DRIVING GLENN HIGHWAY TO VISIT PALMER, ALASKA

Left our scenic overlook this morning and drove about 80 miles on the Glenn Highway (very good roads) to Palmer.   Along the way, we stopped to see the Matanuska Glacier which heads in the Chugach Mountains and trends northwest 27 miles.  Some 18,000 years ago the glacier reached all the way to the Palmer area. The glacier's average width is 2 miles and at its terminus it is 4 miles wide.  It has remained fairly stable for the past 400 years.    Isn't that amazing?

Matanuska Glacier

I didn't even know what a glacier was until we came to Alaska

I also caught a glimpse of a moose, that makes the forth moose sighting for us. Before reaching Palmer we made another stop to tour the Alpine Historical Park.  The park had historic mining equipment from the Wishbone Hill Coal Mining Company and the concrete foundation of the Sutton Coal Washery (1920-1922).  Here's the interesting part, after two weeks in operation, the U.S. Navy decided they were no longer interested in Alaskan coal and the plant was closed  due to lack of business. Incredible, huh?

Denis showing off his muscles

Old mining equipment

Drove from there to the Palmer Visitor's Center and parked in a large lot across the street.  Saint Michael's Church was within walking distance and we attended the 11:00 mass.  The parish was filled with not only grey heads but also young families and their children.  What I haven't seen in a long time is women and little girls in dresses and men looking dapper.  I like that!

After church we walked back to the coach and I whipped up some scrambled eggs, home fries and toasted muffins.  Nice and full, we walked across the street to visit the small but filled with historical information visitor's center.  They had a beautiful garden with exotic flowers and giant vegetables.

The Milepost Alaska Travel Planner keeps us aware of things we should see or do when we visit an area.  I wanted to go to a local farm to buy produce, see the Church of a Thousand Trees which dates back to the Matanuska Colony days and tour the Musk Ox Farm.  Mission accomplished.

Historic Site - Church of a Thousand Trees

 

The Musk Ox Farm is a non-profit organization that raises the prehistoric musk oxen for their fine underwool, called qiviut.  It is the largest musk ox farm in the world with about 75 head. For more information, click on their link:   www.muskoxfarm.org

Cost is $11 per person but goes to a good cause

The young ones here are all named after spices - you can adopt one for $100

Musk Ox are not oxen but goats - seriously

Original 1930 Colony Barn on the Musk Ox Farm

That's all folks!  Thanks for stopping in.