Valdez Glacier
and a big climb up the hill |
The two RV Gypsies
and their family flew from Fairbanks to Valdez. |
Valdez is the activity center for Prince William Sound. Its growth is due to trading, salmon canning, gold and copper mining. Valdez is home to five glaciers - Columbia, Meares, Worthington, Shoup and Valdez Glaciers. The two RV Gypsies took their family to 4 of those 5 Glaciers. |
This was the second time the two RV Gypsies went to the Valdez Glacier and they saw how much the glacier has changed, so a comparison is below. The Glacier itself is the snow looking part behind the big green hill and ice chunks from the glacier are in the water. | |
June 7, 2009 |
August 10, 2009 |
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June 7, 2009 |
August 10, 2009 |
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The difference
in the water color in the photos above happened because as the glacier advanced
and melted, the ice mixed with the soil, and deposited silt in the water. |
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Added note: The two RV Gypsies went here again in 2016. Valdez Glacier has moved inland, much closer to where the two RV Gypsies stood before. To see the differences in 2016, be sure to check out that page via the link below. All sites are different in many ways. |
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August 10, 2009 |
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A chunk of ice from the glacier drifted towards the shore - it was too cold for Alex to hold so he dropped it. |
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Below: Renee stuck her tongue out at her mother. NICE daughter dear! Renee never liked her photo taken. |
Rapids where the glacier water runs off - notice several other glaciers in the mountains. |
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Then everyone walked around to the left of the glacier and climbed up a big, steep rock hill. Look how small everyone looks in the photos below. (Note: In 2016, nobody was able to walk up this hill because a big construction crane was destroying it.) | |
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Kristen Davis just starting
up the hill |
Kristen Davis about half-way up the
hill |
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Everyone made
it to the crest of the hill |
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It was a tough climb and then everyone went even higher |
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On the rocks by the stream
of water cascading down the rocks |
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3 generations on the rocks
- LOL |
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Alex Jones looked down at his grandfather, who had yet begun the climb. Notice how small the car looks at the bottom of the hill - it is hard to see but it is in the below photo on the right.. |
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Below: Views of Valdez
Glacier from the crest of the hill |
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This is not meant to be a linear site, but it can be via the link with the arrow at the bottom of each page. However, there is often a sub-menu such as the one below with six sites, and sometimes there is a link forward or backwards in time for corresponding pages, such as the links at the very bottom of this page. Of course there is always the navigational buttons at the top of the page, and the TOC. |
Sub-Menu for the two RV Gypsies
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Thompson's Pass waterfalls at Keystone Canyon |
Valdez Glacier (this page) |
Worthington Glacier and the ice cave |
Columbia Meares Glacier excursion |
Valdez Harbor, a coyote, and the airplane |
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OR |
If you wish to see how these same places have changed as of the year 2016, go there now, but be sure to return here to continue with 2009 adventures. There will be a link at the bottom of the 2016 pages to return here. |