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Overview

Introduction

Valdez (pronounced val-DEEZ) is at the southern end of the 800-mi/1,300-km engineering wonder known as the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. The pipeline sends Alaska North Slope crude oil from the Beaufort Sea to Valdez's ice-free, deepwater port for shipment.

That oil made Valdez rich. But it also put the town on the worldwide news when Exxon's supertanker Valdez struck Bligh Reef in 1989. More than 11 million gallons of oil were spilled but did not significantly affect Valdez's shoreline because the tides pulled the oil away from the area. However, other areas of Prince William Sound and beyond were badly damaged.

Another catastrophe struck Valdez 25 years earlier, when an earthquake created a tsunami that killed 33 residents and compromised structures throughout the town. The town relocated 4 mi/6 km to the west on higher ground and was rebuilt, which is why it looks modern and young. (Both the quake and the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred on Good Friday.)

But there's more to Valdez than oil. This self-proclaimed "Gateway to the Interior" is truly one of Alaska's crown jewels, surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Most visitors reach Valdez on an overnight drive from Anchorage along the Glenn Highway over Thompson Pass, noted for its record snowfall of 81 ft/24 m the winter of 1952, and continuing down through Keystone Canyon with its magnificent waterfalls.

Some cruise ships also stop in Valdez. Most visitors take a half- or full-day boat tour to view the Columbia Glacier, one of the largest and most accessible glaciers in Alaska. Charter fishing and hikes to see the surrounding mountains, glaciers and waterfalls are also popular pursuits for visitors.

Must See or Do

Sights—A drive to Thompson Pass; guided raft trips or kayak tours to Keystone Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls; a cruise amid whales, sea lions, seals, sea otters and puffins; watching Columbia Glacier icebergs and Meares Glacier calving.

Museums—Alaska Native artifacts at the Valdez and the Maxine and Jesse Whitney museums.

Memorable Meals—Salmon prepared as you like it at the Totem Inn; reindeer sausage for breakfast or salmon any way you like it at the Totem Inn.

Late Night—Live music or billiards at The Pipeline Club, Puddle Jumper Saloon or Land Sharks.

Walks—Mineral Creek Valley Trail to gold-mining territory; views of Valdez Bay from Dock Point Trail.

Especially for Kids—Children's activities at the Valdez Museum; exploring the Valdez waterfront; watching salmon spawning at Crooked Creek or migrating waterfowl at Duck Flats; fishing in the annual Kids' Pink Salmon Derby.

Geography

Valdez's landscape is dominated by the terminus of the 800-mi/1,288-km Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline on the south side of town. Tankers can be seen arriving and leaving the port. The opposite shore to the pipeline's terminus is the town's waterfront and small boat harbor.

Valdez is located on the northeast corner of Prince William Sound. It is connected to the rest of Alaska by the Richardson Highway. The tallest coastal mountains in North America rise there from sea level to 7,000 ft/2,170 m.

Sometimes known as "The Little Switzerland of Alaska," Valdez receives about 325 in/825 cm of snow a year, offering plenty of opportunities for extreme skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling activities in the winter. Thompson Pass and the surrounding Chugach Mountains receive more than 50-75 ft/15-23 m of fresh powder annually.

History

Prior to 1778, the Chugach Eskimo and Ahtna people lived in Valdez by fishing and trading copper, jade, hides and furs. In 1778, Capt. Cook arrived in the Sound and named it Sandwich (for his patron, the Earl of Sandwich), although it was later renamed after Prince William IV.

Valdez was founded in 1897, when gold prospectors moved there believing that there was an easy trail leading to the gold fields of the Interior. This supposedly easy route involved climbing and descending a glacier and crossing an ice field. Most who tried it died or were injured. The U.S. Army eventually built a safer passage through the Chugach Mountains.

In 1919, the Keystone Canyon Trail over Thompson Pass became the Richardson Highway, which connected Valdez to Fairbanks. Valdez became a year-round, ice-free port, a gateway to Prince William Sound and the Interior.

In 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake triggered underwater slides, which created huge waves that washed away the Valdez waterfront. The town was relocated in 1967.

In 1973, Congress authorized the construction of the 800-mi/1,287-km Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline with its southern terminus located in Valdez. On 24 March 1989, the tanker Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, causing the second-largest oil spill in North American history. Decades later, oil still lingers on area beaches, and much of the wildlife has yet to recover fully. Commercial herring fishing has not resumed in the area.

Potpourri

Valdez got a whopping 561 in/1,425 cm (47 ft/15 m) of snow in the winter of 1989-90. The normal average is 326 in/828 cm (27 ft/8 m). The city averages more snowfall than any other city in Alaska.

The town of Valdez had to be relocated to more stable ground after the Good Friday Earthquake in 1964, the largest quake to hit North America and an excruciating five minutes of rock-and-roll that measured 9.2 on the Richter scale. The epicenter was 45 mi/72 km west of Valdez and 14 mi/23 km underground.

The 1995 film Endless Winter featured five snowboarders in the Chugach Mountains out of Valdez.

Valdez hosts the World Extreme Skiing Competition and the King of the Hill Snowboard Championship.

"Feeder" or "winter kings" are immature salmon that stay near the shores of Alaska. They are fun to catch because they put up a good fight.

About one oil tanker visits Valdez's port every day.

There are five glaciers in Valdez: Columbia, Meares, Worthington, Shoup and Valdez.

Location

The cruise-ship terminal is 3 mi/5 km northeast of town off Richardson Highway. Most cruise lines hire buses to transport passengers to town at no extra charge.

The Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau Information Center at 104 Chenega St. has free maps and other information. It's open in summer Monday-Saturday 8 am-7 pm, Sunday 8 am-5 pm; in winter Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm, Saturday 9 am-2 pm. Phone 907-835-4636. http://www.valdezalaska.org.

Shore Excursions