Leaving our camp beside the Matanuska river, we drove towards Palmer, Alaska and found the Muskox farm we had been planning to check out.Although this is a young animal, I expected the adults to be much larger than they actually are. The animals heavy coats are combed out on occasion and the fine undercoat is used to make expensive scarves and other clothing items.
After the Muskox farm it was off to the south of Palmer to the Reindeer (Caribou) farm.
Unlike the muskox farm, you get to interact directly, on very close quarters with the reindeer, and you are provided treats to feed them.
They displayed their patented wide hooves that are able to keep them on top of deep snow when travelling in the winter.

Some of them were fairly agressive - trying to get at the tourist treats. We were told to hide the treat container and show the animals your empty hands to get them to back off! It works, too.
Some of the animals sported halters. Not sure if they were on contract with Santa Claus or not?
We did go through North Pole, Alaska later in the trip, however.
They were not afraid to get in close.
And checked us out very closely.
This calf was still shedding his winter coat.
They also had a few bison at the farm - I forget this one's name.
And even a moose or two.
Although much of the driving around northern B.C. and the Yukon, and Alaska was on somewhat smaller roads and highways, devoid of traffic, this was not the case on both sides of Anchorage.

Both sides of Anchorage the roads were 4 lane, divided highways, just like southern Interstates, with lots of traffic. It would be easy to forget that you weren't in the south for just a while.

We stopped for a while in Anchorage and checked out a restaurant for some local seafood.
We headed south out of Anchorage into extremely heavy traffic. It was Sunday evening and I guess most of Anchorage must have been out fishing for the weekend and were headed back for the city. Two out of three vehicles we me either were towing a boat or had one on the roof!

Next, the Kenai peninnsula.

When we left Valdez, Alaska on August 1st, we had to leave the coast and drive back up over Thompson pass. From the height of the markers on the sides of the road, it appears that snow depth here in winter is impressive.The weather was clearing a bit as we went over the pass. Because we had driven the road earlier in the day ...
Not everyone was paying attention, especially the navigator!
We stopped by Copper Center, just south of Glenallen and checked out the another of the historic Alaskan roadhouses. This one is still in operation as the Copper Center Lodge and there is a small museum next door.
In the same area, we checked out a very historic log church,
which still hosts occasional services, I believe.
Then from Glenallen, we headed for the coast at Anchorage again, via Palmer, Alaska.
Along the way was the very impressive Matanuska glacier.

Wikipedia says,

"Matanuska Glacier is a valley glacier in the U.S. state of Alaska. At 27 miles (39 km) long by four miles (6.4 km) wide, it is the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States. Its terminus is the source of the Matanuska River. It lies near the Glenn Highway about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Anchorage. Matanuska Glacier is "active" and expands around one foot (30 cm) per day."
I found it quite amazing that even though the glacier is miles and miles long, parts of the surface appear very bright and clean; not dirty like many much shorter glaciers!
But conversely, parts of it are covered by massive debris fields so thick that even trees have grown on top of portions of it!
Click on the image below for an explanation of the phenomenon.
We wanted to camp somewhere prior to reaching Palmer, where we would visit a Muskox and a Reindeer farm the next day.
This spot was right between the highway and the raging Matanuska river - just below the glacier, but if filled the bill for the night.

And a quick video of the river, taken from the camp spot.

On the road to Valdez, Alaska, the Worthington glacier is immediately roadside as you climb into Thompson pass on the Richardson highway.
Snowfall in the pass must be extreme, judging by the height of the marker posts along the road.
Over the pass you begin the long descent to the coast.
There are many glaciers and waterfalls that can be seen from this route.

Finally, the port of Valdez, named after a Spanish explorer in 1790 became a town because of deception from steamship lines at the time of the gold rush. They promoted it as a faster easier way to the gold fields, but in fact it was twice as long and steep as promised. Many gold seekers perished on the route as a result.
There was a viewing platform for watching the fish spawn at the edge of town.

Video of spawning fish.


Of course, Valdez is probably most infamous for the oil spill of the Exxon Valdez, which hit a reef on March 24, 1989, eventually covering 11 million square miles of ocean with crude oil.We did not go out looking for any signs of this environmental tragedy, although I'm sure some of the effects will be felt for decades to come.
It was an overcast day, but we checked out the towns bakeries, grocery stores, museums, and of course filled up with fuel.

View of the town from a hill between the harbour and the town.
We did check out the price of taking the ferry to Whittier, the the price was over $300 for the truck and two of us. I presume the cat would ride free.
Next, retracing our route back to Copper Center and Glenallen.

McCarthy, Alaska is an interesting and rather unique place. It lies at the end of a 60 mile sometimes rough gravel road, right beside the abandoned Kennecott mine and at the edge of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.The public road actually ends on the far side of the river, so many of the residents apparently park their trucks over there and walk to the village across the footbridge - or use their quads or motorbikes for the same purpose.
There is a vehicle bridge, but it is apparently private, and you have to pay an annual fee of several hundred dollars to use it. So the village is somewhat pedestrian oriented.
It is a bit of a living museum. Mining artifacts are on display in the street as well as in the free museum. Many buildings are from the mining era, but there is evidence of recent and ongoing construction as well.
There are several outfitting and guiding businesses as well as an air charter company.
This is the cable car that till the new bridge was built, appeared to be the primary way to cross the river to get in to McCarthy!
Mining artifacts on display in the museum.

I took a couple more shots from the Kuskulana bridge on the way out.

And the rock cut at the very start of the road at Chitina. All traffic to Kennecott and McCarthy must navigate this one lane rock cut.
Some pretty cool clouds greeted our return to the pavement.
We stopped at Kenny lake on the way out and made use of the shower and laundry facilities, and ate some tasty left-overs that the fridge provided.
Then it was down the road towards Valdez. We found a primitive bush camp site not far from Squirrel creek state rec area. N61 40.073 W145 10.404