days of great turns.
The operations will provide you with a knowledgeable guide, along with avalanche equipment including a beacon, shovel, probe and air-bag pack. Expect an average of six runs a day. That’s more than enough to leave your quads pulverized.
Heli-skiing is for advanced and expert skiers only. And while your guides know this terrain well, avalanches do happen (though the heavy maritime snow generally creates consistent, stable snow pack). It still pays to know how to use your beacon and have some understanding of safe backcountry travel – your guides will give you tutorials when you get there. Get up-to-date avalanche information at www.avalanche.org.
Points North Heli Adventures (%907-424-7991; www.alaskaheliski.com; Orca Adventure Lodge; 7-day all-inclusive $5975) Based in Cordova where it organizes all-inclusive ski-lodging packages out of the Orca Adventure Lodge.
H20 Heli-Guides (%907-835-8418; www.alaskahelicopterskiing.com; 300 Airport Rd) Has seven-day helicopter-skiing packages with or without lodging from $5729 in the Chugach Mountains from late February to late April.
Valdez Heli-Ski Guides (%907-835-4528; www.valdezheliskiguides.com; Mile 35, Richardson Hwy) If extreme skiing down 6200ft runs tickles your fancy, check out these guys, who offer a day of heli-skiing (usually six runs) for $1350, plus lodge-ski packages for three to seven days for $4744 to $11,076. For advanced skiers only. Accommodation is in the lovely Tsaina Lodge.
TTours
VS HelicoptorsSCENIC FLIGHTS
(%907-831-0643; www.vshelicopters.com; 300 Airport Rd)
A fantastic way to see the glaciers and peaks around Valdez is by helicopter. Tours are $250 to $595 for up to 2½ hours for three people or less, and well worth every cent: you’ll be up close to wildlife (including bears and goats), calving glaciers and historic mines. The quirkiest tour? Fly-out yoga in the wilderness!
Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife CruisesBOATING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-4731, 866-867-1297; www.stanstephenscruises.com; 112 N Harbor Dr; hMay-Sep)
The biggest tour operator in town runs large vessels on six-hour journeys to Columbia Glacier (adult/child $132/66) and 8½-hour trips (adult/child $165/82) to Mears Glacier (which you can generally get closer to).
Lunch and lots of tummy-warming tea are included.
Lu-Lu Belle Glacier Wildlife CruisesBOATING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %800-411-0090; www.lulubelletours.com; Kobuk Dr; adult/child $130/75; htours depart 1pm daily)
The dainty and ornately appointed MV Lu-Lu Belle is all polished wood, leather and Asian rugs. The daily cruise into Columbia Bay passes Glacier Island for puffin-watching and can get within a half-mile of the glacier, conditions permitting. Cruises last approximately seven hours, but the captain is flexible. If whales are spotted, he’ll hang around. There’s a small cafe on board.
zFestivals & Events
Gold Rush DaysCULTURAL
(www.valdezgoldrushdays.org; hJul/Aug)
A five-day festival in late July or early August, this hometown rocker includes a parade, bed races, dances, a free fish feed and a portable jailhouse that’s pulled through town by locals, who arrest people without beards and other innocent bystanders.
4Sleeping
The town has a good selection of accommodations, including a couple of business-like hotels, some more-spartan motels and copious popular RV parks and campgrounds. Curiously, there’s no hostel.
Valdez’ 6% bed tax is not included in quoted rates.
Bear Paw RV CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-2530; www.bearpawrvpark.com; 101 N Harbor Dr; tent sites $20-25, RV sites $40-45; 
p
W)
This mega-popular park has two sites. The main one (where you check-in) is right downtown in a big barren parking lot behind the small-boat harbor (on Wyatt Way). The more wooded Bear Paw II welcomes recreational vehicles (RVs) and tents, is right on the water and is for adults only. People rave about the spotlessly clean shower and bathroom blocks, strong wi-fi and friendly management.
Eagle’s Rest RV ParkCAMPGROUND$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %800-553-7275; www.eaglesrestrv.com; 139 E Pioneer Dr; tent sites $27, RV sites $38-50, cabins $135-155; W)
On the edge of town, this RV park has nice views, plus showers and laundry. The small wooden cabins have cable TV and coffee machines.
Kittiwake CabinCABIN$
(%907-269-8400; www.alaskastateparks.org; cabins $70)
This reservable public-use cabin is located at the end of the rough 11-mile Shoup Bay Trail, near a noisy kittiwake rookery. There’s another similar cabin (Moraine) nearby. Both cabins sleep eight.
Valdez Glacier CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(%907-835-2282; Airport Rd; tent sites $15-20, RV sites $20-40)
Located 6 miles out of town toward the Valdez Glacier, this spot has 101 pleasant wooded sites and a foaming waterfall. It’s part-owned by the military and there’s a firing range next door (read: occasional noise). Hot showers (free for campers) are a huge bonus.
Robe Lake LodgeLODGE$$
(%907-831-2339; www.robelakelodge.com; Mile 6, Richardson Hwy; d/q/whole lodge $189/209/1099; pW)
This large traditional house 6 miles outside Valdez has six small rooms (all with shared bath). The place is built out of full scribe logs with massive beams crossing the vaulted ceilings. The hot tub has a view of the absurdly pretty Robe Lake – as does the wraparound balcony – but you can also warm up in the sauna.
Continental breakfast is served in the great room, and if you rent the whole place out (a popular option with families and hunting groups) you have access to the full kitchen. There are also trails to the lake, and a canoe for paddling around.
Best Western Valdez Harbor InnHOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-3434; www.valdezharborinn.com; 100 N Harbor Dr; r $169-179, ste $194-209; pW
#)
This is a strong pick if you are looking for comfort on the waterfront. The independently run hotel has the standard business-savvy rooms you’d expect from the Best Western chain, with a few pictures of jumping orcas to remind you you’re in Alaska. There’s also a fitness room, free airport shuttle and a pretty substantial breakfast included.
Mountain Sky HotelBUSINESS HOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-4445; www.mountainskyhotel.com; 100 Meals Ave; d/ste $189/209; pW)
This business hotel is set in an inordinately large parking lot, but has OK rooms (despite the old-school TVs) and good views (if you can see past the parking lot). For comfort, it’s not the top midrange choice, but the staff are friendly, it’s uncluttered and clean, and the spa suites have romantic tubs. It also has the Valdez Bistro.
Keystone HotelHOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-3851, 888-835-0665; www.keystonehotel.com; 401 W Egan Dr; s/d $125/132; pW#)
The Keystone looks like one of those utilitarian container hotels aimed at oil workers in the Arctic. Not surprisingly it was conceived during the pipeline boom years. However, give this industrial prefab structure a chance. The small rooms are clean and the staff are friendly. Small continental breakfast included.
Totem InnHOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-4443, 888-808-4431; www.toteminn.com; 144 E Egan Dr; cabin/ste $204/249; pW)
Since a fire took out its restaurant and main lodge, the Totem has been reduced to offering upscale suites and a row of lesser-endowed tin-box cabins (popular with fishers). The one-bedroom suites have full kitchens; some have sofa-beds. The cabins are staler and overpriced.
Tsaina LodgeBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(%907-835-3535; www.tsainalodge.com; Mile 35, Richardson Hwy; d $279-299; pW)
Something of an apparition 35 miles east of Valdez on the Richardson Hwy is this gorgeous boutique hotel that is taken over by the heli-skiing set in the winter, but open to all-comers in the summer. The design is modern and minimalist throughout, with outstanding deluxe beds and linens. There’s also a lounge (with fireplace), fine-dining restaurant and bar on-site.
Take note TV addicts – there aren’t any.
5Eating
Valdez has Prince William Sound’s best stash of restaurants, with a couple of inventive newer places awakening the food scene from its former drowsiness. The local specialty is – guess what? – fish.
oRoadside PotatoheadAMERICAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-3058; www.theroadsidepotatohead.com; 255 N Harbor Dr; burritos $10-11; h7am-8pm May-Sep)
A new offshoot of a legendary wilderness food cart in McCarthy, this Valdez incarnation sits on foundations rather than wheels in a fine harborside location. It knocks out the kind of carb-heavy menu often necessary in these rugged parts; its specialty is fries (including the signature rosemary and garlic fries) and all their associated accompaniments, such as the ever-popular pulled pork po’boy.
Old Town BurgersBURGERS$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; E Pioneer Dr; burgers $8-15; h5am-10pm)
A super-popular burger and breakfast joint with indoor picnic tables, lightning-fast service, free coffee and – often – a line out the door. It does all the diner favorites as well as fish tacos, and halibut and chips, but the real stars are the burgers and curly fries. No booze.
Rogue’s GardenMARKET$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 354 Fairbanks Dr; sandwiches $8-10; h7:30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sun; 
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A health-food market – in small-town Alaska? Enjoy it while you’re here, especially the tip-top deli, where you can customize your sandwich or smoothie. There’s a small seating area if it’s cold outside.
Alaska Halibut HouseFAST FOOD$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-2788; 208 Meals Ave; mains $9-14; h11am-9pm)
Frying up fresh local fish, this home-spun fish shack is one of Valdez’ faster fast-food joints. The halibut basket headlines, closely followed by the popcorn shrimp. Inside, expect hard tables and plastic forks.
Valdez BistroSOUTHERN US, KOREAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-4445; 100 Meals Ave; mains $9-21; h6am-10pm)
Southern American and Korean cuisine engage in an unlikely dance at this casual open-all-hours restaurant in the Mountain Sky Hotel. Though not endowed with typical bistro airs, it is the only Valdez restaurant with an executive chef and certainly the only one that puts bulgogi (Korean barbecued beef) on the same menu as gumbo and shrimp ‘n’ grits.
Auntie Yum Yum’s Real Thai FoodTHAI$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; N Harbor Dr; mains $12-18; h11am-7pm)
Of Valdez’ smattering of summer food carts this is the best. After digging into its lashings of pad Thai noodles (with pork or shrimp), any hike will seem easy. It usually sets up opposite the harbor with some picnic tables outside.
Mike’s PalaceITALIAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 201 N Harbor Dr; mains $14-34; h11am-10pm Sun-Thu, 11am-11pm Fri & Sat; c)
Palace? Mike’s is more like a ristorante in the rough, but in a totally good way. The theme is American-Italian with a few attempts at Mexican (which are probably best left alone) and some better stabs at seafood.
First order a super-cold draft beer in a chilled glass, then peruse the extensive menu, which contains a whole page of creative (and huge) pasta dishes as well as pizzas and veal parmigiana. For hungry hikers who manage to polish off all this, an ambrosial tiramisu awaits.
Fat MermaidPIZZA$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-2788; 143 N Harbor Dr; sandwiches $12-13, pizzas $14-24; h6:30am-1am)
First things first: the Fat Mermaid has got Valdez’ best selection of beers, with drafts from three different Alaskan breweries. Second, the food’s quite adventurous too, with an eclectic menu featuring funked-out sandwiches like a taste-bud-popping wasabi chicken, inventive pizzas and a standard assortment of seafood. Then there’s the outdoor deck – perfect on a long summer’s evening for gazing wistfully at the mountains.
oRoma Italian KitchenITALIAN$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-9111; 100 N Harbor Dr; mains $19-36; h5-10pm)
Cross Italian cooking techniques with fresh Alaskan fish and you have a marriage made in heaven, if the scallop risotto at this harborside restaurant is anything to go by. Equally taste-worthy is the halibut cioppino (halibut, clams, prawns and sausage in a tomato broth).
The Roma sits inside the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn and has polite but informal service, artistically presented food and Valdez’ only real bar (and it’s a good one) next door.
THE DAY THE EARTH MOVED
On March 27, 1964, Valdez was hit by the second-strongest earthquake in human history. The quake, which registered a magnitude of 9.2 on the Richter scale, prompted a huge underwater landslide that caused Valdez’ entire city dock to break off and collapse into the sea. A tsunami and fire destroyed much of what survived the initial 4½-minute-long tremor. All 32 people on the dock that day were killed. However, the SS Chena, a ship that was unloading its cargo at the time, miraculously survived despite being thrown 30ft into the air by the waves.
Following the quake it was revealed that the city of Valdez, founded in the late 1890s by gold prospectors, had been sited on unstable ground. It was thus decided to move the town en masse to safer terrain several miles to the west. The move, which involved drawing up a brand-new townsite on a square flat grid, took three years to plan and execute. Over 30 surviving houses from what was left of the semi-ruined town were ultimately towed over to the new site at the mouth of Mineral Creek. The old townsite was quickly abandoned and, over time, it has returned largely to nature. Today, the only evidence of its once-bustling streets is a poignant memorial and a series of small markers denoting where important buildings once stood.
6Drinking & Nightlife
There’s a dearth of bars in Valdez. Even the standard Alaskan dives are missing. Most of the restaurants serve good cold beer. Keep your ear to the ground for word of summer house parties.
Latte Dah EspressoCOFFEE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 130 Meals Ave; h6am-4pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun)
Don’t bother with any fact-gathering opinion polls. This is the best coffee in town – Kaladi Brothers, no less (Alaska’s finest) perfectly pulled into your 8oz or 12oz cup in a dinky little cafe with a warm, friendly vibe a block back from the harbor.
7Shopping
ProspectorSPORTS & OUTDOORS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-835-3538; www.prospectoroutfitters.com; 200 Egan Dr; h9am-8pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun)
Just the kind of outfitters’ shop you want and need somewhere like Valdez. It sells all the outdoor essentials, including that fleece you’d forgotten and that camping food you were craving.
8Information
MEDICAL SERVICES
Valdez Medical Clinic (%907-835-4811; 912 Meals Ave) Provides walk-in care.
Valdez Providence Medical Center (%907-835-2249; 911 Meals Ave) Has an emergency room.
MONEY
Wells Fargo (%907-835-4381; 337 Egan Dr; h10am-5pm) Bank and ATM.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Valdez Visitor Information Center (%907-835-2984; www.valdezalaska.org; 309 Fairbanks Dr; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat & Sun) Has a few interesting historical photos and plenty of free maps and brochures. There’s also an unstaffed information booth at the airport.
Crooked Creek Information Site (%907-835-4680; Mile 0.9, Richardson Hwy; h8am-5pm May-Sep) Staffed by US Forest Service (USFS) naturalists, this place half a mile outside town on the Richardson Hwy offers great advice about outdoor activities.
Harbormaster’s Office (%907-835-4981; 300 N Harbor Dr; h8am-10pm Jun-Aug, 8:30am-5pm Sep-May) Has showers ($4).
8Getting There & Away
AIR
The small Valdez Airport (Airport Rd) is four miles northeast of town. There are two or three daily flights to Anchorage ($185, 45 minutes) with Ravn Alaska (%907-835-2636; www.flyravn.com).
BOAT
Alaska Marine Highway ferries sail regularly to Whittier ($78) and Cordova ($58). They run every two to three days in the summer. The Cordova run takes all day. The Ferry Terminal is in the town center.
BUS
Soaring Eagle Transit (%907-822-4545; www.gulkanacouncil.org) runs a summer shuttle between Valdez and Anchorage ($130, 6¼ hours) via Glennallen ($65, 2¼ hours) on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. There’s no office in Valdez. Book in advance.
Cordova
%907 / Pop 2200
Cordova is about as real as Alaska gets. Detached from the state’s primary road network and rarely visited by cruise ships, this small mainland fishing community feels more like an island floating in a brawny wilderness, with the impenetrable Chuguch Mountains on one side and the bird-rich Copper River Delta on the other.
Roll in on an airplane or a ferry, and you’ll find yourself disgorged into an eccentric little fishing village where everyone knows everyone else, patrons prop up grimy bars in yellow oilskins, and no one gives a hoot about image or pretense.
Outside its gritty harbor, Cordova has a network of clearly marked trails beloved by locals, one of America’s dinkiest ski areas, incredible bird-watching potential and a festival dedicated to ice worms.
Within an hour of docking and landing, you’ll quickly ascertain that this town has yet to sell its soul to tourism. All the more reason to visit today.
Cordova
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
5Eating
3Entertainment
7Shopping
1Sights
Cordova MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-6665; 601 1st St; $1 donation; h10am-5pm Tue-Sat)
Cordova’s Museum has been relocated to new digs in the impressive Cordova Center. It was on the cusp of opening at the time of research and was due to be fully operational by late 2017. Expect to see local artwork and a colorful overview of the city’s history. There’s a plush gift store next door.
Small-boat HarborHARBOR
In Cordova, the standard greeting among locals is ‘Been fishing?’ Unsurprisingly, the harbor is the community’s heart, humming throughout the season as fishers frantically try to meet their quota before the runs are closed. Watching over the hubbub is the Cordova Fisherman’s Memorial (MAP GOOGLE MAP), a quiet place dominated by artist Joan Bugbee Jackson’s sculpture The Southeasterly (1985), and spotted with flower bouquets.
The fishing fleet is composed primarily of seiners and gillnetters, with the method used by the fishers determining the species of salmon they pursue. The former primarily target pink salmon, while the latter, generally one-person operations, go for kings and reds early in the season and silvers later on.
Ilanka Cultural CenterCULTURAL CENTER
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-7903; 110 Nicholoff Way; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri) F
This compact museum operated by local Alaska Natives has a small but high-quality collection of Alaska Native art from all over the state. Don’t miss the intact killer-whale skeleton – one of only five in the world – with flippers that could give you quite a slap.
Also on display is artist Mike Webber’s Shame Pole, a totem pole that tells the grim tale of the oil spill, spitting back the famous words of Exxon’s then top official Don Cornett: ‘We will make you whole again.’ This place also has a wonderful gift shop and offers classes on such crafty subjects as scrimshaw and spruce-root weaving. Call for a schedule.
Salmon CanneriesFACTORY
(MAP)
Every summer Cordova’s population swells with young idealists, opportunists and stragglers hoping to make a mint by canning salmon on 16-hour shifts. Whether you’re curious about the effects of sleep deprivation on adventurous teenagers or just want to see how some of the finest salmon in the world is processed, ask at the Chamber of Commerce about canneries offering tours. You can watch your own catch get processed at Northern Fish Alaska (northernfishalaska.com), a smaller-scale operation that packs salmon and ships it to your home.
Prince William Sound Science CenterMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-5800; www.pwssc.org; 300 Breakwater Ave; h8:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri; c) F
This dockside research facility offers themed ‘Discovery Packs’ for kids, which include information on the birds, flora and geology of Cordova. Inside the building there’s not much for visitors to see save a few interesting brochures, but the researchers are happy to answer questions about local ecology.
2Activities
Devoid of cruise ships, Cordova doesn’t have much in the way of organized activities. DIYers, however, will have a field day. Borrow a bike, grab some binoculars and/or join a community hike.
Hiking
Cordovans cherish their trail network. More than 35 miles of trails are accessible from the small road network surrounding the town. Several of these paths lead to USFS cabins. As in much of the Southeast, the hiking is excellent, combining lush forest with alpine terrain, an expansive river delta rich in birdlife and tons of glaciers.
oHeney Ridge TrailHIKING
Cordova’s most popular trail – as it incorporates multiple ecosystems and is only 5 miles from town – is this fairly easy 3.7-mile (one-way) route beginning by a bridge near the end of the Whitshed Rd.
The first stretch winds around reedy Hartney Bay, followed by a mellow 2-mile climb to the tree line through forests and wildflowers (and, in rainy weather, lots of mud – rubber boots are recommended). It’s another steep mile up to the ridge, where you’ll enjoy a gorgeous view.
Sheridan Mountain TrailHIKING
This trail starts near the picnic tables at the end of Sheridan Glacier Rd, which runs 4.3 miles from the turnoff at Mile 13 of Copper River Hwy. Most of the 2.9-mile route is a moderate climb, which passes through mature forests before breaking out into an alpine basin.
From there, the view of mountains and the Sheridan and Sherman Glaciers is stunning, and it only gets better when you start climbing the surrounding rim. This trail isn’t the best maintained of routes, putting it into the ‘difficult’ category.
Crater Lake & Power Creek TrailsHIKING
For remarkable views of the pancake-flat Copper River Delta glimmering behind Cordova’s guardian mountains, climb the 2.4-mile Crater Lake Trail, which begins on Eyak Lake across from Skater’s Cabin. The trail ascends steeply through mossy forest to a lookout at the 1-mile mark, beyond which the path flattens out. As it’s on a south-facing slope, the path is often snow-free by late May.
Once at the lake (frozen until early summer) you can continue on the 4½-mile ridge route (the Alice Smith Intertie), which descends to the Power Creek Trail. The entire 12-mile loop makes for an ideal overnight backpacking trip. Halfway along the ridge is a free-use shelter, while at Mile 4.2 of the Power Creek Trail is the USFS Power Creek Cabin. Arrange to be dropped off at the Power Creek trailhead and hike all the way back into town via the Mt Eyak Trail.
McKinley Lake & Pipeline Lakes TrailsHIKING
The 2.5-mile McKinley Lake Trail begins at Mile 21.6 of the Copper River Hwy and leads to the head of the lake and the remains of the Lucky Strike gold mine. There are two USFS cabins: McKinley Lake Cabin, just past the trailhead, and McKinley Trail Cabin, at Mile 2.4.
The abandoned Lucky Strike mine is accessible via an unmaintained trail behind McKinley Trail Cabin. Departing from the midway point of the McKinley Lake Trail is the Pipeline Lakes Trail, which loops back to the Copper River Hwy at Mile 21.4. Almost all of this marshy 2-mile trail has been boardwalked to provide easier access to several small lakes packed with grayling and cutthroat trout, but if it’s rainy consider bringing rubber boots.
Saddlebag Glacier TrailHIKING
You reach this trail via a firewood-cutting road at Mile 25 of Copper River Hwy. It’s an easy 3-mile walk through cottonwoods and spruce, emerging at Saddlebag Lake. Outstanding views of surrounding peaks and cliffs (and maybe mountain goats) are made even more fabulous by the namesake glacier, which litters the lake with icebergs.
Cycling
Most of Cordova’s trails are too muddy and steep to ride; an exception is the Saddlebag Glacier Trail. However, if you have a few days, the Copper River Hwy itself is a straight, though sometimes windy, mountain-biking route. The road is flat and paved up to Mile 12. There were no official bike rentals in Cordova at the time of research; ask around at your hotel or B&B.
Bird-watching
The Copper River Delta and the rich waters of Prince William Sound attract an astonishing number and variety of birds. Spring migration is the busiest, and that is when the town hosts the Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival. Stop at the Cordova Ranger District (USFS Office; %877-444-6777; 612 2nd St; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri) for a birding checklist and advice about where to break out the binoculars.
A favorite birding area is Hartney Bay, 6 miles southwest of Cordova along Whitshed Rd, where as many as 70,000 shorebirds congregate during spring migration. Bring rubber boots and plan to be there two hours before or after high tide for the best fall and spring viewing conditions. Sawmill Bay, at Mile 3 of Whitshed Rd, is also a prime bird-watching spot.
Another good place for bird- and wildlife-watching is Alaganik Slough. Turn south on Alaganik Slough Rd at Mile 17 of Copper River Hwy and travel 3 miles to the end, where a picnic area and boardwalk offer great views of dusky Canada geese, bald eagles and other feathered friends.
Paddling
The Copper River flows for 287 miles, beginning at Copper Glacier near Slana in the Interior and ending in the Gulf of Alaska, east of Cordova. Most of the river is for experienced rafters, as rapids, glaciers and narrow canyons give it a white-water rating of Class II to III much of the way. The 20-mile stretch between Million Dollar Bridge and Flag Point, at Mile 27 of the Copper River Hwy, is considerably wider and slower. Below Flag Point, the river becomes heavily braided, which inevitably means dragging your boat through shallow channels.
For skiff rentals to remote lodges check at the small-boat harbor.
For blue-water paddlers, Orca Adventure Lodge is the only kayak operation working in town. Rent kayaks ($65 per day) here for a fun day trip up the coast to Nelson Bay.
Skiing
Mt Eyak Ski AreaSKIING
(%907-424-7766; www.mteyak.org; 6th St; lift ticket $30; hmid-Nov–mid-May)
Hardly anyone comes to Cordova specifically to ski, which means the small but much-cherished Mt Eyak ski area, just a quick walk from town, is utilized primarily by locals. It features an 800ft drop, an average 118in of natural snow annually, and runs that accommodate everyone from novice snowboarders to world-class skiers.
The most famous attraction is the vintage single-seater ski lift salvaged from Sun Valley, Idaho, the oldest working chairlift in North America.
During the summer (when the chairlift doesn’t operate), the ski run doubles up as a mountain trail, which connects with the Crater Lake Trail (via a short intertie) and the summit of Mt Eyak.
zFestivals & Events
Iceworm FestivalCULTURAL
(www.cordovachamber.com; hFeb)
Cordova’s famous homegrown, tongue-in-cheek event is held on the second weekend of February. It includes the crowning of a Miss Iceworm, the Survival Suit Race, in which participants don survival suits and plunge into the harbor, and a parade that culminates with a giant ice-worm float.
Ice worms spend their entire lives on ice, and if they warm up too much they disintegrate (read: melt). These little critters feed on snow algae, and thread through tiny cracks in the ice. Their coloring tends to mimic glacial ice: white or blue. They’re just mysterious enough that not only did they became the topic of a Robert Service poem, ‘Ballad of the Ice-worm Cocktail,’ but they’ve also captured the attention of NASA, which has been studying what makes the worms such excellent survivors.
DON’T MISS
COPPER RIVER DELTA SHOREBIRD FESTIVAL
On the first weekend of May, the Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival (www.copperriverdeltashorebirdfestival.com) celebrates the largest avian migration in the USA, as some five million shorebirds throng the delta – the biggest continuous wetland on the Pacific coast – en route to their Arctic breeding grounds.
The festival draws birders from the world over, and features presentations and workshops by international experts plus field trips to the prime viewing areas. Non-birders, don’t scoff: this event fills every hotel room in town.
4Sleeping
There aren’t a lot of tourists in Cordova and thus accommodation is thin on the ground, with one good B&B, a motel and a reasonable hotel in the town itself, plus a few other options – including campgrounds – scattered around. The town tacks an additional 12% in bed and sales tax onto rates.
Skater’s CabinCABIN$
(%907-424-7282; Eyak Lake; cabin 1st/2nd/3rd night $25/60/110)
In a beautiful Eyak Lake setting, 2 miles east of town on Lake Ave, with a scoop of gravel beach and a woodstove, this one-room cabin can be booked through the Bidarki Recreation Center (MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-7282; cnr 2nd St & Council Ave; $10; h8am-1pm & 4-8pm Mon-Fri, noon-8pm Sat). There are no bunks, but a few tables and chairs, so bring your sleeping pad, food and water. There’s an outhouse on-site and a fire pit with grill on the beach.
You’ll have to scavenge your own wood. The escalating prices for further nights are to deter multiday use so more people can enjoy it.
Shelter Cove CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(%907-424-7282; Orca Rd; tent & RV sites $20)
Several raised tent platforms and a dozen RV sites set back from the road, a half-mile north of the ferry terminal, are a good option for those leaving on an early-morning ferry. There are no showers or sinks, just an outhouse.
Odiak Camper ParkCAMPGROUND$
(%907-424-7282; Whitshed Rd; tent/RV sites $5/25)
A half-mile from town, this is basically a gravel parking lot with a restroom and a view. It’s popular with seasonal fishers. Make reservations at the Bidarki Recreation Center.
Orca Adventure LodgeLODGE$$
(%866-424-6722, 907-424-7249; www.orcaadventurelodge.com; Orca Rd; d/ste $165/220; pW)
Artfully encased in the erstwhile Orca Cannery two miles north of downtown where the road ends, this self-contained waterfront lodge caters to wilderness lovers with daily adventure-tour packages. Most rooms have ocean views plus there’s a ravishing on-site restaurant (guests only), games area and plenty of local info.
It’s particularly popular with fishers, but it also organizes kayaking and wildlife photography excursions along with trips by boat to see the Childs Glacier. It’s a professional but very friendly operation.
Northern Nights InnAPARTMENT$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-5356; www.northernnightsinn.com; cnr 3rd St & Council Ave; r from $110; pW)
Run out of a 1910 heritage home, the NN offers four old-school rooms in the house itself along with accommodations in a self-contained apartment down on the harborside. Both options are economical and full of homespun Cordova charm. The apartment comes complete with kitchen, two bedrooms and a large open-plan lounge with views over the clustered fishing fleet in the harbor.
Reluctant Fisherman InnHOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %800-770-3272, 907-424-3272; www.reluctantfisherman.com; cnr Railroad & Council Aves; r $135-185; pW)
As close to luxurious as Cordova gets, this fishy place overhangs Orca Inlet and is affiliated with the eponymous restaurant and bar. Some of the tidy rooms complete with parquet floors and fish-prints have been remodeled; all are shipshape. Pay a little extra for a harbor view.
Cordova Rose LodgeINN$$
(%907-424-7673; www.cordovarose.com; 1315 Whitshed Rd; r $155; pW)
This spot has a higgledy-piggledy assortment of structures, including a lighthouse and rooms in a large barge, docked – sort of – on Odiak Slough. Rooms are small and quaint and adorned with seafaring themes. All come with breakfast and have use of a communal living room, kitchen and sauna.
Prince William MotelMOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-3201; www.princewilliammotel.com; 501 2nd St; r/ste $140/160; pW)
There are eight rooms with kitchenettes and eight more with full kitchens at this utilitarian but perfectly comfortable motel. Regular remodeling has kept the place up-to-date and the service is amicable.
WILDERNESS CABINS
There are 15 United State Forest Service (USFS) cabins located in the Cordova area, and they’re much easier to reserve than those in other Southcentral Alaskan parts. Three are best accessible by boat or plane: Tideman Slough bunks six in the wilderness of the Copper River flats; Softuk Bar sleeps six on a remote beach 40 miles southeast of Cordova; and popular Martin Lake, 30 minutes east of town by floatplane, has a rowboat and sleeps six people. Two others are along the McKinley Lake Trail and a third is on the Power Creek Trail. Hinchinbrook Island, 20 minutes from Cordova by plane and, at most, two hours by boat, has three more cabins: Shelter Bay, Double Bay and Hook Point. The other cabins are further afield. Check with the Cordova Ranger District for more details.
5Eating
oBaja TacoMEXICAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-5599; Harbor Loop Rd; tacos $4.50, mains $12-18; h7am-9pm)
Alaska has a remarkably healthy quota of scruffy-in-a-good-way food trucks, some of which have sprung more permanent foundations. A case in point is Baja Taco, an antediluvian school bus grafted onto the side of a bedraggled wooden cabin that sports an all-over-the-map menu of juicy treats from dawn till dusk.
Of the many highlights are the breakfast muffins, the rich yogurt and granola, and – best of all – the Mexican-style migas (eggs and fried tortilla strips).
Little Cordova BakeryCAFE, BAKERY$
(MAP; %907-424-5623; 210 Breakwater Ave; snacks $2-5; h5:30am-2:30pm Thu-Sat, to 4:30pm Sun & Wed)
Up with the larks to provide sweetness and caffeine for early-morning fishing trawlers, this tiny bakery (no seating) offers a gorgeous mélange of almond pastries, cinnamon buns, fresh bread and jolting cups of joe.
Harborside PizzaPIZZA$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-3730; 131 Harbor Loop Rd; pizza & pasta $6-17, per slice $3.50-7; h11am-9pm)
Expanded to include a slick new sit-down eating space, this emporium of fine pizza is still insanely popular, meaning it can be hard to get a seat on a busy night when half of Cordova piles in. Phone ahead, or arrive early.
AC Value CenterSUPERMARKET$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 106 Nicholoff Way; h7:30am-10pm Mon-Sat, 8am-9pm Sun)
A supermarket with a deli, drip-coffee flasks, ATM and Western Union. It also sells camping and fishing gear.
Powder House Bar & GrillAMERICAN$$
(%907-424-3529; Mile 2, Copper River Hwy; mains $8-20; h11am-8pm Sun-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat)
Overlooking Eyak Lake on the site of the original Copper River & Northwestern Railroad powder house, this is a fun place with live music, excellent beer, soup and sandwiches for lunch, and quality steak and – the highlight – seafood dinners, especially razor clams. Due to its out-of-town location it’s 95% local and has that lived-in aroma of old carpets and cooking oil.
There are tranquilizing lake views from the deck.
Reluctant Fisherman RestaurantSEAFOOD$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-424-3272, 800-770-3272; www.reluctantfisherman.com; cnr Railroad & Council Aves; meals $19-32; h7am-10pm)
The only Cordova restaurant worth putting a clean shirt on for, the RF sits next to its affiliated hotel and enjoys excellent harbor views and a decent bar scene. The seat-yourself dining space is best for its fresh seafood dishes, some of which have subtle Asian influences.
OK RestaurantASIAN, AMERICAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 616 1st St; lunch $13-15, dinner $15-23; hnoon-10pm)
The OK restaurant is just…OK, if you have a hankering for Chinese…or Japanese…or Korean…or American. The catch-all menu even includes Mongolian beef, and you can wash it all down with pie à la mode.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Cordova’s bars are primarily trawled by fishing-boat workers fresh off the trawlers.
Reluctant Fisherman BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; cnr Railroad & Council Aves; hnoon-10pm)
One of Cordova’s less dive-y bars, the best thing about this establishment, besides a healthy selection of microbrews on tap, is its harborview deck. It’s part of the eponymous hotel and restaurant.
Anchor BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Breakwater Ave; hnoon-2am)
Across from the small-boat harbor, this is your basic Alaskan watering hole that’s open ‘as long as there are fish.’ Also serves basic food.
3Entertainment
Cordova CenterARTS CENTER
(MAP; %907-424-6665; 601 1st St)
What a cultural resource! The handsome new Cordova Center would make a town 10 times the size proud. Aside from a museum and library, the facility shelters a 206-seat theater that attracts traveling acting groups and film festivals, and has sent Cordova’s cultural life onto a different plane.
7Shopping
Fill up your backpack with a couple of unique souvenirs from Cordova, such as a locally made fleece jacket with Tlingit or Haida trim.
Copper River FleeceCLOTHING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %800-882-1707; www.copperriverfleece.com; 504 1st St; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat)
You’ll see plenty of people around town sporting the high-quality, unique fleece jackets, vests and hats here. Colorful trim is the company’s signature, and most of the sewing is done upstairs above the shop.
8Information
MEDICAL SERVICES
Cordova Community Medical Center (%907-424-8000; 602 Chase Rd) Provides emergency services.
MONEY
Wells Fargo (%907-424-3258; 515 1st St; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri) Has a 24-hour ATM.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Chamber of Commerce (%907-424-7260; www.cordovachamber.com; 404 1st St; h10am-4pm Mon-Fri) If you find it open, you can get visitor info here, or just call and leave a message – the friendly folks will call you back.
Harbormaster’s Office (%907-424-6400; Nicholoff Way; h8am-5pm) Has $5 showers and a small book swap.
8Getting There & Away
AIR
There are two daily flights to Anchorage with either Alaska Airlines or Ravn Alaska and one daily flight to Yakutat, which subsequently carries on to Juneau and Seattle
Merle K Smith Airport (Copper River Hwy) is 12km east of Cordova. Most accommodations offer a free shuttle service; phone ahead to check.
BOAT
The Alaska Marine Highway (%907-424-7333, 800-642-0066; www.ferryalaska.com) has ferries to Whittier ($81, 6½ hours) every other day in spring and summer. The ferry to Valdez ($58, 14 hours) goes via Whittier and takes all day.
8Getting Around
Compact Cordova can be easily explored on foot, but the problem for travelers exploring the outlying Copper River area is finding transportation. Then again, this is small-town Alaska. With a bit of initiative, you might be able to borrow a bike, share a lift or join in a community hike. Ask around.
Hitchhiking along the Copper River Hwy is possible. The road is well-trafficked up until the airport at Mile 12. Note that the Copper River Hwy to Childs Glacier and the Million Dollar Bridge is closed at the Mile 36 Bridge.
If all else fails, there’s Cordova Taxi (%907-424-5151), which runs from 3pm to midnight.
Whittier
%907 / Pop 200
Whittier is both beautiful and ugly, a wonderfully weird Cold War anachronism set on the edge of some sublime coastal wilderness where rugged fjords dispatch tumbling glaciers into Prince William Sound. Even by Alaskan standards, this is a bizarre outpost. The ‘town’ is dominated by two Cold War military installations: the hopelessly ruined Buckner building and the equally incongruous Begich Towers, a 14-story skyscraper that houses most of Whittier’s population.
Founded in 1941 as a deep-water military base, Whittier was heavily fortified in the early years of the Cold War, before the military pulled out in the 1960s. In danger of becoming a ghost town, the settlement somehow survived and is now a popular cruise-ship port and day-trip destination from Anchorage (a shared road-rail tunnel links it to the Seward Hwy). Serious outdoor enthusiasts revere it for its kayaking, fishing and glacier-viewing – inclement weather and ugly architecture be damned!
1Sights
Prince William Sound MuseumMUSEUM
(100 Whittier St; $5; h10am-8pm)
Whittier’s history goes back to – well – 1941, so you might be surprised to hear that it has a museum. Bivouacked next to a grocery store beneath the Anchor Inn, it does a good, if modest, job of chronicling 75 years of Whittier’s pioneer settlement, WWII military activity and subsequent Cold War building ‘spree.’
After a few opening salvos, the story (told mainly with photos and extended captions) strays away from Whittier to cover the War in the Pacific – more specifically the American-Japanese battles in the Aleutian Islands during WWII.
Begich TowersLANDMARK
(100 Kenai St)
Part of Whittier’s bizarreness stems from the fact that most of its inhabitants live in the same building, the 14-story Begich Towers. The Begich started life as the Hodge building in 1956 when it was constructed to house newly arrived military personnel living temporarily in a trailer park.
Abandoned by the military in 1960, it was subsequently purchased by the City of Whittier in 1972 and has since housed up to 150 people, along with a grocery store, post office and community center. An underground tunnel links it to the local elementary school.
You can wander into the main lobby where there’s a photo display tracking Whittier’s history.
Buckner BuildingRUINS
(Blackstone Rd)
You can’t miss this ugly Cold War creation that melds into the surrounding landscape like a moose on a catwalk. Hailing from an architectural school best described as ‘brutalist,’ the ginormous Buckner was constructed in 1953 to act as a kind of mini-city for Whittier’s military personnel – a function that it fulfilled for less than a decade. When the military pulled out of Whittier in 1960 the building was abandoned.
It has since fallen into disrepair, a victim of vandalism, asbestos and a lack of sufficient funds to do it up. Today it remains in limbo, too expensive to renovate but apparently too ‘historic’ to pull down.
2Activities
Hiking
Portage Pass TrailHIKING
Whittier’s sole USFS-maintained trail is a superb afternoon hike, providing good views of Portage Glacier (where Alaska Natives once portaged goods between Turnagain Arm and Prince William Sound), Passage Canal and the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Clearly marked in its early stages, the trail proceeds along an old roadbed and is easily reachable on foot from town.
To reach the trailhead, head west out of town toward the road/rail tunnel on a paved path that parallels the main road. Just before the tunnel a road branches left over the railroad tracks and dead-ends at a small parking area. From the marked trailhead, a good path climbs steadily along the flank of a mountain for around a mile, finishing at a promontory (elevation 750ft) that offers views of Portage Glacier and Passage Canal to the east. The trail then descends for a half-mile to Divide Lake and Portage Pass. At this point the trail ends, and a route through alder trees continues to descend to a beach on Portage Lake. It’s a 2-mile hike one way from the trailhead to the lake, and it’s well worth bashing some brush at the end. There are great views from the shores of Portage Lake and plenty of places to set up camp on the alluvial flats.
Horsetail Falls TrailHIKING
One in a trio of lovely trails accessible from town, the Horsetail Falls Trail starts at the end of the Reservoir Rd behind the Buckner Building and winds up the mountainside on a series of boardwalks through a mixture of forest and muskeg to a wooden platform high above Whittier. It’s just over a mile in length, and delivers a priceless view.
The Horsetail Falls are only visible in the distance.
Shotgun Cove TrailHIKING
The Shotgun is more of a dirt road than a trail in its initial stages tracking along a delightful stretch of coast with waterfalls, a kittiwake colony and the Billings Glacier visible on the opposite side of Passage Inlet.
From the northeast corner of the Buckner Building, follow Salmon Run Rd for half a mile to the Lu Young Park Picnic Area, where king and silver salmon run during June and late August. Beyond here an undulating dirt road continues along the coast. It’s 1½ miles to Second Salmon Run where a trail alongside the creek leads up to a waterfall. The dirt road ends just past the creek, whereupon the rough-and-ready Emerald Cove Trail continues for several more miles, partly on boardwalks through a mixture of forest and muskeg. About a mile in, a side trail leads down to a beach.
Paddling
oBlackstone BayKAYAKING
One of the kayaking highlights of Alaska, Blackstone Bay is named, somewhat ominously, for a visiting 19th-century miner who froze to death in a snowstorm. There are seven glaciers in the bay, two of which touch the salt water, including the giant Blackstone. Other glaciers jettison foaming cascades of fresh water into the bay’s icy depths.
Wildlife is a common sight as you negotiate the moving sea of ice and there are beaches for camping on the north and south shores.
Boat and kayaking trips to the bay are two-a-dime in Whittier. Experienced kayakers sometimes paddle here all the way from Whittier, but it’s easier to arrange a water-taxi drop-off.
Sound PaddlerKAYAKING
(Prince William Sound Kayak Center; %907-472-2452; www.pwskayakcenter.com; 101 Billings St; h7am-8pm)
This well-run operation has been outfitting kayakers since 1981. Perry and Lois Solmonson rent kayaks including outer rain gear (single/double/triple $70/120/150, discounted for multiple days) and run guided tours. The day-long excursions to Blackstone Bay ($625 for two people; hefty discount if you can rustle up six people) are top flight.
They also have escorts for multiday trips. These aren’t guided tours: while escorts will suggest camping spots and routes, you’re in charge of your own trip, including food and gear. It’s a neat option for independent-minded folks who don’t have the experience to feel comfortable spending a week on the water solo.
Alaska Sea KayakersKAYAKING
(%877-472-2534, 907-472-2534; www.alaskaseakayakers.com; The Triangle; h7am-7pm)
Rents out kayaks (single/double $65/80 per day), and arranges water taxis and multiday tours to places like Harriman Fjord, Nellie Juan Glacier and Whale Bay. It has booking offices at the harbor and the Triangle. Guided sea-kayaking trips include three-hour tours to the kittiwake colony across the passage ($89), half-day trips ($145 to $235) and a Blackstone Bay full-day trip ($345).
Lazy Otter ChartersKAYAKING
(%907-694-6887, 800-587-6887; www.lazyotter.com; Harbor View Rd; h6:30am-7pm)
Lazy Otter operates out of a very pleasant cafe on the harbor and offers all the adventurous water activities you could hope for, including a guided kayaking trip (with water-taxi transfer) to Blackstone Bay ($325 per person). It also runs a water taxi for experienced indie kayakers and rents out fiberglass kayaks (singles/doubles $55/95 per day).
TTours
Historical Walking TourHISTORY
Pick up a map at the Anchor Inn or the Inn at Whittier and follow the self-guided seven-stop tour through the Whittier Army Port Historical District. You’ll find information signs on the walls of each building, including the Buckner Building and Begich Towers. The walk will deposit you at the Prince William Sound Museum, which rounds off the story nicely.
Phillips Cruises & ToursBOATING
(%907-276-8023, 800-544-0529; www.26glaciers.com; Harbor View Rd)
Packs in 26 glaciers on a speedy five-hour boat ride for $159/99 per adult/child. There’s a slightly less harried 3¾-hour Blackstone Bay cruise for $109/69 per adult/child, or the ironically named Sunset cruise for $99/69 per adult/child (the sun barely sets in the summer). A hot meal is included with all trips.
The Philips office is right on the cruise dock. Many of its clientele are cruisers.
Major Marine ToursBOATING
(%800-764-7300, 907-274-7300; www.majormarine.com; Harbor Loop Rd)
One of two competing boat-tour operators in Whittier with offices on the cruise dock, Major employs a USFS ranger on every cruise. It does a five-hour tour of glacier-riddled Blackstone Bay for $119/59.50 per adult/child. A slightly longer tour visits Surprise Glacier and cruises through the Esther Passage for $149/74.50 per adult/child.
BORN IN WORLD WAR II
Understanding how Whittier was born is key to unraveling the complexities of this odd non sequitur.
Shortly after the Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands during WWII, the US began looking for a spot to build a secret military installation. The proposed base needed to be not only an ice-free port, but also as inaccessible as possible, lost in visibility-reducing cloud cover and surrounded by impassable mountains. They found it all right here.
And so, in this place that would be considered uninhabitable by almost any standard, surrounded by 3500ft peaks and hung with sloppy gray clouds most of the year, Whittier was built. A supply tunnel was blasted out of solid granite, one of Alaska’s true engineering marvels, and more than 1000 people were housed in a single tower, the Buckner Building. It wasn’t picturesque, but it was efficient.
The army maintained Whittier until 1968, leaving behind not only the Buckner Building, now abandoned, but also the 14-story Begich Towers.
A labyrinth of underground tunnels connects the apartment complex with schools and businesses, which certainly cuts down on snow-shoveling time. The structure has also given rise to a unique society, where 150-odd people, though virtually isolated from the outside world, live only a few feet from one another – high-rise living in the middle of the wilderness. It’s a must-see attraction for cultural anthropologists.
For years Whittier was accessible only by train or boat, despite being only 11 miles from the most traveled highway in Alaska. But in 2000, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was overhauled for auto traffic and, since then, one of the most abnormal places imaginable has been easily accessible – though normalization seems yet to happen.
4Sleeping
Since most people visit Whittier on cruise ships or on day trips from Anchorage, there isn’t much demand for overnight accommodations. The only real hotels are the posh Inn at Whittier and the not-so-posh Anchor Inn. For something a bit different, you can rent rooms in one of two apartments in the skyline-hogging Begich Towers. The town campground is little more than an afterthought. There’s a 5% room tax.
June’s Whittier Condo SuitesCONDO$$
(%888-472-6001, 907-841-5102; www.juneswhittiercondosuites.com; 100 Kenai St, Suite 1506; condos $165-265; W)
This option offers an insight into the local lifestyle, putting you up in comfortable, homey suites on the 14th and 15th floors of Begich Towers. There are 10 suites in all, including the rather grandly named ‘Presidential Suite.’ With full kitchens and living rooms, they are more suited to longer stays.
Anchor InnMOTEL$$
(%907-472-2354; www.anchorinnwhittier.com; 100 Whittier St; s/d $120/140; W)
This multipurpose venue has cinder-block walls and overlooks the railway tracks, with snow-capped mountains in the background. In many ways, it’s quintessential Whittier: industrial, austere and anachronistic. Notwithstanding, the rooms are clean and spacious with fridges, but no microwaves or coffee machines. To make up for it, there’s an attached restaurant, bar, laundry and grocery store. Added bonus – the town museum is downstairs.
Inn at WhittierHOTEL$$$
(%907-472-3200; www.innatwhittier.com; Harbor Loop Rd; r $169-299; pW)
This Cape Cod–stylized inn at the secluded end of the harbor is the best in town pretty much by default. The rooms are rather plain, but the views more than compensate – make sure you spend the $20 extra for a water view. Families can rent a two-story town-house suite or cozy junior suites with fireplaces and peaked ceilings.
Attached is a high-end restaurant and Whittier’s best stab at a swank bar.
WILDERNESS CABINS
There are five USFS cabins accessible by boat from Whittier. Pigot Bay and Paulson Bay are the closest, with excellent salmon fishing and good views; Harrison Lagoon has the best access for the mobility-impaired, plus some great tide pools; Shrode Lake comes with a boat; and Coghill Lake is a scenic spot with good fishing and berry picking. For bookings visit www.recreation.gov.
5Eating
Cafe OrcaCAFE$
(The Triangle; light meals $8-12; h11am-7pm)
Gourmet sandwiches, some of the best chowder on the Sound, and a great little waterfront deck are the perfect combination for the best lunch in town. If it’s raining, sit inside with a hot espresso.
Vardy’s Ice Cream & Pizza ParlorICE CREAM, PIZZA$
(The Triangle; ice cream $3-6; h11am-9pm)
Under the same ownership as Swiftwater Seafood Cafe, this newer place is sheltered two doors away in a white clapboard bungalow and serves a casual assortment of ice cream, pizzas and various sweet treats. It’s a welcome addition to this tiny community.
Swiftwater Seafood CafeSEAFOOD$$
(www.swiftwaterseafoodcafe.com; The Triangle; mains $10-18; h11:30am-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat)
This tiny hole in the wall has a walk-up counter where you order your food and pay before eating. Halibut and chips and red seafood chowder are the signature dishes, but there’s also crab cakes, fried zucchini, burgers and calamari, and bread pudding for dessert. Service is exceedingly friendly.
Peruse the photos of famous Alaskan shipwrecks as you wait or head to the outside patio to watch weighty clouds amass over the harbor.
Wild Catch CafeSEAFOOD$$
(%907-472-2252; 12 Harbor Loop Rd; burgers $14-16; h6am-7pm)
This place is relatively new in Whittier’s small restaurant universe, and its ‘wild catch’ appears primarily in its salmon burgers, and halibut and chips. The menu is inscribed on a big blackboard and there are two eating options – take-out from a cafe window, or sit down indoors. It also does Whittier’s best breakfast, stuffed into a burrito and washed down with Alaska-roasted Kaladi Brothers coffee.
Ask about the boxed lunches – great for fishing trips.
Inn at Whittier RestaurantSEAFOOD$$$
(%907-472-3200; Harbor Loop Rd; breakfast & lunch $9-20, dinner $23-36; h7am-9pm)
A hotel dining room with glorious views of the Sound (cloudy or not) that cooks up steaks, seafood and a spicy cajun shrimp Alfredo that’s out of this world. Have a martini at the posh lounge attached to the restaurant.
7Shopping
Log Cabin GiftsARTS & CRAFTS
(%907-472-2501; The Triangle; h11am-6pm)
Looking like a museum to Alaskan eccentricities, this genuine log cabin is adorned with reindeer antlers and Alaska Native art. The knickknacks, including lots of high-quality leatherwork, are handmade by owner Brenda Tolman.
8Information
MONEY
Anchor Inn (%907-472-2354; www.anchorinnwhittier.com; 100 Whittier St; h9am-10pm; W) Has an ATM.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Pay for boat launches and overnight parking at the Harbormaster’s Office (Harbor View Rd; h7am-7pm). It also has pay phones and showers ($4).
There’s no official tourist office, but there are bundles of leaflets at the Anchor Inn (along with a coin-op laundry and showers). Begich Towers contains the police and fire stations, medical clinic and a church.
8Getting There & Away
The only way into Whittier by land is via the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which is shared between cars and trains.
BOAT
Alaska Marine Highway (%800-642-0066; www.ferryalaska.com; The Triangle) runs regular ferries across Prince William Sound. Departure times and schedules vary, but in the height of the summer, there are sailings several times a week to Valdez ($78, six hours) and Cordova ($81, 6½ hours). The ferry terminal is beside the Triangle. Both trips are super-scenic – think Dall’s porpoises, Steller sea lions and a kittiwake rookery. Twice a month a ferry departs from Whittier, crosses the Gulf of Alaska and docks in Juneau ($252, 39 hours).
BUS
Bus transport to Whittier is limited and normally only operates around the once- or twice-weekly cruise ships.
Park Connection (%800-266-8625; www.alaskacoach.com) has plush coaches that whisk people between Anchorage and Whittier when there’s a ship in dock (usually Saturdays). One-way tickets for the two-hour journey cost $65; book online.
CAR
Whittier Access Rd, also known as Portage Glacier Access Rd, leaves the Seward Hwy at Mile 79, continuing to Whittier through the claustrophobic Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which at 2.7 miles long is the longest ‘railroad-highway’ tunnel in North America. Negotiating the damp one-lane shaft as you skid across the train tracks is almost worth the steep price of admission (per car/RV $13/22), which is charged only if you’re entering Whittier; if you bring your car into town on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry you can exit through the tunnel for free. Eastbound and westbound traffic alternate every 30 minutes, with interruptions for the Alaska Railroad. Bring a magazine.
Whittier has car rentals with Avis (%907-440-2847; www.avis.com; Lot 8, Small-boat Harbor; h8am-8pm).
TRAIN
The Alaska Railroad (%907-265-2494, 800-544-0552; www.akrr.com) Glacier Discovery train runs daily to and from Anchorage (2½ hours, $83) from late May to mid-September from Whittier’s train station, little more than a platform and an awning next to the cruise dock.