We made it across the border into Alaska! Our first couple days were spent in Tok, Alaska with logistics like washing the motorhome and Jeep, grocery shopping, laundry, Napa Auto Parts for new turn signal bulbs, and trip planning. After taking care of our chores, we drove down the Tok Cutoff to Glennallen, Alaska. While in Glennallen we hope to explore Wrangle-St. Elias National Park and the Copper River Valley.
Our first day in Glennallen was spent going to all the Visitor Centers - Copper River, Wrangle-St. Elias and the BLM Field Office. We had lunch at the Copper River Lodge where we dined on Copper River salmon sandwiches while chatting with our daughter, Katie. After getting back to camp, we spent the rest of the day poring over all the opportunities for adventure. As with most of our stays, there is more here to do than we have time. The weather here in the Copper River Valley is very changeable. We decided a couple of short hikes would be a good way to start. The folks at the BLM Office recommended we hike to the Tolsona Mud Volcanoes. This sounded too cool to pass up, so we put it first on the list.
On Wednesday, June 19, 2019, we packed our lunch and headed down the Glenn Highway. While the Tolsona Mud Volcanoes are part of Wrangle-St. Elias National Park, there is no access except through the Tolsona Wilderness Campground, a private camping resort. The folks there allow visitors to park their cars for $5.00. Here is the view of the office as we arrived.
The trailhead is a short walk through the campground. We crossed a small stream that runs through the park. There are a number of campsites right along the stream.
We knew we were in for mosquitoes before we even started the hike. We came prepared. We had long sleeve shirts, bug dope and head nets. It wasn't as bad as we feared. However, the trail was very spongy.
Most of the trail was marked with either CDs, tin can lids or ribbons nailed or tied to trees along our route. However, the trail braided and criss-crossed multiple times. We had to keep an eye on the original track to make sure we didn't follow some moose trail off into the woods. A few missteps and we found ourselves standing in ankle deep water. As we approached the mud volcanoes, the marshy, spongy, soggy, gooey, damp, braided trail gave way to a well defined, smooth track surrounded by willow and alder.
After being surrounded by spruce forest, it was quite a surprise to come out to a barren clearing filled with bubbling mud wells.
We were curious to know if they were warm or not, so we carefully approached and tested the water. It felt like cool spring water. A number of logs were placed into the springs -- most likely to mark their location, especially in winter when the area is covered in snow.
The mud "volcanoes" are created by methane gas, which comes from coal beds, bubbling up to the surface. On their journey upwards, the bubbles pass through fine silt, some of which is carried up with the bubble all the way to the surface. When the bubbles pop at the top, the tiny load of silt particles are deposited. The mud flats have been created by the deposition of specks of silt carried up by millions of bubbles over time - an oozing monument to the power of persistence. To see this process in action, click the link to this close-up view of one of the bubbling mud volcanoes.
The campground owners said it was possible to see wildlife on the hike. There are a number of moose in the area as well as a lynx, but so far no bear reports. While we didn't see any wildlife during our hike, the area around the mud volcanoes was filled with prints. Here is the best lynx print we found:
There were also lots and lots of moose prints.
Here is the smallest of the mud volcanoes. Isn't it cute!
We have learned over the years to never go anywhere without knowing how to get back, so Kathy marked our return route:
We made good time on our way back. Having done it once, we knew to look for side trails and work around when we came to muddy sections of the trail. We checked back in with the campground owner and thanked her for the great hike.
Our next adventure took us to the Sourdough Creek Campground, run by the BLM. The campground maintains a one mile interpretive trail along Sourdough Creek. The trailhead marker warns of a rough and narrow trail. However, it was easy-peasy compared to the Mud Volcano Trail.
The trail starts at the far end of the campground where Sourdough Creek enters into the Gulkana River. Caribou moss carpets the forest. It looks and feels like a sponge. While it is called "moss," it is actually a form of lichen, and is high in carbohydrates and Vitamin C, which is why the caribou like it so much.
Unlike the murky glacial fed rivers in the area, Sourdough Creek has a clear brown appearance from all the dissolved tannins in the soil.
The running water of the creek helps to keep the permafrost at bay so the trees next to the creek have more room to spread their roots and grow tall. A blanket of ferns has taken up residence under the tall trees.
Along the trail are several mosquito feeding stations, otherwise known as interpretive signs. We're convinced that the BLM erects those signs so that visitors will stand still reading them, long enough for the mosquitoes to get a full meal.
You may think Kathy is napping in this photo, but she is actually hiding from those little blood suckers!
The trail was well maintained with a number of boardwalks through the damp areas.
We soon reached the far end of the trail. Rather than retrace our steps (and feed more mosquitoes), we decided to walk down to the boat ramp and back through the campground to our Jeep. The boat ramp was pretty busy. Sourdough is a popular jumping-off point for river raft trips and guided fishing trips along the Gulkana River.
The Gulkana River begins in the Alaska Range near Summit Lake and flows south into the Copper River. The three forks comprise the largest clearwater river system in the Copper River Basin, draining approximately 2,140 square miles in south central Alaska before it meets the Copper River, which in turn empties into Prince William Sound. Part of the Gulkana River was designated a National Wild and Scenic River.
Just above the campground, the Trans Alaska Pipeline crosses the Gulkana River, on its own bridge which is visible in the distance in the photo below, where Kathy sits and contemplates how a Wild and Scenic River can have a pipeline across it and still be considered wild and scenic.
On our way to Sourdough, we saw this rental Class C on the side of the road with its front end wrapped around a tree. The skid marks on the road told us something bad had happened. We stopped to check on them and they reported no injuries. The tow truck had already been called. There were just waiting. On our way back from our hike, they were still waiting. We again offered assistance, but they assured us they had everything they needed. We don't know whether their RV suffered a blowout, or whether they had to swerve at high speed to avoid colliding with a moose, or whether some other equally bad thing caused their accident. However, it was just a reminder to be careful out there.
If the weather improves tomorrow, we hope to get our kayaks out and do a little fishing. Stay tuned.
The sight of that Class C kissing a tree is scary. Be careful out there!
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