Exploring Valdez, Alaska

Taking off from Wasilla

You can't just head off into the wilds of Alaska with no preparation! We're not complete savages!

Oh, and we picked up some coffee, too.

Traveling from Fairbanks

Doug's traveling buddies!

The Pink and Silver Salmon Hatchery

Self-guided tour
Fish Ladder
Numerous Large Sea Lions

Getting upstream when you weigh hundreds of pounds can be a little bit of a workout. Oh, and you don't have feet. Or legs.

You get to your favorite dining spot only to find they gave away "your" table.

Fishing sea lions tend to get the salmon excited.

The hatchery is a popular spot with tourists... and Pink Salmon!

The fish ladder directs the hatchery-raised fish back to the hatcher. The ladder is removed when the wild-bred salmon return a month later.

Hiking to Solomon Gulch and Lake above the Valdez Electic Power Plant

Google told us that the start of the trail was through the power plant's parking lot. We saw the "restricted area" sign and asked a power plant employee who let us know the actual trailhead was a little further down the road and had plenty of parking. Great picture, though. Right?