Tolsona Wilderness Campground, Glenallen, AK
We returned north on the Richardson Highway from Valdez to Glenallen. Unfortunately the clouds were very low so we did not get to enjoy any beautiful views from the Thompson Pass.
We had planned to stop along the way to photograph the Alaska pipeline. The pipeline was built between 1973-1975 to bring oil from the north shore of Alaska (Prudhoe Bay) to the open, deep water port of Valdez. More than 30,000 workers participated in the construction. Along much of the route, the pipeline is underground in the permafrost where special precautions had to be taken to ensure that the warmth of the oil didn’t melt the permafrost, resulting in movement of the earth and fracture of the pipe. The pipe is insulated with refrigerants.
As the pipeline approaches Valdez it is above ground. The pipeline is positioned on steel supports. The supports enable to pipe to flex vertically with changes in temperature.
The pipe is laid in a zig-zag pattern to enable it to move horizontally due to seismic changes (earthquakes).
Since 9/11 access to the oil facilities is severely restricted but we were able to photograph this bit of pipeline along the Richardson Highway.
Nearby I saw this air mail box and thought I should share it with you. Pretty funny!
The air mail box is positioned for incoming small planes. (hee, hee)
We returned this afternoon to Tolsona Wilderness Campground near Glenallen, AK. (Our favorite Alaskan campground.) As we drove down the 1 mile gravel road to the campground, we commented to each other that since the road was damp, we weren’t experiencing as much dust as last week. (Snowflake (our big truck) stirs up a lot of dust!)
Just as we approached the campground office, the sky opened and the rains fell. For the next 40 minutes we were in a deluge. After registering, I hung out in the campground office and chatted with the very friendly workcamper until it appeared that I could see the truck. Eventually we were able to back into our site, however, despite wearing my Gortex jacket and funny rain hat, I was drenched! There was a lake at our door. :-(
To warm everyone we made Goulash Soup and homemade bread for dinner. Yum. Although the rain eventually stopped, it was too cold and the mosquitoes were too active for us to have a campfire tonight.
A few minutes ago I noticed that despite the rainy day, we were having a pretty near mid-night sunset.
I braved the mosquitoes for a few minutes to capture this view from the rear of our site. Pretty sunset at 11:34 pm, the stream is in the shadow.
For our readers who are tired of my pictures of mid-night sunsets, those pictures quickly will be evaporating. In Alaska, the days get shorter very quickly following midsummer. We’re still hoping to see the northern lights before we return to the lower 48 in September. However, my motto is always – take the sun while you can!
4 comments:
Actually I think much of the pipeline is above ground to avoid having to worry about melting the permafrost- I thought that was the major reason it is elevated.
Actually I think it's about 50/50 above and below ground. Some places it is below ground to protect it from avalanches.
I love the sunset pictures. It is funny that you have to be awake that late to see them.
Leslie is correct, it is about 50/50 - there are 420 miles above ground and 380 miles below ground per the data supplied by Alyeska Pipeline Company.
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