Glenn Highway to Palmer

One of numerous glaciers along the Glenn Hwy, east from Glenallen to Palmer. The views were outstanding the entire drive. I kept moving from the side window to take pictures to the front to see what was coming next. Absolutely stunning!

Alas, we must say goodbye to Wrangell-St. Elias mountain ranges. Can Denali outdo this?

Almost to Palmer, AK in the Mat-Su area, is the Matanuska Glacier. It extends for 27 miles, is noted as the "largest glacier accessible by car in Alaska," and at Mile 102 there is access to the Glacier, for a charge. You can hike 15 to 20 minutes to the white ice. Can not actually get to and touch the glacier, but a nice experience anyway. It is thought that 18,000 years ago the Matanuska Glacier extended another 53 miles into Palmer. The glacier has remained fairly stable the last 400 years.

Northern Oxytrope

Blue Columbine

The Copper Center Roadhouse
established in
1896. Roadhouses were built, often 20 miles apart (a days journey) for weary gold miners, trappers and travelers. A person could expect a bed, bath, food, mail and medical attention.
Eventually the roadhouse became the social and community center as towns grew up around them.

Original Diamond Willow banister in roadhouse.

The railroad museum in
Copper Center was
one of the best we have
ever seen. Below are a few pictures (copies) from the museum.

Driving the model T over Thompson Pass

Fairbanks to Valdez stagecoach in the winter.

Can you imagine trains trying to plow through this snow today? When/if the train did get stuck, locals came out to dig the tracks open for the train to continue.

How Copper Center originally looked, including the original Roadhouse and the same as today diamond willow banister. Don and I tried a number of times to find diamond willow and were not successful. We heard lots of stories about what it actually looks like and where it can be found.

And, of course, what would Copper Center be without the Copper River running nearby.







BBFY, Karen and Don