Day 69 – Tazlina River to Palmer

Today’s Mileage 150
Miles to Date 5655
Miles Remaining 4001

A little more progress was made today towards the turnaround point, Kenai Peninsula, of our venture. We are now just a day’s drive away for a late Sunday afternoon arrival.

Today started out sunny but as we arrived in Palmer, the sky became overcast and for the last several hours we have had a steady rain.

The Glenn Highway winds alongside the Matanuska River Valley. Across the river is the Matanuska Glacier. The Matanuska Glacier heads into the Chugach Mountains and is 27 miles long. Some 18,000 years ago the glacier reached all the way to the highway. The glacier average width is four miles. The glacier has remained fairly stable for the past 400 years.

Due to the low lying clouds, I was only able to capture the valley. Hopefully on the return trip, I will be able to get a shot of the glacier.

 

 

Just before Palmer is a Musk Ox farm. Musk Ox are survivors from the ice age and once roamed  throughout Europe and North America. There are still wild Musk Ox herds left in the arctic regions. They have been tried to be domesticated with limited success as they maintain their very aggressive behavior.

Young female Musk Ox

  
Mature Male Musk Ox

Matanuska River Valley & Musk Ox Video